PORTSMOUTH — The town has received 84 applications for the position of police chief, Town Administrator John Klimm told the Town Council Monday night.

The council has been without a permanent police chief since the retirement of Lance Hebert last December. Major Jeffrey Furtado, retired deputy police chief, has been serving as interim chief since then. The deadline for submitting applications for the chief's job was Aug. 1.

“Our plan is to have a nominee before this council by the second meeting of September," Mr. Klimm said.

The 84 applicants include 14 from Rhode Island, six from Massachusetts and six  from Connecticut, Mr. Klimm said.

After the meeting, Mr. Klimm said he didn’t know how many applicants — if any — are from Portsmouth.

“I haven’t seen them, but from what our consultants are telling us, it’s a very strong field," he said.

The police chief will lead 33 officers and two civilian employees in a department that has a budget of about $4.8 million.

Praise for police

Also Monday night, Mr. Klimm said he met recently with Col. Steven O'Donnell, superintendent of the Rhode Island State, to talk about the recent Amber Alert case in Portsmouth.

It's alleged that on July 24, Daniel Berger, 27, of Haskell, N.J.,  traveled to Rhode Island to meet with a 13-year-old Portsmouth girl he befriended on the internet. He allegedly transported the girl to his residence in Haskell with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He is now being prosecuted under a federal indictment.

“(Col. O'Donnell) was very complimentary regarding our police department, in particular the chief and deputy chief," said Mr. Klimm.