Wichita police chief finalist Joel Fitzgerald also Fort Worth finalist

Joel Fitzgerald, one of two finalists for Wichita police chief, is also a finalist for the Fort Worth police chief position.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Wednesday that Fitzgerald, police chief in Allentown, Pa., is one of six finalists.

Although the Wichita Police Department is the largest in Kansas, the Fort Worth department is much larger. The Wichita department has 836 employees, almost half the number in Fort Worth.

Wichita City Manager Robert Layton has said he hopes to make the final choice between Fitzgerald and Terri Moses early this month. Moses is executive director of safety services for the Wichita school district and is a former Wichita deputy police chief.

When contacted by phone Wednesday, Fitzgerald said he was honored to be a finalist in both cities. Otherwise, Fitzgerald said, he couldn’t comment, out of respect for the selection processes in the two cities.

Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell said Wednesday afternoon that he had heard a rumor that Fitzgerald was a finalist for the Fort Worth job, adding that it “doesn’t offend me or surprise me” that Fitzgerald is a candidate in the Texas city.

If anything, the fact that Fitzgerald also is a finalist in Fort Worth adds credibility to Wichita’s selection process, Longwell said.

The choice between Fitzgerald and Moses rests with the city manager, Longwell said. “I have no idea which direction Bob is leaning.”

It’s not clear when Layton will announce his decision. According to the Star-Telegram article, the Fort Worth finalists will be at a Sept. 10 public forum; when the new Fort Worth chief is named will hinge on when feedback is received from groups interviewing the candidates.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Wichita police chief finalist Joel Fitzgerald also Fort Worth finalist."