WILTON – Officials appointed Officer Ed Leahy as interim police chief during a special selectmen’s meeting Tuesday.
Selectmen met behind closed doors to discuss four candidates for the position.
Leahy will temporarily replace longtime Chief James Parker, who retired after 23 years in the position. Leahy will begin his duties next week, along with his regular duties. Officials plan to meet to discuss options for hiring a permanent chief at their meeting Sept. 7. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the town office.
Leahy has been a Wilton police officer since June 1978. He established and has operated the Keeping Kids Safe Program in the Wilton elementary schools since 1986. He also serves as the department’s civil rights officer and photographic officer.
Leahy represents the Wilton Police Department on the Cushing School’s Student Assistance Team and is a part-time deputy sheriff with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. He is also the contact officer for the New England State Police Information Network.
Officials will discuss at their next meeting whether they will hire the Maine Chiefs of Police Association or someone else to help the town with hiring a permanent chief. Town Manager Peter Nielsen said association President Robert Schwartz is available to give officials an initial free consultation.
Nielsen said the association could help with laying out the minimum qualifications for a police chief, screening resumes, putting together an ad for the position, and giving ideas about the size and makeup of a review board that would make recommendations to officials. If the town decides to hire the association for consultation, it is expected to cost more than $1,000. The process would take two to three months, Nielsen said.
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