Capt. Terry Bird has been selected to fill the void left by retiring Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine, Ames City Manager Steve Schainker said.”I’m excited about the opportunity,” Bird said. “I want to maintain the great programs [Ballantine] has started.”Ballantine is retiring at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and he begins work Wednesday as a Story County supervisor. Bird will take over duties as acting police chief immediately following Ballantine’s retirement.Bird has been working in law enforcement for nearly 46 years, he said.Schainker said the decision was easy to make because Bird has traditionally served in an acting capacity while Ballantine has been out of town.”I have all the confidence in the world that he will competently fulfill the duties of this position,” Schainker said.Ballantine has worked with Bird throughout Ballantine’s 33-year career at the Ames Police Department.”I’m very happy for him, and I’m sure he’ll do a good job,” Ballantine said. “He will be very competent performing the police-chief duties.”Bird’s 41 years of experience with the Ames Police Department has prepared him well for upholding the duties of police chief, Schainker said.Along with announcing the appointment of the acting police chief, Schainker announced Friday the opening of a national search to fill the position permanently. Bird could serve as acting police chief for four to six months, Schainker said.Bird hopes the new chief is found quickly. He said he is planning to retire next January, so his time at the department is limited.”I hope to be able to help the new chief settle in,” Bird said.The search process will begin with posting advertisements in national professional magazines announcing Ames’ police chief vacancy, Schainker said. Schainker will narrow the field to three or four candidates through phone interviews. The final candidates will travel to Ames for face-to-face interviews before a decision is made.Schainker said officers within the department have not been ruled out for the position — if an officer is qualified, he or she will be considered for the position as well.After 33 years with the Ames Police Department, Ballantine decided in January to retire from police work. He did so to pursue filling the Story County Board of Supervisors seat left vacant when Supervisor Fred Mathison died from injuries sustained in a January car accident.”We’re going to miss [Ballantine] a lot,” Bird said. “He’s brought the department a long way up, and we’re going to miss his leadership.”Bird replaced Ballantine as captain of the detectives and special operations units 17 years ago, when Ballantine was appointed police chief.Ballantine said he is ready for his new job to begin.”I’ll be happy to get in there and get going,” he said.