35 Candidates Join Pursuit Of Dade City Police Chief Post

DADE CITY - Thirty-five people, including several local candidates, have applied to be the next police chief of this small city.

Capt. David Duff has been acting police chief of the city's police department since Phillip Thompson retired from active duty July 31.

The department, with 24 sworn officers and 34 full-time employees, patrols a city that has grown to about 5 square miles in recent years and protects 7,200 residents.

In advertising for a new chief, city officials said they preferred applicants with 10 years of law enforcement experience, five years of supervisory experience and a college degree. The city is willing to pay from $49,000 to $73,500 annually.

None of the applicants comes from the Dade City Police Department's ranks.

Candidates from Pasco County and neighboring counties include:

•Earnest Armistead of Dunedin, who retired as police chief of Belleair Beach

•Lawrence Cavallaro of Lakeland, who retired from the Polk County Sheriff's Office as a commander

•James Contento of Lutz, a Tampa Police Department sergeant

•Thomas Hennessy II of San Antonio, who retired as captain from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office

•Ervin Hill of Palm Harbor, who resigned in 2006 as police chief in Belleair Beach

•Robert Jones of New Port Richey, a captain with the Clearwater Police Department

•Vincent Mazzara of Land O' Lakes, who retired as captain from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement

•Roger Mills of Dade City, a sergeant with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office

•Raymond Velboon of Dade City, retired as a supervisor from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Acting City Manager Jim Class said he expects to start reviewing the applications soon. In Dade City, the city manager hires and supervises the police chief.

Class has been acting city manager since Harold Sample retired July 1 to go into the private sector. Meanwhile, the city commission is continuing its monthslong search for a permanent city manager. Commissioners are expected to talk about the city manager search at their meeting Tuesday and come up with a list of candidates to interview.