Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/115375
NEWS BRIEFS City Manager Tom Barwin announces the selection last fall of Bernadette DiPino (right) as Sarasota's new police chief as Mayor Suzanne Atwell listens. Photo by Norman Schimmel SARASOTA POLICE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY CHIEF SEARCH CLOSED A nationwide search turned up 86 people who The final decision will rest with DiPino. Howwant to be Sarasota's next deputy chief of po- ever, she is considering forming a citizens panlice. el to talk with the finalists. A similar panel was Stacie Mason, the interim director of the city's used in the recent screening of candidates for Human Resources Department, is now sorting the chief's post, which resulted in the hiring and ranking the candidates, along with Chief of DiPino. Bernadette DiPino. Mason said that after the initial screening, fiThe application period closed March 8. The nalists would be invited to town for more exposition has been open since 2006, when Ed tensive interviews. She added that she hopes Whitehead retired after 32 years on the force. to finish the selection process in April. The position remained open during the tenure Stan Zimmerman of Chiefs Peter Abbott and Mikel Holloway.