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    Word has already gotten out that the St. Paul's top cop is a leading candidate for the same job in the Big Easy -- a city with a law enforcement reputation as soiled as St. Paul's has been, comparatively anyway, squeaky clean.

But sources say John Harrington may not be heading downriver to New Orleans. Several St. Paul insiders say he's been wooed strongly by the Wilder Foundation, the East Metro social service agency based in St. Paul. Wilder's CEO, Tom Kingston, has announced plans to step down this year, and a committee was subsequently charged with a "regional search" for a replacement.

It's a little strange to think of a law-and-order kind of guy like Harrington going into social service. But the two outfits aren't THAT dissimilar. Wilder had a $51 million operating budget last year, compared to the police department's $76 million. Wilder has about 650 staff, and the PD has about 780 FTEs.

Harrington declined comment on the reports. No word from Wilder, either.

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Tim Pugmire

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Outgoing St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington is being eyed to run the St. Paul-based Wilder Foundation.

St. Paul’s top cop to helm social service agency?

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