Russell Allen, Raleigh’s city manager, is due credit for recognizing the value of giving the public a say in the selection of a successor for Police Chief Harry Dolan. The three finalists will appear in a public forum on Jan. 24, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the Raleigh City Council chamber in City Hall. There, Allen will ask the finalists a series of questions.

Would that area universities, which mostly conduct their searches for new leaders in secret, would follow this example. By putting the candidates in front of the people, Allen will bolster confidence in his choice. He will see how these three solid people relate to those whom they will serve. The forum will be broadcast on the city’s cable channel as well.

The three finalists are interim Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown, Malik Aziz, deputy chief in Dallas, Texas, and Bryan Norwood, the chief in Richmond, Va. All are qualifed by experience in leadership positions, and all doubtless would do a credible job in building on Dolan’s productive tenure with community policing and the focus on helping young people, a couple of factors that have contributed to a reduction in violent crime.