Escondido
After four months of interviews and inquiries, Escondido city officials have whittled a field of 80 candidates down to eight finalists for the vacated chief of police job.
A new chief will probably be selected within two weeks to succeed Jim Connole, who retired May 1, Assistant City Manager Rod Wood said.
Because of confidentiality, Wood declined to identify the finalists, but it is known that one is Escondido Police Capt. Mike Stein. Wood said six of the finalists are police chiefs and another is an assistant police chief.
Four of the finalists are from Southern California, three are from Northern California, and one is from out of state, Wood said.
During the selection process, the candidates were interviewed by city and law-enforcement officials, Wood said.
Until a new chief is selected, the Escondido Police Department is being run by the department’s three captains, Wood said.
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