So far, three applicants for Defiance’s vacant assistant police chief position

Three candidates have emerged so far during the application period for Defiance’s vacant assistant police chief position. The job opened in November when former assistant Todd Shafer was named chief, replacing Tim Tobias, who retired on Aug. 2. Lt. Lee Martinez and Lt. Scott Campbell – both former candidates for the chief position – have joined Sgt. Steve Waldron in applying for the assistant’s position as of Friday afternoon. The civil service commission decided at its Dec. 14 meeting to open the assistant chief’s position to sergeants within the police department because not enough lieutenants were available “to conduct a promotional test. The deadline for applicants is Jan. 18, giving candidates 45 days to prepare for the testing process. Mayor Mike McCann said the city hopes to name a new assistant chief by mid-March.