PORTLAND — By late this afternoon, the city had received 79 applications from candidates to become the city’s next police chief.

Today is the deadline for applications to replace former Chief James Craig, who left in August to become chief in Cincinnati. Some applications could still come in as long as they are postmarked by today, said city spokesman Nicole Clegg.

Starting next week, a panel of city staff will review the applications, narrowing the list to a group of finalists. Those finalists will undergo an evaluation by an assessment resource center and interviews by community members, which City Manager Mark Rees will use to determine which candidates are invited for final interviews.