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Coulee Dam is getting closer to selecting its third police officer.

Police Chief Pat Collins and Sgt. Larry Hall have handled law enforcement duties for over a year while waiting for the civil service commissioners to be named and to organize.

The town’s Civil Service Commission has forwarded two names to Collins, who said Monday that he plans to conduct an interview with the second candidate soon.

After that process is complete, Collins will select the department’s third officer. However, there won’t be much relief in sight since that candidate will have to attend the police academy for about five months of intense training.

Meanwhile, the town is advertising for its fourth officer. That process should be faster, Collins stated, since the civil service commission is now in place.

It won’t be known whether the fourth officer will have to go through the academy until that person is selected. That officer could come from another department and already have his academy training behind him.