Less than five residents showed up to meet the Sedona Police Department police chief candidates in the City Council Chambers on Wednesday, April 21.

Two of the six finalists pulled their names from consideration for the position prior to the event, said Human Resources Director Tori Ward.

Casa Grande Deputy Chief Don Daniel and Ronald Everett, the police chief for the New Braunfels Police Department in Texas, withdrew.

The remaining candidates — Corona Police Department Capt. Raymond Cota from California; Franklin Township, N.J., Police Chief Craig Novick; Salt River Pima/Maricopa Indian Community Capt. Richard Clore; and Paul Barrows, a captain with the West Des Moines Police Department in Iowa — met with two five-member focus groups Thursday, April 22.

City Manager Tim Ernster said the hope is for one candidate to emerge as a front runner by Thursday night. City officials would then visit the city or town where the candidate now works to talk to that community.

Ernster said the meet and greet was arranged so the community could talk to the candidates, and mentioned there are a lot of different players in this process.

Sandy Moriarty, one of the few residents who attended the meet and greet, said she came to meet the candidates because she wants to know who could be working for the city.

She said the only criteria she has is for the new police chief to do a good job, adding what Sedona does not want is another Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Cottonwood Police Department Chief Jody Fanning attended to get a glimpse of the candidates, saying it is important to get to know them since the two departments often work together. Fanning said he had a working relationship with former Sedona Police Chief Joe Vernier.

Former Vice Mayor Judith Keane said she attended the open house because the position is an extremely important one for the community, and she wanted to see for herself what the candidates bring to the table.

Ward said she was a little disappointed with the turnout, and she was hoping for about 50 people to show up at some time during the two-hour open house.

Ward said the two focus groups consisted of community members, including Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff, Sedona-Oak Creek School District Superintendent Mike Aylstock and other public officials including Vernier, Interim Police Chief Jim Driscoll, Ernster and Assistant City Manager Alison Zelms.

Ward said the plan was for the two focus groups to meet at the end of Thursday to compare notes to help Ernster come to a decision.