ATHOL — Athol Police Chief Russell Kleber has been placed on paid leave, and former Police Chief Timothy Anderson has been named temporary acting chief, until further notice.
Town Manager Shaun Suhoski made a one-sentence announcement to selectmen this week, but did not elaborate.
On Wednesday, Suhoski said Kleber was placed on paid leave Monday afternoon. He would not comment on the reason why. Suhoski said that Anderson will be compensated through an appropriation from the police department’s budget.
Kleber was sworn in as chief on July 12, 2016 following a three-month search that yielded more than 20 applications. Kleber, along with Athol Police Lt. Kevin Heath (who recently retired) and Lunenburg Police Lt. Michael Luth were the three finalists advanced by the preliminary screening committee to succeed Anderson, who retired July 9, 2016. Anderson served in Athol for 34 years with 15 as chief.
Kleber progressed through the ranks of the FBI as a special agent in the Providence, R.I. office from 1996 to 2002. Then, he went to the Boston office, where he was responsible for all training from 2003 to 2010. He became a supervisory special agent and full-time faculty member at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., where he delivered leadership and ethics training to new FBI special agents and the FBI National Academy from 2010 to present.
Before his federal service, Kleber, a Worcester native, was a full-time police officer in Charlton and Auburn from 1987 through 1995. He was recently one of four candidates interviewed for the position of Uxbridge police chief. He has a master’s degree in criminal justice from Anna Maria College and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State University.