The city of Stockton is encouraging residents to attend a town hall meeting later this month with the finalist candidates for its next police chief.

The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, at the Bob Hope Theatre at 242 E. Main St. Attendees will be able to meet the candidates and hear more about them.

A nationwide search and survey were launched earlier this year following the retirement of the former Police Chief Eric Jones, who had held the position for nearly a decade and was the city’s 49th police chief in its history, according to city officials.

James Chraska has been acting as interim chief during the city’s process of finding a new chief.

“We are extremely grateful to Interim Chief James Chraska, who has led the department while the city conducts a thorough and robust search and interview process,” said City Manager Harry Black. “Stockton has been fortunate to have a police department that is recognized for its excellence in leadership and an interim chief that has provided continuity during the transition.”

Victoria Franco is a Stockton-based reporter covering the diverse news around the Central Valley as part of the Report for America program. As a Stockton native, Franco is proud to cover stories within her community and report a variety of coverage. She is a San Jose State University alumna with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. In her collegiate years she was Managing Editor for the Spartan Daily. From her time at the Spartan Daily she helped lead her staff to California College Media Awards and a General Excellence first place. Victoria encourages readers to email her story tips and ideas at victoria.franco@baycitynews.com.