The search for a new Edgartown police chief has been narrowed to six candidates out of 25 applicants, town officials said this week.

Selectman and board chairman Art Smadbeck said Wednesday that a town subcommittee appointed to work with an outside firm met last week and chose the semi-finalists.

The names of applicants will not be made public until the three finalists are announced. Those candidates will be interviewed in public sessions.

The Tewksbury company Integrity Testing, was hired to help the town choose a new leader for the police department after chief David Rossi took early retirement following a heart attack. Lieut. Chris Dolby is serving as acting chief.

Edgartown school principal John Stevens, council on aging administrator Paul Mohair, former fire chief Peter Shemeth, and human resources coordinator Kim Lucas are serving on the selection committee.

The group met last Thursday and selected six to take an assessment exam. The exam has been scheduled for March 12, Mr. Smadbeck said, and the top three candidates will move on to public interviews.

The interviews are tentatively scheduled for March 19.