The Plympton Board of Selectmen met briefly on Jan. 25, specifically to name an interim Chief of Police. In October, former Whitman Chief of Police Scott D. Benton was named as the interim Police Chief following Matthew Clancy’s resignation. Clancy left to serve as Chief of the Bureau of Capital Police in Maine.
“We had a brief meeting last night and decided to proceed with some arrangements that we had made previously to utilize a professional search firm to fill the position of Chief of Police and as such we felt that we needed to give our sergeants an opportunity to really show their stuff… and hopefully be contenders for the position through the search,” Selectman Chair Christine Joy said.
“We do have two extremely qualified sergeants that are working for the town,” Joy said. She then named both Matthew Ahl and Daniel Hoffman. “They both have gotten glowing reviews from both Chief Clancy and Chief Benton; so we are in a position where we are able to appoint one of the sergeants as the acting Chief of Police and I would recommend that we would appoint Sergeant Hoffman, who is the senior and supervising sergeant, as our acting Chief of Police effective immediately and until the town fills the position on a permanent and full-time basis,” Joy said. Selectman John Traynor seconded Joy’s motion. Selectman Mark Russo added that he wanted to give authority to Town Administrator Liz Dennehy to negotiate the terms of the employment.
“I would only say that I think that we, the Board of Selectmen, have in general advocated for and hoped for the opportunity for people to move up, particularly in Fire and Police and I’m thrilled that there is this opportunity for Mr. Hoffman to move up and take on more responsibility and for Mr. Ahl to take on more responsibility as well,” Russo said.
The Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint Daniel Hoffman as the acting Chief of Police.