The search is on for a new Greece Chief of Police. Town Supervisor John Auberger and Director of Public Safety Joseph Loszynski held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to make the formal announcement.

Auberger said the start of the police chief search is the beginning of rebuilding the Greece Police Department.

"The results of our internal investigation and the subsequent personnel changes in the department have provided a solid foundation from which to rebuild,” said Auberger.

Within the past year, the foundation of the police department began to crack with, among other things, allegations of officers falsifying and shredding documents. Because of those questionable practices, both Auberger and Loszynski publicly described the process the town will take to choose its next chief of police.

Loszynski, along with Deputy Supervisor Jeffrey McCann and Director of Personnel Joseph Spencer, will form the screening committee. They will review resumes from those currently on the Civil Service list and those who currently hold the position of chief of police in New York State.

The candidates will go through a background check, psychological and medical exams and a committee review. Then, the screening committee will conduct formal interviews.

"The screening committee with then make recommendations to the supervisor and town board. The top three will move on to the final phase which is the interview with the town supervisor and Greece Town Board," Auberger said.

The search is the result of an internal investigation and indictment of former Police Chief Merritt Rahn. Rahn resigned from his position in the beginning of October.

“We conducted an audit of the police department,” said Loszynski. “I'm not at liberty at this point to disclose the results until all parties are briefed regarding the findings we determined with the police department."

Even though the audit was not part of the criminal case against members of the Greece Police Department, it was a way to look into department rules and regulations.

"It exceeded my original expectations when I came here,” added Loszynski. “I'm certainly not going to minimize the challenges that we have been up against."

"The department has moved forward,” said Auberger. “The men and women of this department do a great job for us day in and day out."

Auberger added the department has definitely weathered some difficult storms, but this is the next step toward moving forward.

The application deadline is December 8. Auberger said two weeks is enough time to find the right candidate for the job.

Those final candidates could include current Interim Chief Brian Uhrmacher if he is interested.

A new chief of police will be named by the end of January.

Greece Police Department