Watch the meeting online.

The Board of Selectmen hosted a packed room and balcony for the review of the final candidate for the Chief of Police, Lieutenant Richard Flannery.

The tone for the event was more irreverent than the "grilling" the Selectmen joked about with the nearly 30-year veteran of the Hopkinton Police force.  R. J. Dourney summarized the process that lead to Flannery's recommendation.  "Begrudgingly, a few months ago we accepted the notice of retirement of Tom Irvin," he began.  "I don't think it's any secret that we've all enjoyed some great leadership with Tom."  The Selectmen formed a committee--including Dourney, Dr. Ezat Parnia of the Personnel Committee, Human Resources Director Maryrose Degroot, Chief Irvin, and Town Manager Norman Khumalo--to seek out the strongest candidate.  In the process of deciding whether or not to seek outside candidates, "It became clear that we had four internal candidates for chief of police, which is really an unusual situation.

"We were blessed with four very strong candidates," Dourney noted, "all of whom have Chief capabilities in the future."  The four candidates each had an assessment and an interview with the committee, before the committee met to narrow down a recommendation to the board.  "We felt that Rick really represents a tremendous package of leadership," Dourney explained.

"He's experienced in law enforcement, leadership capabilities.  He's the real deal, loves the town, the guys like him, and there's a lot there."

Flannery grew up in Hopkinton, and is what he calls "a product of the Hopkinton public school system." more recently, he achieved a Masters in Criminal Justice through Westfield State College, but says "I spent 30 years learning to become the police officer that I currently am."  He sees the department going forward in the same way that it's been led, "with integrity, with honor, with an effective public safety mindset."  He affirms that they will continue to have the best-trained officers that the department can, and that they "will promote the officers that have the leadership skills that I've been taught and learned over the past 30 years"

The selectman present did not have many questions for Flannery.  Matt Zettek--who at the beginning of his tenure as a Selectman along with Brian Herr, had appointed Flannery to the then-new position of Lieutenant--stated that he's had "the honor to know Rick for over 40 years," and praised the process that made sure "that we pick the best possible police chief for the town for the future."  He also noted that Chiefs of Police from outside of Hopkinton took notice to the candidate pool, impressed with four qualified internal candidates, mentioning how much that says about the work of not just outgoing Chief Irvin but also the people he'd served under.

Todd Cestari, relatively new to town, remarked that he's had a few opportunities to meet Lieutenant Flannery at meetings around town.  "I can say that he's always come into these meetings with full confidence, and really taken control.  It's good to know that we have somebody who's going to be coming into this position with the thoughtfulness and the leadership capabilities and the well-roundedness...and the experience that you're coming into this with."  He, too, thanked Irvin for his service to the town and in mentoring the police force, and the other candidates for the position.

Flannery himself attributed his success to his experiences with the Hopkinton Police, implying that as Chief he will continue to foster that

internal growth in the department.   "I'm a product of everybody that I've worked with, and that I've worked for, and I owe them a debt of gratitude as well.  They've helped me become the person that I am today, and I couldn't have done it without them.  That's the important thing for me to remember going forward, is I'm serving them more than they're serving me.

And I will go forward with that in mind to make sure that I prepare the next leaders for the Hopkinton Police Department."

Michelle Gates was not able to attend the meeting; Herr noted that she was disappointed she couldn't make it, but that she was "tickled that you [Flannery] are sitting here this evening, on the verge of becoming the next Chief of Police in the town of Hopkinton."

The selectmen present voted to approve Flannery's appointment to the Chief of Police, effective February 19 at 4:00pm, pending contract negotiations.

 With Flannery's promotion, that leaves an open position in the department.  Flannery is expected to come to the board in the first few weeks of his tenure with a plan to fill that spot.