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Select Board wants additional feedback on police chief search

The Select Board has reopened a survey to get community input on the next Hopkinton police chief as a designated screening committee continues to narrow down the candidate pool.

During an update to the Select Board on July 21, vice chair Matt Kizner informed members that the Police Chief Screening Committee had advanced 19 candidates through an initial screening process. As part of the process, Kizner requested that an earlier community survey be reopened in order to capture more resident input.

The survey covers areas of interest including ideal leadership traits for the next chief, community issues residents think are important to focus on and the police department’s current strengths and weaknesses.

Assistant Town Manager Lance DelPriore, who sits on the screening committee, noted that the Select Board decided to reopen the survey to make sure as many voices as possible could contribute to the process.

“We figured we’d reopen it [to] give as many people a chance to make comments,” he said.

While DelPriore said there was no particular part of the survey that is of the most interest to the Select Board, he said that all the input will help the board make its final decision once the screening process is complete.

The assistant town manager also provided an update on the screening committee’s progress. Now that initial reviews are complete, members will be reviewing candidate qualifications before written and oral reviews are conducted. Through those reviews, five or six remaining candidates will take part in an assessment center before meeting with senior stakeholders and then finally the Select Board.

“It’s a really intensive process police chiefs are put through,” DelPriore admitted. He also acknowledged the work of consultant Russ Stephens, who has been guiding the screening committee each step of the way.

While he did not give a timeline as to when final candidates would appear before the Select Board, DelPriore expressed confidence more progress would be made toward that goal sometime next month when the committee meets again to review the written assignments.

DelPriore credited the work of the 13-person screening committee so far. “It’s a robust group,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of great conversations from a variety of perspectives.”

He added that the survey will remain open until the Select Board makes its final hiring decision.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

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Photo of the Day

Nicole McGurin of the Alzheimer’s Association (second from left) poses with Golden Pond administrative staff after receiving a check for funds the assisted living facility raised during its inaugural car show last month.

PHOTO/TINA SENECAL