DALTON, Ga. — Dalton’s Public Safety Commission will look for the city’s next police chief solely from within the department’s ranks, meaning no women or minorities will be initially considered for the job.

Only if commissioners are unsatisfied with the internal applicants do they plan to open the search up to outside candidates. Under the city charter, the PSC does the search and names the chief, but the City Council must ratify that decision.

“We believe we have a number of well-qualified candidates within the department,” said PSC Chairman Bill Weaver.

On Monday, Dalton Human Resources Director Greg Batts sent a memo to police officers inviting those with at least 12 years of total law enforcement experience showing increasing responsibility in a city or similar agency, at least 10 years in the Dalton Police Department and at least a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related field to apply.

On Tuesday, Batts estimated there are between three and seven officers on the force who meet those qualifications.

The application deadline is Jan. 26.

Jason Parker, who has been chief for the past 10 years, will step down at the end of the business day Friday. He was recently hired as the city administrator. Assistant Chief Cliff Cason will become acting chief until a new chief is named.

According to data supplied by the department, of the Dalton Police Department’s 82 sworn officers only four are Hispanic officers and none are black. All of its 20 executive, command and supervisory and command positions are filled by white men, which likely means none of the applicants for chief will be female or minority.

Asked if that concerned her, council member Denise Wood said, “It really doesn’t.”

“We do have women. We do have minorities. They have opportunities for training and to move through the ranks,” she said.

Wood is the council’s liaison to the PSC and attended the meeting that decided to search from only within the department. She said she supports that decision. Wood said if the PSC feels there is a need it can expand the search to external candidates.

Mayor Dennis Mock said he was aware that the PSC will “look first” within the department and is comfortable with that decision.

“We have some very well qualified people,” he said.

Council member Annalee Harlan said she was not aware that the PSC will not conduct an open search.

“It would be my preference to open it to any and all qualified applicants, but I was not in that meeting and can’t talk about the reasons for that decision,” she said.

Council members Gary Crews and Tyree Goodlett did not immediately return telephone messages Tuesday afternoon. 

Asked if the PSC could find even more well-qualified candidates if it opened the search up to outside candidates, Weaver noted that Parker had been hired from inside the department.

PSC members Terry Mathis, Keith Whitworth, Kenneth E. Willis did not immediately return telephone messages Tuesday afternoon.

PSC member Carlos Calderin said was unable to attend the Friday meeting where the decision was made to allow only applications from within the department. Asked it he was comfortable with that decision, Calderin declined to comment.