Edmonton's next chief of police will be a man who takes a proactive approach to community policing, one city councillor said Tuesday.

The Edmonton Police Commission is set to announce Wednesday who will replace former chief Rod Knecht.

The day before the city's top cop is revealed, city councillors gave clues at city hall as to the gender, character and possible history — or lack thereof — in Edmonton.

Councillors emerged from a private meeting, in which they gave the final stamp of approval to the commission's choice.

Three adjectives were expressed to describe the incoming chief: creative, impressive and empathetic.

Coun. Scott McKeen, also a council representative on the police commission, believes the new police boss will take a fresh approach.

Image | Scott McKeen

Caption: Coun. Scott McKeen wouldn't reveal whether the new hire is from outside Edmonton but said he has lived "in the area" at some point. (CBC)

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"I think we're going to see a really creative… kind of cop that will not be soft on crime but look at ways to reduce crime, calls for service and more focus on proactive community-engaged policing. I'm really pleased."

McKeen said the commission filtered through about a dozen candidates from the outset.

McKeen wouldn't say definitively whether the new chief is from outside Edmonton but did say that the new boss "lived part of his or her life in the area."

Coun. Sarah Hamilton described the new boss as "deeply empathic" with an "openness to talking to our other agencies, openness to treating crime and crime prevention as not a policing problem, but a whole society problem — which it is."

Mayor Don Iveson approved of the choice for the "impressive quality of this individual's service in policing."

Hamilton echoed the idea that the incoming chief has solid background in policing.

"This person has a track record in this area which I think will be of a huge benefit to Edmonton."

McKeen and Iveson cited privacy reasons for withholding the new chief's identity, until the commission is ready to announce it.

A starting date for work was also not revealed.

"We won't see him or her in Edmonton for a while," McKeen said.

Later, McKeen acknowledged that enough information had been leaked to media previously to confirm the new chief is a man.

Deputy Chief Kevin Brezinski is currently the acting chief until the new boss takes over.

The police commission is scheduled to announce the new chief Wednesday morning at police headquarters.