Belfast panel formed to review applications

BELFAST – City Manager Terry St. Peter has appointed a four-member committee to assist him in reviewing the applications for police chief.

Appointed to the selection advisory committee were City Councilor James Roberts, a retired prison guard, former school superintendent Denis Howard I, Hampden Public Safety Director Joe Rogers and Waldo County Deputy District Attorney Leane Zania.

St. Peter noted that Zania was one of the people recommended to him when he solicited members of the Police Department for comment about the makeup of the selection committee.

He also noted that he had good reports about Rogers and asked him to participate because Hampden was similar in size to Belfast.

St. Peter said Friday that the city had received 30 applications for the position. The applicants are from both in and out of state, he said.

“The retirement of Police Chief Allen Weaver is effective March 1, and St. Peter hopes to have a new chief by that date or shortly after. Under the city charter, St. Peter’s appointment of the police chief must be confirmed by the City Council.

St. Peter said he intended to screen the 30 applications himself and present the committee with copies of around 15 for their review.

All the applications will be available for perusal but, in order to save time and expedite the process, will not be copied and passed on to the committee. St. Peter said he expected to narrow the candidates down to five or six for interviews.

Although Weaver will retire as police chief on March 1, he will remain with the department as its full-time drug investigator.

When he announced his retirement decision in November, Weaver said he wanted to return to investigative work.