Interim Chambersburg chief expected to be appointed tonight
Chambersburg Police Chief David Arnold, pictured here in a file photo, will retire on Jan. 8.(Photo: FILE)
(Chambersburg) — Chambersburg Borough Council is expected to appoint an interim police chief Monday night following an executive session in which “personnel matters” are scheduled to be discussed.
Council meets at 7 p.m. Monday to swear in newly elected members, elect new officers and talk about its new curbside single stream recycling service, which begins next week.
After those tasks are accomplished, council is expected to go into executive session to talk about the upcoming retirement of Police Chief David Arnold and the need for an interim chief or management team to lead the department until a new chief can be chosen.
Arnold submitted his resignation, effective Saturday, Jan. 9, just before Christmas last month. He said he plans to stay in the area in his retirement.
Borough Manager Jeffrey Stonehill said in an email last week that during the executive session he and Mayor Darren Brown and will present their recommendations for a temporary management solution for the police department until a permanent police chief can be hired.
Stonehill said that afterward, council will accept Arnold’s resignation and appoint a temporary interim chief or chiefs. The interim chief or management team will take over effective Jan. 9.
Arnold has been chief with Chambersburg Police Department for seven years, coming to the community when former Chief Michael DeFrank retired in 2008.
He was a 24-year veteran of the York City Police Department at the time. Overall, he has spent 31 years in law enforcement.
Stonehill said last week that the selection of a new permanent police chief, regardless of whether it is an internal candidate or someone from the region or state, will take weeks or months.
“There will be an interview committee selected by council, followed by testing, and a series of interviews of potential candidates,” he said.
He said council could hire a search consultant to help with the process.
This article comes to us through a partnership between Public Opinion Online and WITF.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
