LINDEN &8212; The City Council interviewed three candidates for the position of police chief Oct. 23, 25, and they are expected to address the hiring of the chief at their regular meeting tonight.

Candidates who interviewed with the council earlier this month include: Scott McClure, Henry Huckabee and Leslie Hines.

Scott McClure has served as interim police chief since previous chief Jeff Laduron retired four months ago. McClure started his career with the LPD in 1993 before taking a job with the Thomaston Police Department, where he eventually reached the position of chief there. He returned to the Linden Police Department in 2000, and where he has worked since.

McClure said he feels his previous experience

as the chief of a department makes him qualified to get the position. He also said since he has overseen the department he has secured much-needed raises for the officers.

Currently the department should have seven officers on the force. They operated with only four officers since one officer resigned and another was fired in September. McClure said he would also like to see a full-time narcotics investigator become a part of the department.

Harry Huckabee, a deputy for the Marengo County Sheriff&8217;s Department, has 12 years experience with the Linden force, and has been with the sheriff&8217;s office for the last two years. He also interviewed for the position with the city council.

One of his goals for the department should he get the job, Huckabee said, is to build a stronger department the citizens of Linden can depend on.

When asked how he would work with McClure if given the job, he said he would work well with his former fellow officer.

Leslie Hines, a deputy for the Demopolis Police Department, graduated from the University of West Alabama in 1997 and has been in law enforcement since. From 1997-2001 he was with the Livingston Police Department, until he joined DPD later that year.

Hines said he has experience as a patrolman, an investigator, a firearms instructor and also a dog handler. Hines applied for the position after he heard the department was hiring.