An international security expert, a former FBI agent, a former police chief, an investigator for the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board and a local television reporter want the job of overseeing Cincinnati's new system for investigating and tracking citizen complaints against police officers.

        But despite 27 applications from four states, city officials said Thursday that they will extend the hiring deadline for the post of executive director of the Citizen Complaint Authority.

        They say that is the only way to avoid a conflict with members of the Black United Front and Cincinnati's police union over how the applications were solicited and who will ultimately be selected to oversee reforms required by the U.S. Department of Justice in its legal settlement with the city.

        “I don't think there was dispute,” City Manager Valerie Lemmie said. “There was concern that they are partners, and we were going in one direction because we weren't talking to them. To the extent we err, I want to make sure we err on the side of everybody feeling comfortable.”

        The Black United Front, the city, the police union and the Department of Justice are partners in two landmark legal settlements that ended a federal probe of the Police Department and suspended a class-action lawsuit against the city by African-Americans who alleged years of racial profiling and discrimination by police officers.

        According to the Justice Department agreement, the new complaint authority was supposed to replace the city's Office of Municipal Investigations on Aug. 9. OMI is the only independent investigative agency of citizen complaints against police officers.

        But Ken Lawson, lawyer for the Black United Front, said the delay makes sense — and is an encouraging sign.

        “It shows that (the city) is concerned with the whole process being fair,” he said. “It could have been another argument back and forth.”

        Unfamiliar with any of the 27 applicants, Mr. Lawson said he wants the process to be more inclusive. He wants to expand advertising and draw from a wider pool of candidates.

        “It needs to be more inclusive of the African-American community and the whole community,” he said. “There are different ways to get the word out.”

        Ms. Lemmie agreed.

        “We know we didn't advertise in more routine places,” she said. “Did you see where it was advertised? Neither did I. We don't want it to appear the city is steering or directing this.”

        Applications for the job were originally due Friday. Ms. Lemmie did not know how much longer the application process would be extended, but she said there is no need for anyone to reapply.

        The job, which pays $86,952 to $117,385, involves supervising all investigations of citizen complaints that allege excessive force, improper pointing of guns, unreasonable searches and discrimination by Cincinnati police officers. It also includes supervising all investigations of shots fired by police or deaths in police custody.

        Applicants are asked to have paid experience in investigating police misconduct cases and two years of administrative and supervisory experience. The list of qualifications asks for a bachelor's degree in criminal justice or a related field, and says a law degree is preferred.

        WCPO-TV reporter Laure Quinlivan, who applied for the job, said in her letter that her experience as “a nationally recognized investigative reporter” has prepared her to oversee the city's new complaint system.

        Ms. Quinlivan, who did not return calls Thursday, has a bachelor's degree in communication.

        Besides Ms. Quinlivan, only two other applicants do not have an extensive law enforcement or legal background. The other 24 applicants have had careers in law enforcement or degrees in criminology, or are lawyers.

        Both the current and former acting directors of the Office of Municipal Investigation have applied. Mark Gissiner, who took over the office in 2001, assisted in writing the procedures for the new Citizens Complaint Authority for the landmark settlements.

        Carl Stoll, an investigative manager for the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board, supervises investigations into allegations of excessive force and abuse of authority alleged against New York City police officers. His resume states that he served for four years as the department advocate for the Chicago Police Department.

        Black United Front lawyer Al Gerhardstein says the desire to expand the pool of applicants is not a reflection on those who responded to the city's initial ad.

        “I'm not looking to cast any of this in a negative light,” he said. “Obviously, we did not want the city to go forward unilaterally.”

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