After nearly four months of deliberation, Woodstock is one step closer to gaining a new top cop, as city officials have narrowed the pool from 80 applicants to the final two candidates.

Pursuant to the state’s Open Records Act, City Manager Jeff Moon announced during the Jan. 23 City Council meeting the finalists as Atlanta Deputy Chief Calvin Moss and Marietta Deputy Chief David Lee, both of whom bring more than 30 years of law enforcement experience to the table.

Moon said he would not announce his choice between the two.

“I’ll let you know afterward because I want to see how they interact with you guys, as well,” Moon said, addressing the council. “I’m very comfortable with where we’re at in this process, and I think either one will do us an outstanding job.”

Final interviews with Moss and Lee were scheduled for 6:30 p.m., tonight, at the Woodstock Annex. Mayor and council will be in on the interviews, which will take an hour and a half for each.

The interviews will be conducted in an executive session.

The search to fill the police chief position began this past fall after former Police Chief David Bores announced he would be departing from the department at the end of the year in order to pursue other career options.

Bores served as the city’s police chief for almost three years.

By Bores’ last day on Dec. 31, the city had not yet found a permanent hire for the position; therefore, city officials appointed Assistant Police Chief Bart Giesey as the interim chief, a capacity he has been serving since the first of the year.

Since the start of the new year, Moon said he, as well as the city’s Human Resource Director Tracy Barnes, Woodstock Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Soumas and reserve officer Scott O’Meara, who is a resident of the city and has served as an auxiliary officer, interviewed some eight candidates last month, narrowing it down to four.

“The committee had a little difference in ranking of our top four (picks), but we all had the same top four,” Moon said.

Lee and Moss were chosen as the ultimate finalists.

Moss, who has no relation to the county district attorney or former Woodstock Police Chief Ric Moss, currently is a deputy chief with the Atlanta Police Department, the largest law enforcement agency in the state.

Moss began his career with Atlanta police in August 1981 and throughout three decades has served as a patrol officer, training supervisor, training commander, chief of staff, night commander, commander over Special Operations and commander over the Criminal Investigations Division.

Prior to joining Atlanta police, Moss graduated summa cum laude and as a Dean’s Scholar from the 87th Administrative Officer’s Course at the Southern Police Institute — University of Louisville. He also graduated from the 223rd Session of the FBI National Academy in Virginia; earned a bachelor’s degreein criminal justice from Brenau University; and a master’s degree in criminal justice with an emphasis in critical incident management from Saint Leo University in Florida.

The other candidate, Lee, also has an extensive background in law enforcement, serving 30 years with the Marietta Police Department, where he currently is deputy chief of police.

Lee joined Marietta police in 1981 as a patrol officer. In five years, he also took on the duties of a Special Weapon and Tactics officer, honor guard commander and undercover narcotics agent.

From 1985 to 1996, Lee served as the supervisor over the Uniform Patrol Division, detective sergeant and department training coordinator, among many tasks. Lee also moved up the ranks, earning the ranks of lieutenant, captain, commander and, presently, deputy chief of police.

Prior to beginning his career, Lee graduated from the 188th Session of the FBI National Academy; Senior Management Institute for Police in Massachusetts; Georgia Law Enforcement College; FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Program; and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government — University of Georgia.

Lee also earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from Columbia State University and a master’s degree in business administration/public administration from Columbia State University.