After failing to receive enough applicants for the job of St. Paul police chief, the City Council considered setting less ambitious requirements for the position.
But Council Member Dan Bostrom on Wednesday urged the group to stick with the higher standards and just extend the application deadline – which expired last month -- and encourage more people to apply.
"This is a big, big deal," Bostrom said. "I think it would be a big mistake to reduce the qualifications."
Six people have applied for the job, but one did not qualify and another withdrew their application on Saturday.
The city's charter requires that a committee examines the candidates and passes along the five best qualified applicants to the mayor for consideration. To achieve that five person minimum, Human Resources Director Angie Nalezny recommended that the City Council change the qualifications for the position.
Candidates currently need six years of experience at a rank equivalent or higher than St. Paul police commander. Nalezny suggested lowering that to four years. She also said the city could reduce the requirements for the size for the organization where an applicant works, from at least 500 sworn officers to 100.
The process to lower the requirements, which takes four meetings to finalize, is continuing to move forward. However, the council also voted to have human resources staff present options to them next Wednesday for reopening the application and recruitment process without changing the qualifications.
"I want to get the most qualified, experienced people," Bostrom said, noting that at least a dozen employees in the St. Paul Police Department already meet the more stringent qualifications.
