Del Manak, Victoria’s former police chief, created quite a stir on social media this week when he didn’t announce he would run in this fall’s municipal ­election.

What he said was that he was ­thinking about becoming a candidate, the sort of musing that helps test the waters but stops short of a commitment.

Within a few hours, hundreds of ­people took to social media to provide their thoughts on Manak’s abilities. As always, opinions were mixed, with fans and foes chiming in.

It’s clear from that reaction that Manak would be a serious contender to Mayor Marianne Alto, who has announced that she plans to seek another term in office.

Not only does Manak have outstanding name recognition, he also has a level of respect that few other potential candidates could match. The election is still........

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