WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Mayor-elect Mitch Landrieu is going to talk about the search for a new police chief, which has become his first contentious issue since winning New Orleans' mayoral election in February.

Landrieu plans to discuss the search at an afternoon news conference on Wednesday.

The search has become embroiled in conflict after four members of his search committee resigned.

The head of the local NAACP chapter was among those who quit.

The former members said they felt that the search was not open enough.

Landrieu has made choosing a new leader for the troubled police department his top priority.

He set up the committee, representing a wide range of the community to assist in the search.

Landrieu hopes the selection could be completed by his May 3 inauguration.