DALTON, Ga. — The Public Safety Commission has released the names of the final candidates for the position of police chief for the city of Dalton, and the commission’s chairman says they are “future-oriented” and could help the department “deal with the lack of diversity.”

The finalists are:

• Assistant Chief Cliff Cason, Dalton Police Department

• Capt. Chris Cooke, Dalton Police Department

Cason has been serving as the interim chief since mid-January when Jason Parker stepped down as police chief to become city administrator.

“I just think they’re both outstanding, I think either one that is ultimately selected will do the kind of job that the Public Safety Commission and the community want,” said commission Chairman Bill Weaver in an interview. “And I think they are very much aware of the demands that will be made on them. They understand the community of Dalton and I think those are all important attributes for the next leader of the department.” 

“We have an outstanding police force,” Weaver said in a press release. “I think either of these candidates can take it to even greater heights than where we currently are.”

“I think that they can build on what has been built over the years and continue to grow the department to continue to deal with the lack of diversity within the department, to further meet whatever needs the community may develop in the future,” Weaver said in the interview. “I think they are future-oriented.”

City Human Resources Director Greg Batts has said that under Georgia’s open records law the commission must wait a minimum of 14 days after announcing finalists to vote on and name a police chief.

Cason joined the DPD as a patrol officer in 1993. He has served in several positions, including as a detective and drug unit detective in the Criminal Investigations Division and division commander in both the Support Services Division and Patrol Division.

He was promoted to assistant chief in April 2015. He attended the FBI’s National Academy and has specialized management training from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executives’ Research Forum and the FBI LEEDS (Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar).

He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University and a bachelor’s degree from Covenant College.

Cooke joined the department in July 1996. He is the division commander in Support Services after serving two years as the Patrol Division commander.

Cooke has served in several other positions within the department, including as a supervisor of the department’s drug unit in the Criminal Investigations Division, a patrol supervisor and district commander, and as the department’s planning and research manager.

Cooke holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University and a bachelor’s degree from Covenant College in organizational management. He is pursuing a doctorate in public administration from Valdosta State University.

Cooke attended the FBI’s National Academy and has received management training from the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executives’ Research Forum and the FBI-LEEDA Command Leadership Institute.

The commission had originally opened the position only to current members of the police department, and six applied from within the department when the first deadline for applications closed in January.

But the decision to look only within the department was greeted with concern by some members of the community because of the lack of diversity within the department. According to data supplied by the department, of the department’s 82 sworn officers, only four were Hispanic and none were black. All of its 20 executive, command and supervisory positions were filled by white males.

Commission members then decided to open up the applications to candidates from outside the department, with 18 outside applicants joining the six in-house candidates.

“I think the commission was impressed with the caliber of all the applicants that we interviewed. It was a very strong pool,” Weaver said in the press release.

He cited the finalists’ “outstanding service over the years in police work in the city of Dalton, the commendations they have received over the years, the fact that they both have master’s degrees, the fact that they know the culture of the community and the police department.”

According to the press release, commission members have not decided whether the commission will hold a special called meeting for a vote for the next chief or if that vote will be at their scheduled meeting on May 22.

Members of the commission are Weaver, Carlos Calderin, Terry Mathis, Keith Whitworth and Kenneth E. Willis.