Fall River to Hire Next Police Chief Through Statewide Civil Service Process

The city will soon be following 49 other cities and towns that hire their communities top cop through a civil service procedure with preparations for a statewide search for Fall River’s next police chief moving forward.

The city hasn’t hired a civil service-appointed police chief since the 1990’s.

Director of Human Services Nicholas Macolini said Tuesday he’s been working with the Civil Service unit under the state’s Human Resources Division and is currently drafting a sole delegation agreement with the state agency.

Once the agreement is finalized and a testing date determined, Macolini said the city will give public notice that the police chief search has begun.

“I’m just guessing but it looks like it could be four to six months,” said Macolini.

The change from a contract police chief to a civil service chief in Fall River came in January when Governor Maura Healey signed a bill, sponsored by Senator Michael Rodrigues and State Representative Carole Fiola, that made the change.

According to the bill, the city mayor continues to be the appointing authority and can enter up to a three-year contract with the new chief. 

There had been talk of changing back to a civil service police chief, but it caught traction with the City Council last May when current Police Chief Kelly Furtado was approved by the Council with a 1-year-contract in return for a home rule petition to make the change.

Her contract is set to expire May 13. But ahead of the expiration of the contract, Mayor Paul Coogan planned to extend Furtado’s contract for two more years without Council approval, citing his right under the city charter to extend contracts.

It caused swift backlash from some City Councilors, and in April, Furtado, the city’s first female chief, announced her June 1 retirement date.

In a letter published on the Fall River Police Department’s Facebook account, she cited political tensions with elected officials and fear that it would impact the department.

Deputy Chief JT Hoar is currently overseeing the department as acting chief and a likely candidate for the position.