MONTAGUE — After the Police Chief Search Committee interviewed eight of the 11 applicants, two officers from Greenfield and Vermont have emerged as the preferred finalists to succeed Montague Police Chief Christopher Williams.
Greenfield Police Lt. Jason Haskins and David Kachajian, chief of police in Brandon, Vermont, were interviewed by the committee. Richard Kuklewicz, who chairs the Police Chief Search Committee and serves on the Selectboard, said their experience as small-town police chiefs and their resumes stood out among the mix of “very qualified” applicants.
“We feel either one of them would be able to fill the role, but we also felt that there were other candidates that could, if need be,” Kuklewicz said at Monday’s Selectboard meeting. “We really felt these were the top two choices of the committee.”
The Police Chief Search Committee was established in July to interview potential candidates, then recommend candidates to the Selectboard, which is in charge of hiring.
This search is to replace Williams, who announced his plans to retire after 36 years of service to the department and seven years as chief. He has been part of the Police Chief Search Committee as a non-voting member. Williams will retire in December by the end of his contract, or sooner if a candidate is selected and trained before the end of the year.
According to the Selectboard meeting materials, which included resumes for Haskins and Kachajian, both candidates share an educational background in criminal justice and experience in training and leadership within law enforcement. Both candidates have served as police chiefs, with Haskins serving as chief of the Colrain Police Department between 2009 and 2016, and Kachajian serving as chief of police in Brandon, Vermont since 2022, with law enforcement experience in Massachusetts previously.
The police chief position in Montague offers pay between $89,876 and $117,270, with the upper echelon of pay dependent on qualifications and education. The qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration or a related field, or an associate degree plus a minimum of seven years of experience in a supervisory or command role such as a sergeant or lieutenant.
The ideal candidate is someone who is a skilled communicator that builds mutual respect and consensus; has an understanding of small-town policing; is committed to ethical and unbiased law enforcement; prioritizes officer wellness and professional development; and is knowledgeable on state regulations and laws for policing.
Town Administrator Walter Ramsey said both individuals served as leaders in communities smaller than Montague, and are ready to start upon hiring, including Kachajian, who would need to be recertified in Massachusetts.
“We have two really strong candidates with police chief experience ready to work in Montague,” Ramsey said. “I was really happy with the way the process went and the candidates we got.”
Moving forward, Selectboard Chair Matt Lord expressed interest in the board having a one-on-one discussion with each candidate in an executive session, which Ramsey confirmed would be permissible. Deliberations to select a new chief are expected to be held in open session on Monday, Oct. 6. Haskins and Kachajian would be allowed to attend, and Kuklewicz voiced his interest in having Police Chief Search Committee members join, too.