ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen appointed Timothy Sorrell as acting police chief for an indeterminate period.

 

Sorrell will step in for Police Chief K. Scott Kelley who has been on paid administrative leave since Sept. 8. The board has declined to reveal the circumstances for his leave or when or how it might end.

 

The retired Lanesborough police chief has more than 33 years experience and joined the Adams force as a special officer in 2021.

 

"I stepped up to offer my experience," said Sorrell. "It's a similar situation back in 2015 where I walked into the [Lanesborough] chief's empty office and there was nobody there to guide anybody along. ...

 

"It's also my understanding that moving me up or putting in this position doesn't fill up or doesn't cause a void in the manpower of the Police Department." 

 

Sorrell was the recommendation of interim Town Administrator Holli Jayko after she and Finance Director Ashley Satko interviewed him and interim Police Chief Donna Malloy and Sgt. Matthew Wright. 

 

Jayko's recommendation didn't sit well with some selectmen, who felt Malloy should have continued in the post. 

 

"I think institutional knowledge is important in a community," said Selectman Joseph Nowak. "But I just don't understand why we've had somebody in a position for, like, 30 years, and she's a woman, the only woman on the whole police force, and why we overlook people like that, because it just seems to me that there's some credence and something that should be rewarded."

 

Selectmen Jay Meczywor and Ann Bartlett said they were torn, understanding that shifting Malloy would create a void in the department but feeling she had earned the position. 

 

"We don't know how long this will last, but I will say the public has reached out to me a number of times and expressed their gratitude for Donna Malloy and all the work that she has put in this town over 30-plus years," said Meczywor. "So I think it's important that we recognize her for everything she's done to the community, and I think in stepping up to the plate."

 

Bartlett said she, too, had heard from constituents who wanted Malloy to remain as chief. 

 

They said they had nothing against Sorrell, just that they felt Malloy should be recognized. Nowak, however, said he'd found poor outcomes for Lanesborough on a website called CrimeGrade.org, which gave the town a C- overall and a grade of D in property and violent crime. Dalton, in contrast, has a A- rating and Nowak pointed out it has a woman police chief. 

 

Sorrell said he wasn't aware of the site, which says it uses publicly available data and artificial intelligence modeling to provide its assessments. And, he pointed out, he retired five years ago. 

 

"I came here in 2021 and you people were gracious enough to hire me as a special officer. I've been in your roads directing traffic. I've done your elections, and since I walked in the door, I've been your firearms licensing officer as well," he said. 

 

Jayko explained that she had reached out to all four sergeants and two — Malloy and Wright — had indicated interest and Sorrell had approached her to offer his service. They were all asked the same questions and were informed that Sorrell would be put forward at Wednesday's meeting.  

 

"This is a short-term, longer term than we've had, but it is a temporary, short-term position," she said. "After reviewing the information we learned from the three I put forth the name of retired Chief Timothy Sorrell to take that position as the most qualified candidate."

 

If Malloy or Wright was to take the post, then a patrol officer would be promoted to sergeant and a patrol position would have to be filled. Then, when the temporary appointment was over, they officers would return to their original positions and the patrol officer, if one could be hired in that short time, would be laid off. 

 

Carol Cushenette of the Finance Committee said the town was in a situation where it was heading for budget season with management positions missing. 

 

"We're missing a lot of department heads, and I think to disrupt the police force right now is not the wisest decision, and I think to have somebody that's been there and done that, especially, I don't know how you are with budgets, but budget season is coming up, right?" she said, turning to Sorrell. "We have nobody in these positions. Guys, this is not the wrong decision, in my opinion."

 

Sorrell said he'd developed a department budget during his six years as police chief and then spent a term on the Lanesborough Select Board working on town budgets. 

 

"I'm familiar with budgets, spreadsheets that we do the quarterly or however often you do your expense sheets. I'm familiar with that. I'm aware of the fact that some things need to be tightened up," he said. "There has to be some accountability for some spending, and I'm more than willing to step in and make sure that's done. 

 

"Because that's all this is. I'm just stepping in to right the ship, steer it ahead until something becomes permanent ... that's all."

 

He said he could work through October because of limitations with his pension but was willing to freeze it to take the post full-time. Chair John Duval had raised his concerns over a part-time police chief after the town has been dealing with part-time town administrators since early this year. 

 

The town can only appoint an interim as it still technically has a permanent chief. "We can't post for the position until all of that is sorted out," Jayko told an audience member. 

 

The board voted 4-1 to appoint Sorrell, with Bartlett and Meczywor voting reluctantly. Bartlett had to be asked to repeat her vote. Nowak voted against. Sorrell's appointment is pending negotiations on salary.