Twenty current and retired police officers have applied to be the next police chief in Trenton, according to city manager John Jones.

The applicants have various backgrounds and represent four states, including Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee and Arizona.

The pay range for the new chief will be between $63,274 and $81,3870, Jones said.

None of the 20 candidates are from within the Trenton Police Department, according to Jones.

“I’m a little surprised there are no internal candidates,” Jones said. “The intent of posting the position to the outside was to get the most qualified candidates and to make it a competitive process.”

“I’m excited to have such an interest from around the country,” he said. “It appears to be a pretty diverse pool and I look forward to screening the applicants and commencing the process of finding the city’s next police chief.

Jones said the ideal candidate will be very community minded and can expect to maintain solid working relationships with city staff, the city manager and city council.

The candidates will be screened administratively, as well as by consultants from the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. Jones said he hopes to interview between six and eight and those candidates will go through an assessment center in early December.

Jones said the goal is to have a new chief in place in January so there is time for a transition. He anticipates some growing pains with whomever the new chief will be.

“Any time you bring in somebody new, it is going to be a challenge,” Jones said. “Although change can be a very positive thing, the transition is going to take some time for the staff and the community, and that is why we want to have someone in here before Chief Traud leaves.”

“I think Trenton has some advantages in that it is small enough that you can get to know the community and businesses,” he said. “But it is not so small that you are not afforded some of the challenges of bigger cities.”

Trenton’s current chief Tim Traud will retire on Jan. 31, 2013 after 31 years with the department. He has been chief since 2009. Whomever the new chief is, he will be the fourth in the last seven years. Prior to Traud, Carl Ray was chief from 2006-09 and Rod Hale was chief before Ray.