Select Board appoints Jeff Beatty as sergeant; chief to retire July 17, board discusses succession and hiring

The Town of Hampden Select Board on Tuesday appointed Officer Jeff Beatty to the rank of sergeant and held an extended discussion about police leadership succession after the chief announced a planned July 17 retirement.

The board voted unanimously to appoint Jeff Beatty after the department’s promotion process, which included a written exam and interview. The department reported that four officers took the promotional exam, and that the top two scored highest in the department’s point-based process: Jeff Beatty scored 94.7 and the next candidate scored 92.4. The examination results and interview scores were used to recommend Beatty for the position.

The department chief (name not specified in the meeting record) presented the recommendation. After the board member moved to endorse the chief’s recommendation and received a second, the board voted "Aye" and the appointment passed. There was a brief celebratory photo opportunity in the meeting room following the vote.

Shortly after the appointment, the chief told the board that he intends to retire on July 17. He described options for filling the chief’s role: appointing an acting or interim chief from within the department, recruiting a retired chief on an interim basis via the Massachusetts Chiefs association, or conducting a full external search that could include an assessment center. The chief said, "It's going to be my last day," when stating the retirement date.

Town leaders discussed trade-offs. An interim retired chief can provide experienced leadership quickly; assessment centers and full national searches are more comprehensive but costlier (assessment centers were described in the meeting as ranging roughly from $6,000 to $25,000). The chief recommended engaging Mass Chiefs to identify potential retired chiefs interested in an interim assignment and noted that an internal acting chief is an available option.

Staff also described immediate hiring steps to maintain patrol staffing. The chief said he planned to advertise to hire a new full-time officer; once a replacement officer is hired, the department intends to offer the second-ranked promotion candidate the next sergeant vacancy per the department’s internal policy (the promotional list remains valid for 12–18 months). The chief said he would place the advertisement for a full-time officer in the local paper and proceed with interviews.

Board members raised ancillary personnel and budget issues tied to turnover: uniform stipend timing, an education-incentive payment that currently goes out July 1, and IT support for the department and municipal buildings. Select Board members asked staff to return next week with options for how to post the chief vacancy and whether to pursue an interim retired chief versus an acting chief from inside the department.

Ending: The board confirmed the promotion of Jeff Beatty and opened a multi-week transition for police leadership. The chief’s July 17 departure date was stated on the record; the board and town administration will consider interim coverage options, a search plan, and simultaneous hiring to maintain patrol capacity.