LEWISTON — A seven-member committee formed to find a new chief for the Police Department includes a district attorney, a school superintendent and a specialist in youth justice.
The committee will advise City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath throughout the hiring process, from the review of qualified candidates to the recommendation of finalists.
The city is in search of a replacement for David St. Pierre, who retired last month after 33 years on the job. Last week, the city officially ended the application period, with roughly 20 candidates to be considered.
District Attorney Neil E. McLean, Lewiston Schools Superintendent Jake Langlais and Dunkins Pierre, a restorative justice specialist with the Youth LED Justice Program, have joined the committee.
Cathy McDonald, who has managed a range of community events, including Liberty Festival and Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival, was also invited onto the committee.
Others include Spencer Taylor, co-director of the nonprofit Samara Strategies; Heather Theriault, Lewiston’s director of human resources, and Brian O’Malley, a former police chief and currently the deputy city administrator.
“I appreciate the committee makeup is representative of our city,” Mayor Carl Sheline said, “and the search for our new police chief will be a transparent process.”
The committee members were specifically chosen for their expertise in various fields related to Kaenrath’s search for a new chief, according to a city news release.
“The next chief of police must reflect the values of transparency, accountability and community partnership,” Kaenrath said. “These committee members bring invaluable insight and integrity to that search. I look forward to our collaboration in the weeks ahead.”
Kaenrath has said he has been considering candidates for the job from inside the Police Department and beyond it. He has also been soliciting input from the public, inviting members of the community to relate what they’d like to see in their next police chief.
He expects to announce the selection before winter.
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