MacDonald, 56, was runner-up to Aaron Tyksinski, the applicant who accepted the police chief position Oct. 4 and changed his mind a few days later, said Jasper Mayor Mike Lout on Tuesday.

MacDonald, who has 34 years of law enforcement experience, recently resigned as police chief of Uvalde, about 90 miles west of San Antonio.

Tyksinski, chief deputy for the Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Constable's Office, wrote in a letter dated Oct. 7 that he reconsidered and declined the offer so he could continue pursuing a doctorate degree.

Tyksinski said recent controversies engulfing the police department, including a lawsuit filed over the firing of former chief Rodney Pearson, did not influence his decision.