SWAMPSCOTT — Police Chief Ron Madigan retired Thursday, ending 41 years of service at the town’s police department.
“I’m apprehensive a little bit, but I’m ready to reinvent myself and embrace civilian life,” Madigan said. “I’ve been doing this job a long time. I’ll miss the people I work with and the great town. It’s a big transition, but I’m confident I’m going to devote more time to my family life and pursue my interests.”
The chief was honored with a small celebration outside of Town Hall Thursday afternoon, complete with ice cream sundaes.
Madigan, who grew up in Swampscott, started at the department when he was 23 years old. He joined in 1980 as a reserve officer and was made a full-time patrolman in 1982, according to a Facebook post by the department. He was appointed acting chief in May 2001 and chief in August of that year.
Police Capt. Joe Kable noted that there are no staff members left at the department who worked there at a time when Madigan didn’t, and said that 77 percent of the current officers have known no other chief.
“That’s an amazing amount of dedication to the town you grew up in and the town that you served,” Kable said.
Officer Kevin Reen, president of the Swampscott Police Union, said that Madigan would be missed in the department, and appreciated his calmness as a chief.
“He’s a quiet leader, always able to take advantage of a difficult situation and knows how to slow things down,” Reen said. “That’s a quality he’s bestowed on the rank and file of the department, and we’ll keep that going.”
Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald praised Madigan’s leadership as well, saying that among the many police chiefs he has worked with over his career, Madigan is unique. He mentioned the chief’s work of bringing the department into the 21st century, including requesting body cameras for its officers five years ago, transitioning to a brand-new police station and overseeing the accreditation of the department in 2018.
“He leaves the department poised for the future,” Fitzgerald said, noting the town’s decision last year to remove its police and fire departments from the civil service hiring system. “We’ll be hiring much more inclusive members to serve. That will be his legacy, supporting these important changes. He’ll have some big shoes to fill.”
The town has contracted with Municipal Resources, Inc. to appoint retired Chief David Kurz of Durham, N.H. as the department’s interim police administrator while the town conducts the search for a new chief.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald joked that his only regret was that Madigan did not attend his retirement party wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
“He’s a quintessential, true-blue Swampscott guy,” Fitzgerald said.
