Crime & Safety

Peabody's Next Police, Fire Chiefs Won't Be Under Civil Service

The change does not affect the current fire chief nor police chief, who is retiring, but rather their successors in Peabody.

The legislature has approved the petition and now Gov. Deval Patrick has signed off on the request as well -- it's official, Peabody's police and fire chiefs will no longer be part of Civil Service.

State Sen. Joan Lovely tells the Salem News she gave the measure her "full support," recognizing it was a "clear priority" for the city. State Rep. Leah Cole likewise said she was excited to take a lead role on getting the measure passed.

State Rep. Ted Speliotis says it gives Mayor Ted Bettencourt much more flexibility in choosing key department heads -- his team -- and shouldn't be taken as an attack on Civil Service.

The change will not affect rank and file members of either the police or fire departments and would only factor into hiring new chiefs. It does not affect current Fire Chief Steve Pasdon, who was promoted under Civil Service, nor Police Chief Robert Champagne, who is retiring.

Champagne was scheduled to retire last month, but agreed to stay on longer while Bettencourt still awaited final approval of the home rule petition before state lawmakers.

The City Council voted to send the petition off to Beacon Hill this spring after Bettencourt had argued he needs more flexibility in hiring for these positions and Civil Service relies too heavily on test scores, which don't necessarily account for other talents and abilities.

He argued several other points as well, including the great difficulty to remove a Civil Service chief from his or her post (if necessary) unless that person is guilty of some egregious behavior as opposed to incompetency.


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