CHICOPEE — Mayor John L. Vieau, the Mayor of Chicopee, Massachusetts announced Friday the appointment of Capt. Patrick J. Major as the city’s police chief.
During his 30-year tenure, Major has worked in the Narcotics Bureau and was commander of Special Operations.
His appointment ends two years of the department operating with interim chiefs.
The two finalists — Major and Jeffrey Gawron, who has served as interim chief since the summer — were questioned behind closed doors a week ago by Vieau and a five-member advisory panel he created.
The search started shortly after Police Chief William R. Jebb retired after being largely out on medical leave following heart surgery in March 2020. In the beginning, four existing captains were in the running for the job: Major, Gawron, Donald Strange, and Richard Henry.
Henry and Strange dropped out of the field.
Later, it was revealed Henry withdrew after receiving threatening messages.
Superintendent of Schools Lynn A. Clark was arrested by the FBI for allegedly lying to agents investigating those threats. Sources close to the investigation said Clark, who is divorced, had been involved in a romantic relationship with Henry. According to the FBI affidavit, Clark said she felt Henry needed to be “knocked down a peg” and credited herself with much of the work that got him close to the police chief’s seat.
(This is a developing story and will be updated.)
By: Stephanie Barry|MassLive
