MELROSE — The city is seeking input from residents as part of the process for finding retiring Police Chief Michael Lyle’s successor.
Mayor Paul Broduer recently hired municipal recruiting consultant Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) to help the city search for its next police chief. Brodeur is seeking community input to help develop an “Ideal Candidate Profile.”
Community members can weigh in on what they believe are the most important qualities in the city’s next police chief by completing city’s Ideal Candidate Survey for the Next Melrose Police Chief. Community members can take the survey by visiting www.surveymonkey.com/r/5CZB7FH.
MRI will use the community’s responses to this survey as they develop the Ideal Candidate Profile. The survey will close on Sunday, May 15 at midnight.
The city announced in March that Lyle will reach the mandatory retirement age of 65 this November. He has served as Melrose’s police chief for the past 15 years. He has worked as a Melrose Police Officer for 35 years. Massachusetts State law requires police officers, firefighters and corrections officers to retire at age 65.
As required by Brodeur, MRI will seek input from community members, the Melrose Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor’s DEI Task Force, religious leaders and other key stakeholders as part of the comprehensive recruitment process.
Lyle, a Melrose High School graduate, began his career with the city of Melrose as a police officer in 1986 before moving up in the ranks and serving as a police traffic officer, a police sergeant, and a police lieutenant before finally serving as the chief of the Melrose Police Department.
“For decades, Chief Lyle has helped to develop the next generation of law enforcement and has shown the true value of community policing,” Brodeur said recently. “I am grateful for his service to the city of Melrose and congratulate him as he enters this next chapter of his life. A more formal recognition of his commitment to Melrose and his career will follow in November.”
Municipal Resources Inc., an organization with over 30 years of experience with public sector executive recruitments, has previously assisted many other New England communities with recruiting and selecting executive level positions, including police chiefs in Andover, Haverhill, Middleton and North Andover. The firm also helped Middleton and North Andover hire town managers.
The “Ideal Candidate Profile” will seek to reflect the critical organizational needs of the Melrose Police Department and the priorities of the Melrose community.
“The early announcement gives the city the much-needed time to make the best decision for the future safety of the Melrose community,” Brodeur said recently. “It also gives our community members ample time and opportunity to weigh in on what they believe are the most important qualities in our next police chief.”
Once initiated, the recruitment process is anticipated to take approximately 90-120 days to complete, with a target date of Sept. 1.
