Over these next few months Bossier City Mayor Lorenz "Lo" Walker will undertake the process of selecting a new Chief of Police to replace Chief Mike Halphen who is retiring from the police department after serving 28 years on the force.

Eleven individuals have applied to take the Police Chief civil service exam which will be administered on March 16, 2010. Test results are expected within 3-4 weeks from that date. In the coming weeks Mayor Walker will be reviewing the applications of each candidate and then identify those who meet the criteria for consideration. Interviews will be scheduled for those applicants that Mayor Walker deems to be the most viable candidates for the position. City Attorney Jimmy Hall and Chief Administrative Officer Lynn Austin will assist in the interviews but it will be solely Mayor Walker's decision on who will become the city's next Chief of Police.

Mayor Walker says when Chief Halphen departs his position on February 19 he will appoint CAO Lynn Austin as Substitute Chief of Police, a role which Austin as previous experience with as he was Chief of Police for the Bossier City Police Department from 1988-1992.
Austin will serve in that capacity until Mayor Walker makes his selection for the next Chief of Police, a decision that could come in early or mid April depending upon when the Chief civil service test score are in. Mayor Walker plans to announce his decision via a scheduled news conference.

Mayor Walker's selection for the next Chief of Police will then serve as Substitute Chief until July 13, 2010 when Chief Halphen's accumulated leave time expires and he is officially retired. At that time the mayor's appointment will become Chief of Police.

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