FORT PIERCE — City officials say a new chief of the Fort Pierce Police Department is expected to be recommended to the Fort Pierce City Commission Dec. 8.

Seven preliminary finalists from a field of 57 applicants will be meeting with City Manager Richard Chess today and Tuesday for initial interviews.

Three of those contenders are local, while two will travel here from Georgia, one will come in from Maryland and another is from Virginia.

Following those interviews, the field is expected to be narrowed to three or four who will be invited to a public “Meet and Greet” Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the River Walk Center, 600 N. Indian River Dr., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Chess then is scheduled to conduct a second round of personal interviews on Dec. 3 before bringing his final recommendation to city commissioners at their Dec. 8 business meeting.

The city charter makes Chess responsible for hiring the chief, with the endorsement of city commissioners.

Preliminary finalists scheduled to have individual interviews with Chess this week are: Fort Pierce Police Department Major Eric Chan; Chamblee, Georgia, Police Chief Michael Dieppa; Fort Pierce Acting Deputy Chief Caleb Gillette; former Prince George’s County, Maryland, Assistant Chief Vernon Hale; former DeKalb County, Georgia, Police Chief Mirtha Ramos; Prince William County, Virginia, Police Commander David Smith; and St. Lucie County Deputy Sheriff Milo Thornton.

Chess called the candidate Meet and Greet “an important opportunity for our community to engage directly with the candidates and share in the process of selecting our next chief of police,” and is encouraging the public to attend to “be part of this collaborative effort.”

The city advertised a starting salary of $128,250-$212,000 for the next police chief.

Deputy Chief Robert Ridle has been the department’s interim head since former chief Diane Hobley-Burney resigned under pressure in May after rank-and-file employees issued a statement of “lost confidence” in her leadership.

Hobley-Burney had been Fort Pierce’s chief for 10 years.

Ridle did not apply for the permanent position. He plans to retire in 2026.