Stonington — The Board of Police Commissioners on Thursday night voted unanimously to seek candidates from outside the department, in addition to the one internal candidate, to be the new police chief.

The board's decision came after it spent about two hours interviewing Lt. Bryan Schneider, the sole internal candidate, in executive session. A large group of police officers and fire department officials waited in the police station meeting room to see if Schneider would be appointed to replace J. Darren Stewart, who has announced he is retiring.

In its motion, the board said its decision "is in no way a rejection of our internal candidate" but it decided to accept outside applications on a limited time basis so it could do "due diligence in this selection."

The board said it deeply appreciated Schneider's time, effort and service as a police department supervisor.

"It was the feeling of the selection committee and now a motion of the Board of Police Commissioners that because we have no context of comparison to draw from, that we open the selection up to outside candidates for a limited time period," the board stated in its motion.

After the board's decision, Chairman Robert O'Shaughnessy said that process would begin after the holidays. The chief's position, which currently pays $127,796 a year, is expected to draw interest from outside applicants.  

After Stewart informed the board this fall that he planned to retire next year, the board decided to first consider applications for the job from current department members who hold the rank of lieutenant or above.

That meant in addition to Schneider, Lt. Michael Peckham and Capt. Todd Olson also were eligible to apply for the job. However, both Olson and Peckham decided not to apply.

Stewart has been a member of the department for the past 38 years and succeeded former Chief David Erskine in 2008. Stewart, who is the longest-serving chief in the department's history, has said he plans to assist the department in a transition to a new chief and depart by July 1, 2022.

In addition, the board also voted Thursday to have Stewart place a second captain's position in his proposed 2022-23 budget. That position currently pays $118,965 a year.

The board said national accreditation requirements and an increase in administrative tasks have necessitated an expansion of the department. Pointing to the recently approved $100 million expansion of the Perkins Farm project, which will produce more tax revenue for the town when it is built, the board said funding for the position should be forthcoming but the board would have to work with the Board of Finance.

j.wojtas@theday.com