BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise is getting closer to hiring a new police chief.
Mayor Lauren McLean said Wednesday the city is down to two finalists, and they expect to make a decision soon. Ultimately, McLean will make a recommendation to the Boise City Council, which will then vote on whether to confirm her recommendation as chief.
The finalists are Austin, Texas Assistant Police Chief Joseph Chacon and Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Ryan Lee.
McLean has previously said she is looking for a candidate that can carry on the city's focus on community policing. The starting annual salary range is $160,000 to $180,000, plus benefits and relocation assistance, according to the job posting.
McLean said the coronavirus crisis has necessitated some changes to the normal interview process.
"I did interviews just like this through Zoom with the four finalists and then we had many community panels that also interviewed the finalists through Zoom," she said. "This week I will have another conversation with each finalist - a longer conversation - and then make a decision on who to hire for Boise's next police chief."
The mayor has not announced a specific date on which the new chief will be hired, saying only that she hopes to make the decision soon.
The new chief pick will take over for Boise Police Chief Bill Bones, who retired in October. Former Chief Mike Masterson came out of retirement to serve as interim chief until recently.