The search for Seattle's next police chief has been narrowed to 10 candidates, all from out of state, reports the Seattle Times. The only internal candidate to apply, Assistant Chief Nick Metz, was among 10 applicants removed from a list of 20 candidates reviewed on Friday by Mayor Ed Murray's search committee, the sources said, without revealing names of those who remain in contention.
With Murray poised to make his selection the week of May 19, the 12-member search committee plans to interview the remaining candidates next week, according to the sources. Pramila Jayapal, one of two co-chairs of the committee, confirmed the numbers, interview schedule and out-of-state profile of the remaining candidates. The removal of Metz's name and the lack of any internal candidates is not a surprise, considering the department's leadership came under scrutiny and criticism in the wake of the city's 2012 settlement agreement with the Department of Justice to curb excessive force and biased policing.