Marblehead meeting in May to decide police chief’s job status

MARBLHEEAD – Voters will decide whether or not the police chief’s job remains in Civil Service when Town Meeting convenes May 2.Articles 30 and 31 of this year’s 39-article warrant will address a recommendation from independent consultant Strategic Policy Partnership of West Tisbury advising the removal of the chief’s job from Civil Service after evaluating local police.The firm was hired by selectmen in response to public questions about the police investigation of the traffic death of Marblehead High student Allie Castner in August 2009.Both articles were filed by selectmen.Selectman Chairman James Nye said Wednesday the board has not taken a vote on whether to support the articles or not, but plans to do so before Town Meeting.Noting the history of the issue, Nye said, "This isn’t anything new. It comes up every three to seven years and it hasn’t passed before."In the past, selectmen have requested a Civil Service exam for the post, interviewed the high scorers from the Marblehead police department and appointed one of them.In 2006 the selectmen sought to conduct a nation-wide search for a new police chief but, after the police union and some residents objected, they decided to appoint from within the department instead.However, selectmen did hire an outside consultant, BadgeQuest, to interview the four local candidates and reduce the number to three finalists.Article 30 would ask the state Legislature to allow Marblehead to remove its police chief’s position from Civil Service.Article 31 sets out the search and interview process, requiring the selectmen to appoint a seven-member screening committee, including a local resident, a public safety professional and representatives of the town administrator, school department, fire department, police department and Council on Aging.