HOLYOKE — Police Chief David Pratt wrapped up his 31-year career with the Holyoke Police Department on Wednesday, opening the door for a new chief in the coming weeks.

A search committee charged with evaluating candidates for the position and then forwarding their recommendations to Mayor Joshua Garcia will hold a public listening session at Holyoke Media on Tuesday, Aug. 27, from 5-7 p.m.

Pratt, who announced his retirement on May 3, turned the keys over to the department on an interim basis to Capt. Isaias Cruz, who will serve until a permanent chief is named.

The search committee recently engaged the services of Public Safety Consultants LLC to assist the team. Public Safety Consultants provides a range of specialized services, including personnel management to municipal fire and police departments in Massachusetts.

One of the firm’s principals, Russ Stevens, will participate in the listening session. He has 37 years of municipal and state law enforcement experience, retiring as chief of staff to the Connecticut State Police colonel. Stevens holds a master’s degree in criminal justice and a bachelor’s in communication.

He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy and is currently the president of the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

Appointed to the search committee by Garcia are Kelly Curran, the city’s personnel director; Ward 1 City Councilor Jenny Rivera (chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee); Holyoke Police Sgt. Joseph Zurheide; Narcotics Intervention Officer Detective Dorothy Beben; Community Police Officer Josh Colon and citizen participants — all members of the Police Relations Committee — Axel Fontanez, retired Holyoke Police Capt. Alan Fletcher, Quilana Rivera, Colleen Chesmore, Rosanna Lopez and Jennifer Keitt.

Holyoke’s personnel office is conducting a community survey that asks residents what qualities they would like to see in the next police chief. The survey can be accessed online at the city’s website: Holyoke.org. The survey — in English and Spanish — is on the home page under “News.” Paper copies of the survey are available at the City Clerk’s office and the personnel office. Surveys should be completed by Friday, Aug. 23.

The police chief’s job description can be found online at holyoke.org/personnel-employment-opportunities/.

Cruz, the new interim chief, like Pratt is a veteran of the police department, having served for 30 years. A native of Holyoke, Cruz has also served in the military and speaks both English and Spanish.

The search for a new chief comes as the city has grappled with how to better combat violent crime since October 2023, when a pregnant woman riding a bus was struck by a bullet, resulting in the death of her unborn child.

In response to that incident, Garcia introduced a bill, known as Ezekiel’s Plan after the name given to the unborn child, that would have provided more than $1.5 million for a citywide camera system and an expansion of police services known as Operation Safe Streets.

Although that was ultimately rejected by the Holyoke City Council, Garcia said in an interview that the city was still utilizing a version of Operation Safe Streets that resulted with increased police presence, with police conducting several sweeps over the past seven months resulting in more than 200 arrests for criminal activities such as drug trafficking and firearm possession.