The town has received ten job applications from people seeking to become its new police chief starting in January.

That person would replace Police Chief Michael Kehoe, 60, who will retire after more than 37 years as a local police officer.

Chief Kehoe has headed the police department since July 1999, initially as acting police chief, and in 2001 becoming permanent chief. On June 2, Chief Kehoe announced that he would retire.

On July 6, the town started advertising the police chief vacancy. The applications closed on August 14.

“We have a ways to go,” Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico said this week of the candidate review process for hiring a new police chief.

Mr Mangiafico said his goal is to hire a new chief by mid-November.

In June, the five-member Police Commission appointed itself as an “executive-level personnel search committee” for a new police chief. That committee also will include First Selectman Pat Llodra, who is an ex-officio member of the Police Commission in her role as the head of the local government.

Mr Mangiafico said he hopes the search committee meets again soon to discuss the ten applications submitted for the chief’s position. He declined to disclose the identities of the people seeking the job or even generally describe where those people live.

“It’s going to take several meetings more” to select a new police chief, he said. “We want to make the best decision we possibly can,” he said. The Police Commission does not want to rush its work in choosing a chief, he said. “Quickness is not an issue here,” he said.

“We want [to hire] the right person for the right reasons,” Mr Mangiafico said.

 Stressing the fundamental importance of public safety, Mr Mangiafico said that a police chief is “the department head of a critically important [town] department.”

The five Police Commission members who are on the six-member search panel will seek Mrs Llodra’s advice in terms of hiring a new chief, but only the five Police Commission members will be eligible to make the hiring decision. Other Police Commission members are Brian Budd, Joel Faxon, Andrew Sachs, and Virgil Procaccini, Jr.

The police chief reports to the Police Commission and also reports to the first selectman concerning daily responsibilities.

According to the commission’s specifications for the job, candidates should have extensive experience in municipal staffing, short- and long-term planning, budgeting, personnel management, police labor negotiations, and community interactions.

The police chief is responsible for all management functions of the police department including developing policies and procedures, preparation of reports, personnel development, maintaining professional standards for sworn officers, attending municipal meetings, and interacting with the public.

The chief maintains a close and professional relationship with the first selectman, town boards and commissions, and the public at large.

Qualified candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree from a college or accredited university in the fields of public administration, business administration, criminal justice, criminology, law enforcement, or a related field. Holding a master’s degree in related areas is highly recommended.

Candidates also must have at least 15 years of full-time professional law enforcement experience, of which at least seven years was as a senior police commander.

The FBI National Academy or equivalent advanced training is desired. Also, Newtown residency after appointment is strongly preferred.

Certification by Connecticut’s Police Officer Standards and Training Council is required.

The annual salary range for the job is $109,000 to $116,000, with fringe benefits.

Since it was organized as a municipal law enforcement agency in 1971, the Newtown Police Department has had only four police chiefs, including Chief Kehoe.