Within three days this month, Selma Police Chief William Riley and Selma Fire Chief Mike Stokes announced their intentions to leave their posts by the end of the summer.

Riley came to Selma more than seven years ago and has led the department through technological upgrades and other improvements. His decision to resign to accept a job at another department near Detroit, Mich. came as a surprise when announced late on a Friday afternoon. Riley’s last day with the department will be Monday.

Stokes has given his entire adult life to the Selma Fire Department, starting as a firefighter at age 22 more than 25 years ago. His retirement is one well-earned, but it too came as a surprise, especially followed just three days after Riley’s announcement.

We wish both well as they begin new chapters in their lives and are glad to know Stokes and his family will continue to call Selma home while he starts a new career.

Selma now finds itself with two critical hires to make in the weeks ahead. Selma Mayor George Evans will work with a committee, including three city council members, before making recommendations for the next police and fire chiefs.

Evans said at Tuesday’s council meeting that he hopes the process is a quick one and that new chiefs could be named in as few as 30 days.

In the meantime, former police chief Robert Green will lead the police department, while assistant fire chief Mark Walker will work alongside Stokes until his Sept. 1 retirement. The mayor said both appointees are not interested in leading the departments full-time.

Applications for both departments will be taken for seven days. If no applicant is chosen from within the departments, an outside search will begin.

We hope current employees will be given a fair shot at the jobs. There is much benefit in having homegrown leadership in those vitally important roles. The loyal, longtime employees of both departments deserve the chance to be considered.

If Evans and his committees do decide to look outside the ranks, that decision should be explained openly and a thorough search should be done as quickly as possible.

Public safety is the most important issue facing Selma and its future. Everything else is secondary to protecting people’s lives and property. By the end of September, the city looks to tackle issues like increasing salaries and putting more officers on the streets. It will be important to have the departments’ new leaders in place when those important decisions are made.