SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The South Hutchinson City Council continues its search for a new police chief.

The city has been without a chief since the council decided not to reappoint Mark Thompson at the start of the new year. According to Mayor Luke Herren, the city has narrowed its choice down to six applicants. Some have already been interviewed.

Herren says the city is in no hurry to name a new chief and could not give a timeline for when the position would be filled.

Thompson took over for former Chief Scott Jones, who retired in 2017. Since then, the police department staff was cut in a string of cost-cutting moves by the city to keep the budget in line.