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Residents and officers press Fort Pierce commission to reconsider police chief shortlist; commissioners debate process
Summary
Dozens of residents and current and retired officers urged the commission to include local candidates in the police chief process and to delay any final action until the commission is fully seated; the city manager defended a national search and scheduled public meet-and-greets and commissioner interviews with three finalists.
Dozens of Fort Pierce residents and members of the police department urged the City Commission on Dec. 1 to reconsider the city manager's shortlist in the police chief search and to restore local candidates to the finalist pool.
At public comment, Ellen Gillette said the city's consulting firm initially shortlisted seven candidates and that the city later narrowed that list to three finalists "by a single interview, and all three local candidates were dismissed." She asked the commission to "delay the final decision until there's a full commission so that District 2 is properly represented." Several other speakers echoed that call, saying promotion from within would protect morale and continuity.
Retired Sergeant Dennis McWilliams and other former and current officers described…
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