Shane Smith will begin as the new chief of police on May 4 at a starting salary of $210,000, according to a contract ratified by the Select Board Monday evening.
As part of the three-year contract, Smith will be expected to establish residency within 15 miles of Belmont by the end of summer 2027.
“This is great news for Belmont,” said Select Board Chair Matt Taylor. “We got an outstanding new police chief.”
Smith was chosen from a field of 19 applicants, three of whom were named finalists. All three were interviewed by the board on Friday, Feb. 20. On Monday, Select Board member Elizabeth Dionne said Smith’s references were “stellar.”
Smith, who has served on the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department for just over 24 years, graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a degree in criminal justice and a minor in psychology; later, he earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Oklahoma. He has also served as a use-of-force instructor and was part of the SWAT unit for a New Hampshire-based team similar to the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council. He received training from the FBI National Academy Associates in Quantico, Virginia.
After climbing the department ranks, Smith has been the deputy chief in Salem for about six years and is an adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire University. He is married with three children.
In addition to his policing experience, Smith impressed the board with his familiarity with Belmont and his acknowledgment of public statements from members of the department who advocated for an internal candidate over an external one. Smith talked about building trust with his staff and emphasized a leadership style that rewards good work and offers correction or mentorship when a mistake is made.
The search for a new police chief followed the resignation in August of Police Chief James MacIsaac, who had been with the department in various roles since 1990. The Select Board appointed then-Assistant Police Chief Mark Hurley as the interim chief. Hurley’s appointment was effective Aug. 25.
In October, John Parow of John Parow Consulting & Associates was selected from the two bids received by the town. The Select Board agreed to a contract of $11,800, making Parow’s firm the low bidder. The one competitor, Municipal Resources Inc. (MRI), submitted a $13,700 bid.
Six people representing Belmont’s different demographics, plus an area police chief, were named late last year to serve on the screening committee.
