Captain of administrative services Donald Palmer, 56, will serve as interim police chief, Mayor Rick Gray announced at a Friday morning press conference.

The 35-year veteran will take over for Heim on Feb. 1, when Heim is scheduled to begin as Reading's chief of police.

City officials said they hope to have a permanent replacement within eight to 10 weeks.

Gray said he chose Palmer because he was the only one of the department's three captains -- its second tier of command -- not permanently seeking the position.

Heim recommended to Gray that he bar the interim chief from applying to be chief.

"I appreciate the opportunity to fill in," Palmer said. "I think sometimes the greater good for the majority outweighs my personal considerations, and I think a new chief ought to be here for the duration of Mayor Gray's term."

Palmer said he plans to retire within three years.

No policy changes will be made during Palmer's tenure as chief, the mayor said, but the city is considering stepping up its role in enforcement.

Gray said City Councilwoman Louise B. Williams and Lancaster County Chief of Detectives and former Lancaster City Police chief Michael Landis will head the search committee for Heim's replacement.

The two will meet Monday and name the three other members to sit with them on the committee.

A law enforcement background is the most important qualification for the new chief, Gray said, followed by "a commitment to community policing," a sensitivity to the community and leadership.

The search will encompass internal and external candidates.

Gray said the city will be looking at advertisements used in the past to help with hiring a new chief and that he wants the new chief to live in the city.

The city plans to consult on its search with the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officials and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, he said. blog comments powered by Disqus