The City of Powell is so right to take the hiring of a new police chief seriously. This is, after all, the top law enforcement official in the city, the face of the department and someone who should be a city leader beyond the confines of the department. 

Whoever steps into the role will certainly have big shoes to fill in replacing just-retired Chief Roy Eckerdt, who was involved in many community events and participated in a number of important committees and programs to help not just law enforcement, but community mental health and other important issues. 

So, it seems like a no-brainer for the city to take the consulting firm up on arranging a community reception where members of the public would be able to swing by and meet the candidates. 

Powell City Administrator Zack Thorington told city council members last week he wanted to make the final hiring decision with the help of everyone. So, what better way to make that happen than to have an event open to everyone?

The police chief of a town this size is a very public-facing job if done right, so the search for a new chief ought to be done right. 

The consulting firm has detailed a process to assist city officials in winnowing down the field of candidates to the finalists, including helping to set up an in-person interview process between city officials and the finalists in late February. 

That should be an important step, but so should a chance for the public to meet these same finalists.