Panel ranks Fort Myers police chief finalists

A six-member panel of citizens and law enforcement experts interviewed the four candidates for the position of Fort Myers police chief last week. They ranked them as follows:

1. Douglas E. Baker, acting chief of police, Fort Myers Police Department

2. James O. Berry, chief of police, Town of Manchester, Conn.

3. Charles L. Thompson, assistant chief of police, Lakeland, Fla.

4. Robert J. Daniels, assistant chief of Police, City of Juno Beach, Fla.

The interview panel was made up of: Joe D'Alessandro, former state attorney; Chief Julie Williams, Venice Police Department; Anthony Marten, former assistant chief of the Miami Beach Police Department and 34-year police veteran; Roger Reinke, assistant city manager of Naples and former Marco Island police chief; Marcus Goodson, executive director of the Fort Myers Housing Authority; and Miguel Fernandez, local attorney.

The city manager will interview the top three finalists Thursday, Oct. 16, and select one as the Fort Myers chief of police.