WILTON – With his last day as Wilton’s police chief set for Dec. 5, Oxford County’s sheriff-elect Wayne Gallant will meet with selectmen on Monday to suggest what the town needs in a new chief.

The ongoing search will gain momentum next week. “I’ve been working to find an interim police chief to fill in (starting) the day Wayne leaves,” Town Manager Peter Nielsen said. He added that he could not comment on his progress so far, saying simply, “I’m at work on that task.”

“We’re trying to come up with somebody outside of the department that’s an experienced chief,” Selectman Russell Black said.

On the upside, Nielsen said, the town has already received five applications for the full-time position. “The selectmen are going to screen those applications Monday night,” he said.

The screening will take place during an executive session, but the discussion about possible interim chiefs and the meeting with Gallant will take place in a public session, which starts at 7 p.m. at the town office.

The department needs someone who can do criminal investigations and the associated paperwork well, Black said. “One of the biggest weaknesses of the department is being able to do investigative work and paperwork. That’s an important asset.”

Selectmen are also looking for someone to lead. “I think he needs be a take-charge kind of chief; that gets the most out of what we have for police officers,” Black said. “Like Wayne. Wayne has been an excellent, excellent chief. If we get another guy like Wayne, we’ll be very happy.”

Gallant said he could not comment on the matter Thursday.