Pool of Applicants for Next Lakeland Police Chief Drops to 13

LAKELAND | The applicant pool for Lakeland’s next chief of police has been narrowed from 112 to a baker’s dozen, which includes two local candidates.

And that number will be reduced to six in the coming weeks before a finalist is chosen to replace current Police Chief Roger Boatner, according to city officials.

Those remaining 13 candidates will be required to complete a questionnaire and telephone interview by the 8-member police chief selection panel, which is scheduled to meet Dec. 10 to pick the six finalists.

The members on the committee include, City Manager Doug Thomas, Deputy City Manager Tony Delgado, Assistant City Manager Stanley Hawthorne, City Attorney Tim McCausland, Sandy Toledo, president of the Lakeland Neighborhood Association Coalition; James Sewell, a retired Florida Depart- ment of Law Enforcement investigator; Alice Hunt, incoming chairman of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and Sylvia Blackmon- Roberts, who is a Lakeland Civil Service Board member

Boatner, 57, has been Lakeland’s police chief since February 2003 and is set to retire Dec. 23, when he completes his five years in the DROP program. Boatner is paid $128,253 per year

His replacement will be chosen by Thomas before Boatner leaves the agency, said city spokesman Kevin Cook.

After the six finalists are chosen, they will each be interviewed by Thomas, Cook said.

The current 13 finalists include: Eugenio Bernal, Orlando – Steven Bonano, Nanuet, N.Y. – Frank Fernandez, Miami – Jamie Fields, Detroit – James Golden, Trenton, N.J. – William Heim, Reading, Pa. – William LePere Jr., Lakeland – Craig Novick, Monroe Township, N.J. – Paul O’Connell, Lighthouse Point – Pedro Perez, Albany, N.Y. – Charles Thompson, Lakeland – Louis Vega, Miramar – Lisa Womack, Elgin, Ill..

City officials advertised the position on 15 websites, including the Florida Police Chief’s Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, the Latin American Police Association and the Florida League of Cities

A decision on who will replace Boatner is expected to be made by Thomas by Dec. 15, city officials said.

The field of 112 applicants came from 26 states, with many from Florida.