Former head of Belmont PD hired as interim police chief in Northfield

NORTHFIELD — Mark Lewandoski may have retired from law enforcement last February, but it seems he found it hard to completely walk away from what he loves.

Lewandoski is the new interim police chief for the town, and Monday was his first day. It will be an administrative role he expects to average between 30 and 32 hours a week, and he still maintains his state law enforcement certification, and will be there to answer any call.

“There will be no patrolling, but I’m not bashful of backing up at a crime scene or an accident,” Lewandoski said. “You can’t hold me back.”

Lewandoski, 67, has 49 years of law enforcement experience under his belt in the neighboring Town of Belmont. He worked his way through the ranks, from patrol to chief. He retired from that rank last February. His retirement was short lived, however, as he was hired by the Town of Woodstock to take on an interim chief role from May to September.

“It is a beautiful community, and was a pleasure to help them out,” Lewandoski said.

Shortly after his time in Woodstock, he got the call from Northfield. Town leaders learned former Chief Jesse Colby was looking for a change.

Town Administrator Stephanie Giovannucci said Colby wished to step away from that role, but there were no other department head positions to put him in, and going from chief to patrol was “not exactly ideal.”

Colby’s last day was Dec. 5, and the Northfield Police Department was led by Lt. Alicia Burton as the “officer in charge” through Jan. 12. With Lewandoski's hiring, Burton is back in her lieutenant role. Lewandoski’s arrival will alleviate the long hours she put in during that period.

Lewandoski met with the selectboard and Giovannucci in October, to discuss the town's needs during the transition period and search for a new chief. According to the town website, the selectboard appointed him at their Jan. 6 meeting.

“As we move forward with the search for a permanent police chief, we are fortunate to have Mark’s leadership, experience, and steady guidance supporting the department, especially during this time of important transition,” according to a posting on the town website on Jan. 8. “We’re thrilled to have him on board.”

On Monday, Lewandoski said his first day was going very well. He admitted there was a lot to learn about the needs of the building, and operations, but he was feeling as up to the job as he has always been. He believes his ample experience will help him, and the department, hit the ground running.

“I think experience has something to do with it,” he said. “I’ve had a successful career with wonderful people working for me. That helps. It helps your survival.”

Starting Jan. 12, he has a six-month contract, and Giovannucci said the contract allows for extension, if needed. She said “in a perfect world” the town will have a new chief in place by late spring or early summer.

Giovannucci said the town needs to start the hiring process by advertising for the position, which generally takes about a month. A committee will be set up to conduct interviews, followed by background checks of applicants.

In the meantime, the interim chief lives in neighboring Belmont. Staff of the Town of Northfield are in the beginning stages of devising a plan for a new police station, something Lewandoski can relate to from his time in Belmont.

“Mark has gone through the building revitalization project in Belmont, so we hope he can help with ours as well,” Giovannucci said.

Lewandoski said his day-to-day workload will be administrative, where he will be in charge of policy, procedures and leading employees and basic department operations. It is his hope to bring the police department closer to the community.

The department has four patrol vacancies, according to Giovannucci, and staff hope to hire two officers in the next month or so. Another should be filled this spring, and one will be delayed to 2027.

Lewandoski will bring experience to help young officers, as well as steer the ship, thanks to nearly five decades in law enforcement.

While he expects his primary focus to be in Northfield, he is still a part-time officer in Belmont. He said he can serve both roles, and could even take on more, with hourly restrictions for retired officers. Lewandoski can work a maximum of 1,640 hours per year, which he was grandfathered into, as part-timers now normally have a maximum capacity of 1,300 hours.

After Lewandoski retired from full-time duties last winter, he admits something keeps calling him back. He said time for him to enjoy the outdoors fully is likely on the horizon, following his time in Northfield.

“I enjoy what I do,” Lewandoski said. “I enjoy law enforcement and always have, but this might be the last go right here. It might be time to understand what retirement actually is.”