Two veterans of the Hartselle Police Department sat before the Hartselle City Council last night to interview for the soon-to-be-vacant position of HPD Police Chief.

Capt. Tom Sparks and  Lt. Justin Barley, who have nearly identical resumes and credentials, are both vying for the appointment as the top cop in the City of Hartselle.

The city council will meet tonight at 6:30 p.m. for a work session during which they will discuss the appointment. The work session and following council meeting at 7 p.m. are open to the public.

Barley or Sparks will fill the void left by Ron Puckett who will be inaugurated as the Morgan County Sheriff Jan. 14 after a career with the HPD that spanned nearly three decades. In a previous interview, Mayor Randy Garrison said he believes the City of Hartselle and the department is faced with a win-win situation choosing between Sparks and Barley.

“Whoever is selected as police chief will have big shoes to fill, but I think either one of these gentlemen could continue the long, proud tradition that Hartselle Police Department has,” Garrison said.