The city of Santa Clarita is expected to get a new Sheriff’s Station captain, and who that might be is still anyone’s guess, according to city officials.

Santa Clarita city officials interviewed three candidates last week at City Hall, and City Manager Ken Striplin offered a recommendation to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Striplin would not identify the candidates or his recommendation, perhaps partially due to the fact that the city can only offer a suggestion in the process, but the decision ultimately is up to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

A choice is expected to be announced this week, he said.

A representative with Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office was also present for the meetings and expected to also make a recommendation.

The recommendation was within the purview of the city manager, Striplin said, adding that while the City Council did not offer specific instructions, he understands what the council is looking for in the station’s next leader, the de facto “sheriff” or “police chief” of Santa Clarita.

The city of Santa Clarita is looking for someone who “understands that public safety is a cornerstone of this city,” as well as someone who understands the community.

News from Sheriff’s Station Captain Roosevelt Johnson confirmed the announcement regarding his promotion last month.

Here’s the original story: Sheriff’s Department Promotes Roosevelt Johnson From SCV

Johnson’s first of many assignments with the Sheriff’s Department was Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, which he started in March 1991. Sheriff’s Department officials have yet to indicate where his next assignment might be, but that decision is expected to be released by the end of the month.

He was promoted to Sheriff’s Station captain in March 2014.

He replaced Capt. Paul Becker, who served as Sheriff’s Station captain from 2010-14, when Becker created the Crime Prevention Unit for the Sheriff’s Station.

The city of Santa Clarita contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for public safety and law enforcement services, a tab that amounted to about 11 percent of the city’s $220 million budget, or approximately $24 million.

The contract includes the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station operations, which services all of the Santa Clarita Valley, beyond the city’s 64.4 square miles. These operational costs are also paid for by Los Angeles County.