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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The search for a new police chief is wrapping up after nearly a month, and the field has been narrowed to two, said city Administrator Ted Wampole.</p><p>&#8221;We have finished all of the interviews and we are in discussions with two of the finalists,&#8221; Wampole said Friday without identifying the candidates.</p><p>Wampole added that Mayor Tony George, who is authorized by the city charter to appoint the chief and other department heads, is involved in those discussions.</p><p>But as of Friday, Wampole said he did not know if a decision would be made before the June 3 retirement of Chief Marcella Lendacky. The mayor has said if necessary, he would ask her to stay on until a new chief is in place.</p><p>Lendacky, who has 29 years on the force, gave notice in April of her retirement from her $95,481-a-year job after the release of a report critical of her management style.</p><p>The independent review requested by city council and conducted by the Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association concluded Lendacky and her second-in-command Ron Foy lacked the professional qualifications for their leadership positions and were largely responsible for the rift between the police administration and rank-and-file officers.</p><p>The mayor has since eliminated Foy&#8217;s $82,154-a-year commander of patrol post in a restructuring of the department and demoted him to detective, the job he held before his senior-level appointment.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/703210/wb-police-chief-search-attracts-13-candidates-six-from-out-of-state" target="_blank">The city advertised for the chief&#8217;s position and attracted 13 applicants</a> from both within the department and across the country by the May 8 response deadline. One person withdrew prior to the start of interviews by a four-member committee that includes Wampole, city Attorney Tim Henry, councilman and former Wilkes-Barre police chief Bill Barrett, and retired Wilkes-Barre Police Capt. Tom Merlie.</p><p>George, who will make the final decision, is also a former city police chief.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_Ted-Wampole-11.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wampole </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_Ted-Wampole-11.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wampole </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_TTL040518POLICE3-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre City Police Department. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_TTL040518POLICE3-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wilkes-Barre City Police Department. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader</caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Search narrowed to two finalists for Wilkes-Barre police chief