The field of candidates to become Honolulu’s 12th police chief has been reduced to eight by an out-of-state consultant hired by the Honolulu Police Commission to select finalists.

Commission members are expected to select the next chief in June, and the names and resumes of the final four candidates will be shared with the panel and the public in May.

Former HPD Chief Susan Ballard retired June 1, and interim Chief Rade Vanic ended his pursuit of the top job before candidates took the written exam March 17.

Twelve candidates answered a series of essay questions formulated by the commission’s consultant, in part with the data and comments collected from 618 responses to a community survey conducted Feb. 6-13. The candidates were also asked to list their “18 most significant jobs and assignments in preparing you to be Chief,” according to a handout provided by the consultant, PSI Services LLC.

A similar request was made of candidates during the selection process that led to Ballard becoming police chief.

“We also added a second form, similar to that one, that was set up to enter information from their training history,” Joe Hinish, principal consultant at PSI, told police commissioners Wednesday.

Assessors trained by PSI read and scored the essay responses and evaluated the candidates’ training and job experiences. PSI cut the list to eight from 12 last week, and candidates were informed Friday whether they had advanced.

“The breakdown of applicants is not known at this time,” said James Yuen, executive officer of the Honolulu Police Commission, in a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “The next steps as indicated is Phase II of the application process, also known as the Assessment Center. After Phase II, those that qualify would be invited to the final interviews with the Commission. At that time, qualified applicants will be announced at an HPC meeting.”

The Assessment Center consists of multiple oral and written exercises designed to allow for the real-time analysis of critical job competencies in the context of essential job functions or activities, Yuen said. Candidates also will be asked to provide written self- evaluations of their performance in each exercise and complete a leadership assessment instrument, according to the commission.

PSI was contracted in December to complete an “Examination and Assessment of Psychological Competency and Other Characteristics for the Selection of Chief of Police” for the Police Commission at a cost of $145,777.