Two men at the top of the Providence Police Department are leaving. What's next for them?

Two men who have led the Providence Police Department for more than a decade — Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré and Chief Col. Hugh Clements Jr. — are moving on, and it's anyone's guess who may replace them.

On Wednesday, Paré made clear that Mayor-Elect Brett Smiley had decided not to keep him, which Paré described as Smiley's "choice and decision, which I respect." While he's retiring from his position on Jan. 2, he does not plan to stop working.

Paré said he doesn't know yet where he will land, reflecting back on his 2007 departure from the Rhode Island State Police, where he had served as superintendent. Paré said at that point, " I didn’t know where I’d be continuing my employment, and an opportunity opened up" with International Game Technology, where he was the head of global security for several years before being appointed public safety commissioner in 2011. Now, Paré said he is not looking only at public safety roles.

"We’ll see what happens in the future," Paré said of finding his next role. "May be a couple months, may be longer."

Smiley's office has said the public safety commissioner role won't be filled immediately. For anyone who may take his place, Paré said, the toughest part of the job is worrying.

"I think it’s human nature, as you are responsible in leading a group of men and women in a dangerous profession, that you always worry for their safety," he said. "That’s first and foremost. You’ve got to manage it, but that’s inherent with the job."

Earlier reporting:Providence police chief, public safety commissioner leaving — what we know

But Paré also has some advice when it comes to other tough stuff, like alleged misconduct cases. Over the summer the city saw national media attention for officer Jeann Lugo's punching of political opponent Jennifer Rourke at a State House rally for abortion rights. That case, which led to a trial, saw Lugo acquitted -- an outcome that was met with a mix of condemnation and praise.

Speaking broadly, rather than to any particular case, Paré said "it’s easy [when] it’s a circumstance that’s brought to your attention that looks horrible to immediately opine about that," but advised against any "rush to judgment."

"In today’s day and age, there’s a lot of video and a lot of iPhone video that’s from the community, and of course we have body cam as well," he said. "And there’s always an interest for a reaction from the commissioner of public safety, and my advice is to gather the facts first and then of course make a statement or provide a response. But the times in which you do it quickly, I think it’s a disservice to the community and also to the department.”

Chief Col. Hugh Clements' next move?

While Smiley asked Clements to remain on the force, the outgoing chief said an opportunity arose over the spring, and developed from that point on. That role will be announced in the coming weeks.

"They always say you’ll know when it’s time, and that never presented to me," he said. "It wasn’t for that reason. I fully feel I’m energized and I love where the police department is at the moment, and I was fully committed to doing another four, five years."

While Clements said he had wanted to stay, the decision, as he described it, was a difficult one.

"It’s a great honor to serve the people and so it’s hard walking away," he said. "All that being said, I’m torn. I really am. And there are many that are trying to rope me back in like, ‘Don’t go. We’ll talk to the mayor.’ The mayor wanted to keep me, but this opportunity presented my next chapter. So that’s why."

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Clements has served as chief since 2011, having worked his way up after joining the Patrol Bureau as a night patrol officer in 1985. As he prepares to depart, he will advise Smiley on who might fill his shoes as chief. Smiley's spokeswoman, Patricia Socarras, said the new administration would prioritize filling the role of chief, then think about potentially changing the role of commissioner. However, she did not say whether the role could simply be left unfilled altogether.

With "cities around the country with public safety that are really struggling right now," Clements said he would look for someone who can continue pushing the department forward, particularly when it comes to keeping crime statistics low. Clements said violent crimes, robberies and burglaries have "fallen off the table" and "there’s a comprehensive reason why," including removing guns from the streets and using a community-based approach.

“Everything is short-term planning, long-term planning -- the short game, the long game -- and being reactive as the radio goes of 9,000 times a day but being proactive, too," he said. "So it’s that combination that the next leader [or] leaders of the Providence Police Department are going to have to take it to that next level."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: What's next for Providence police Chief Clements, Paré