List of candidates for Beatrice Police Chief, narrowed

BEATRICE – A lot of interest has been expressed in becoming the next Police Chief for the City of Beatrice.

Police Chief Bruce Lang will retire in late spring after a multi-decade career in law enforcement…30 years as Beatrice Chief of Police. He was appointed in 1992 by then-Mayor Dave Maurstad. His career spans about 47 years. Mayor Stan Wirth says several applications for the post have been received.

"We have received seventeen applications and we have narrowed that down to eight of the individuals that applied. The processes of interviews will begin not next week, but the week after. That will be an all-day interview process of all eight candidates if we can get them all scheduled for that period of time."

A set of police chiefs from other communities will conduct the initial interviews, then interviewing by the Civil Service Commission and members of the public. The first round of interviews comes on March 15th.

"The 16th it will be the Civil Service Commission who will submit their top three candidates and then the second round of interviews will come before the Mayor and City Council on, I believe, it's March 29th. We hope to have a new Police Chief appointed by April 18th."

Wirth says the finalists have very good qualifications. Of the eight, some are from Nebraska and others from out-of-state.