SeaTac is expected to choose this week between three candidates to replace city Police Chief Greg Dymerski.

King County Sheriff Sue Rahr has promoted Dymerski, who served as SeaTac's top cop for two years, to commander of the office's criminal investigation division.

SeaTac contracts with King County for police services so city police officers are also sheriff's deputies.

The new SeaTac police chief will also take over Dymerski's duties as commander of the sheriff's southwest precinct. The precinct covers SeaTac, Burien and North Highline.

City Manager Craig Ward will select the new police chief after consulting with council members.

The finalists are Burien Police Chief K. Scott Kimerer, former Green River Task Force commander James Graddon and Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy commander Ron Griffin.

Dymerski said he will miss working in SeaTac.

Besides acting as chief, Dymerski spent two years as assistant chief. Dymerski also has been an administrative sergeant and detective in the city.

"I've worked a lot of years in SeaTac," Dymerski recalled. "I am fortunate. When I've left, I've done everything within my power to get back.

"I feel a kinship. I've received great support from the council and staff."

The top crime challenge facing the new city top cop is auto thefts and break-ins, according to Dymerski.

Noting the abundance of airport parking lots and hotels, Dymerski observed, "We have lots of cars parked in SeaTac."

Police have targeted "hot spots" for car thefts and plan to add a bait car program soon.

Dymerski recommend that the new chief work with legislators to increase jail times for car thieves.

Along with other south county cities, SeaTac struggles with gangs and drug dealing, according to Dymerski.

SeaTac and Des Moines police are teaming up to work on the problem, he reported.

With SeaTac experiencing added economic development, the new chief should also focus on keeping crime low in order to attract new businesses, Dymerski added.

Among the finalists, Kimerer has been Burien's police chief since May 2003.

A 27-year veteran of the sheriff's office, Kimerer has also been sergeant and operations captain for the southwest precinct.

He earned a degree in criminal justice and is a graduate of Northwest Law Enforcement Executive Command College.

Kimerer has been appointed by the National Academies of Science as an executive board member to select research projects for transit and airport security issues.

If Kimerer is promoted, Burien will need to find a new police chief.

Graddon was raised in Burien, attended John F. Kennedy High School and received an administration of justice degree from Highline College in Des Moines.

He held a civilian position with the Seattle Police Department before becoming a King County deputy in 1978.

The majority of his patrol time was spent in the southwest precinct where he was the first administrative sergeant for SeaTac from 1991 to 1994.

Griffin, a 26-year department employee, manages the 720-hour initial training for all newly hired police officers in Washington except state patrol troopers.

A captain since 1998, Griffin graduated from the FBI National Academy. He has been a SWAT/Bomb Unit commander and chief of police and aircraft rescue fire-fighting services at King County International Airport/Boeing Field.