UTM’s Department of Public Safety may have a new director as soon as Friday, said Al Hooten, vice chancellor for finance and administration..

Hooten will choose the new director from three finalists selected by a five-member search committee, but Hooten has yet to announce the names of the three finalists. The committee selected three recommendations from a group of seven individuals the committee interviewed.

About 35 people applied for the position.

“We’re still not naming the three at this point out of courtesy to them,” Hooten said. “We haven’t made any of that public.

“If the three don’t work out,” Hooten continued, “we can go back to the committee for another recommendation.”

After the committee made their recommendation, Hooten called the three finalists back for a second round of interviews with him. Hooten said he hopes to name a successor to Rick Hatler, who resigned Aug. 31 after a controversial sexual relationship with a female Public Safety officer, “by the end of the week.”

Three local candidates are among the publicly released list of seven people interviewed by the committee, including Ray Coleman, interim Public Safety director; Darrell Simmons, UTM lieutenant detective; and Scott Robbins, captain at Martin Police Department.