Crime & Safety

Retired Salem Chief St. Pierre Named Interim Police Chief in Peabody

Mayor Bettencourt says St. Pierre will report for duty Nov. 18, taking over for retired Peabody Chief Champagne.

Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt announced Thursday afternoon that retired Salem Police Chief Robert St. Pierre would be taking over the Peabody department later this month as the interim chief.

"We have a world class police department in Peabody made up of a great number of outstanding law enforcement professionals, Bettencourt said in an announcement. "I believe Chief St. Pierre's background, specifically his experience with professional evaluation and the assessment center process, will prove beneficial as we transition to a permanent police chief."

Longtime Peabody Chief Robert Champagne retired this summer after 37 years on the force, but has stayed on for several months while an interim chief was sought and while state lawmakers signed off on the city's petition to remove the chief's job from Civil Service.

St. Pierre, 65, retired in 2009 after 25 years as Salem's chief, but has remained active in different aspects of law enforcement -- he was called upon in 2010 to conduct an internal investigation at the Salisbury Police Department and spent several months from 2011 to 2012 as the interim police chief at Salem State University.

Bettencourt said St. Pierre will report for duty on Nov. 18.


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