NATCHEZ — The candidates for Natchez Police chief have been narrowed down to three.

Natchez Police Capt. Tom McGehee said he and Capt. Scott Frye, who both applied for chief, had been eliminated as potential candidates.

Natchez Interim Police Chief Danny White also applied for chief. White could not be reached Friday for comment on the status of his application.

The Civil Service Commission completed its interview process for potential candidates last week and handed over their recommendations to Mayor Jake Middleton Thursday.

“We had some great candidates, and the process went smooth,” said Dante Weir, chairman of the commission. “I think the mayor and board of aldermen will be proud of the candidates we have recommended.”

Middleton said he had looked over the recommendations and was pleased at the quality of the remaining three candidates. He would not release their names.

The interviews of the remaining candidates will more than likely begin in February, Middleton said, and he said he hopes to have a new chief hired by the end of February. The mayor’s original timetable sought to hire a chief by the end of January.

The city is currently interviewing four potential candidates for an information technology director, and Middleton said that hiring process needs to be completed before beginning police chief interviews.

The new chief will fill the position left open after the Natchez Board of Aldermen asked former chief Mike Mullins to retire early in November. Mullins announced his retirement in October and said he planned to stay on as chief until the board hired a new chief or until June.