Wayne Smith has been serving as Shreveport's interim police chief since late August of last year. A permanent police chief could not be appointed until the civil service police chief exam was administered.

The test results from the civil service exam have been released and nine individuals, including Smith, had a passing score of 75% or higher. Thus, they all are qualified for selection under the civil service rules.

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins can, at his discretion, nominate any of these nine individuals to the Shreveport City Council for confirmation as the permanent police chief.

Other than the passing score, there are no criteria that the mayor must follow in his selection.

The process he followed with the appointment of Smith's predecessor, Ben Raymond, backfired when the committee he appointed did not recommend Raymond for the job. Thus, it is doubtful he will utilize a selection committee to assist him in his selection.