FERRIDAY, La. — There will be a new police chief in Ferriday if Glen McGlothin is elected mayor, the ex-mayor told a packed meeting of the Ferriday Chamber of Commerce Monday.

&uot;There will be a new police chief, I can promise you that,&uot;&160;he said during a chamber forum featuring speeches by the four candidates running for Ferriday mayor.

&uot;Everyone’s already naming by new police chief,&uot;&160;McGlothin said, referring to rumors about who he would appoint to the post.

He did confirm at Monday’s forum that he has talked to local parole officer Richard Madison and Vidalia police Investigator Bobby Sheppard about applying for the post if he is elected.

Police Chief Eddie Newman called McGlothin’s comments &uot;campaign rhetoric&uot; and added that he &uot;will just rise above it.&uot;

In a Sunday interview, McGlothin said that, if elected, he would take applications for the position as soon as he took office.

He said he would also form a committee of two Town Council members, two other Ferriday citizens and himself to review the applications.

&uot;The mayor has the right to appoint his own police chief,&uot; McGlothin said.

Because chamber meetings are limited to the lunch hour, the four candidates — Johnnie Brown, Justin Conner, McGlothin and Alex Promise — only had a few minutes each to address the group.

Brown, a former Ferriday recreation director, talked mostly about the need to beef up the area’s recreation program to give youth something to do besides hang out on street corners. Poor housing and a lack of jobs also need addressing, Brown said.

Conner said that, if elected, he would learn about the job as he went along. He said he will make no promises about what he will do until he gets in office but said he would like to create unity among Ferriday’s citizens.

McGlothin said he believes the town needs to find a good source of water, do more to fight drugs and create more youth activities.

Promise said he is qualified for the mayor’s role because he has gained leadership experience by serving as a pastor for 25 years and because he is a businessman.