The selection of a new police chief has been delayed again, this time because the entity initially selected to help the Honolulu Police Commission make the pick backed out, Commission Chairman Max Sword said Wednesday.

“Right now, we’re shooting for September,” Sword told reporters. “Our initial pick for consultant decided at the last moment that they weren’t going to do it.”

The procurement law requires the commission to now hire the second-highest ranking consultant candidate, Sword said. “That’s the reason why it’s taking so long, plus we want to make a thorough job of it so that we get the best chief that we can get.”

The commission hopes to reach a contractual agreement with a consultant by next week, he said.

The preliminary pick backed out after learning the consultant job required more than just a head-hunting service, Sword said.

All 34 qualified candidates for the job are being notified that the process is taking longer “due to issues beyond our control,” Sword said.

None of the seven commissioners will see the applications — or know who the candidates are — until the consultant is picked, he said.

The commission had initially said it expected to have a chief hired by July but pushed the timeline back by a month after delays in the procurement of the consultant.

Former Chief Louis Kealoha retired effective March 1, several months after receiving a letter informing him that he is a target of a federal corruption case.

The position pays $182,088 annually through June 30. The Honolulu Salary Commission recently increased the pay of all city executives by 5 percent, so the position will pay $191,184 beginning July 1.