It’s official: Lt. John Walcek is Wareham’s acting police chief.

Selectmen approved the appointment quickly on Tuesday. Last week, board members announced that Walcek would take over for retiring Chief Kevin Walsh. Walcek was not present for Tuesday’s vote.

He is a longtime member of the department and has served as the town’s emergency management director. In 2013, Walcek was awarded the Massachusetts Emergency Manager of the Year Award by the Northeast States Emergency Consortium.

Walsh had been on leave for an unspecified reason since late March.

Last week, Town Administrator Derek Sullivan said Walsh has reached his maximum retirement benefits and “made a family decision to retire.”

Walsh became the town’s top cop in January of 2015. A lifelong Wareham resident, he has served on the department since the 1980s.

He began his career as a seasonal officer and moved up through the roster, achieving the rank of lieutenant in the summer of 2010. Walsh stepped in as interim police chief in November of 2013, after former chief Richard Stanley announced his retirement.

Sullivan said details of the search for a new chief haven’t been worked out yet.