City Manager Frank Salvato hosted a reception June 30 to allow the Bee Cave community an opportunity to meet the top three candidates—Jerry Garner, Gary Miller and Bill Tidwell—to replace Police Chief Rusty Pancoast when he retires Sept. 30.

Garner, who is chief of police in Greeley, Colorado, said he and his wife are native Texans and want to move back to the state. He said he worked for the Lakewood Police Department in Colorado for 36 years before accepting the Greeley position.

The majority of Miller's career—22 years—was spent with the Boerne Police Department in Texas, he said. Miller said he served as the director of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, Region 7, and president of the Alamo Area Police Chiefs Association. He is currently chief deputy for the Kendall County Sheriff's Office.

Tidwell, who is chief of police in Liberty, Texas, said he developed a program that provides direct help from police and city department staffers to local neighborhoods several times each year. He is also a Police Chief Leadership and Command staff instructor at the Texas Law Enforcement Management Institute.

Pancoast said he has worked in law enforcement in Bee Cave since 1974 and decided to retire following health issues in 2012 and 2013.

"I think I'm going to try to enjoy things a little bit," Pancoast said. "I enjoy [being a police chief], but I enjoy other things, too."