Natchez — The City of Natchez received 12 police chief applications, at least three of which are from current Natchez Police Department officers.

Interim Police Chief Danny White, Capt. Tom McGehee and Capt. Scott Frye all said they applied for the position.

Natchez City Clerk Donnie Holloway said he would not release the name of the other applicants because it could jeopardize their current jobs.

The deadline for applications was Wednesday, and Mayor Jake Middleton said his goal is still to have a police chief hired by the end of January.

The Civil Service Commission will review and interview eligible applicants. The commission is composed of Dante Weir, James Cole and Robert McNeely.

The commission will recommend applicants to the Natchez Board of Aldermen. The aldermen will interview the recommended applicants and hire a chief.

Middleton said he is hoping to have a chief hired by the end of January.

Former chief Mike Mullins has said it was a nine-month process when he was appointed chief in 2002.

Middleton has said he does not remember it taking nine months to appoint Mullins, and he said he did not think it would take that long to hire a chief this time.

Weir, chairman of the Civil Service Commission, said Friday he had not yet had time to review the applications. Weir has said the timeframe for the review and interview process will depend on the commission members’ and applicants’ schedules.

“We will do everything in our power to meet the mayor and board of aldermen’s deadline,” Weir has said.

The new police chief will fill the position left open after the board of aldermen asked Mullins, who announced in October he planned to retire in June, to retire early effective Nov. 13.