Chairman of Selectmen Bruce Sauvageau said today that a new police chief will be announced "shortly."

Speaking at the Wareham Works economic development summit about Selectmen's efforts to "modernize, restructure, and improve municipal government," Sauvageau noted: "We will be shortly announcing a new police chief. Full time. And one that I think we will be very proud of."

He did not elaborate and, approached after the formal session, declined to talk about when an announcement would be made, whether a new chief had been selected, or how an appointment could be made to a Civil Service position without first holding the Civil Service chief's examination.

Former Chief Thomas Joyce retired in June. The position has been filled on a part-time basis since August by full-time North Andover Chief Richard Stanley.

According to the Eagle-Tribune of Lawrence, Stanley made it clear when he took the Wareham job that he would not seek the Wareham job on a permanent basis.

"Am I interested? Clearly no," Stanley was quoted as saying. "I am not a candidate nor do I intend to be a candidate. I have the best job in the world as police chief of North Andover. I intend to retire here."

Stanley, a member of the North Andover Police Department since 1977, and Chief since 1986, is eligible for retirement this year.  Stanley would not respond to questions on whether he was offered the position in Wareham, saying he was on vacation out of state until Monday.

The North Andover Police Department has been involved in recent controversy, however. Stanley is one of 36 defendants in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed on Jan. 26 by the family of a Worcester man who was allegedly beaten to death at a routine sobriety checkpoint on Nov. 25, 2009, in North Andover.  An investigation is ongoing.

The Wareham Police Chief's position is currently covered by provisions of Massachusetts Civil Service law. Last fall, Selectmen asked Town Meeting to remove the chief's job from Civil Service protection but, after heated debate, the request was voted down.