Ironton’s Police Department will ring in the New Year with some new leadership, likely to include Det. Capt. Jim Carey taking over the top post.

Carey scored the highest on the test and has been offered the chief’s position. The detective who has 16 years experience has given Mayor John Elam a verbal commitment but has not formally accepted the post of overseeing the city’s current force of 12 officers.

Also, officer Joe Ross has been sworn in as a new captain and Beth Rist has climbed to the rank of sergeant. Both were formally sworn in Friday.

Calling all the chief candidates excellent choices, Elam said he believes Carey will be the kind of leader Ironton needs.

“I think Capt. Carey’s experience with the police force, his integrity and his ethics make him a wise choice,” Elam said. “He has worked his way up through the ranks as a patrol officer, a sergeant, a captain and in the detectives department, where he helped the city solve a number of crimes.

“Capt. Carey has the public safety first and foremost in his mind and honors a police officer’s creed to serve the public. I think he exemplifies a police chief.”

Three police department captains, Chris Bowman, Carey and Dan Johnson, took the chief’s test — part written and part interview — on Dec 13. Capt. Jerry Leach was also eligible to take the test but did not because he has been ill.

Former chief Bill Garland retired in July. Leach was named interim chief but stepped down for health reasons. Bowman filled in as acting chief after that.

The new chief, regardless of who it ultimately turns out to be, will be sworn in the week of Jan. 1, Elam said.