Interim Police Chief Richard Stanley's performance in Wareham has been praised by town leaders, members of the Wareham Police Department and many community members since he arrived last August, and the Selectmen announced late last month that they want Stanley to become the full-time, permanent chief.

Back in North Andover, where Stanley began his career in 1977 and became chief in 1986, he also has many admirers. But while his accomplishments are well known, his tenure there has not been without incident.

Stanley lost his driver's license, was fined, and was put on probation for a year after a drunken-driving arrest in July 1992.  He apologized in a letter to the editor of the Eagle-Tribune in Lawrence and has had no subsequent incidents.

In 2003, Brett Godette, a black student at Merrimack College, accused two North Andover detectives, a lieutenant, and Stanley of racial discrimination after the Police Department arrested him for a bank robbery.  A car at the robbery scene was traced to the college, and a Merrimack College Police Services Officer informed police that Godette was wearing clothes similar to those worn by the robber.  Once his alibi was verified, Godette was released. The discrimination charges were dismissed by a federal judge.

Stanley is also 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 by the District Attorney.

Stanley said late last week that he could not discuss the November incident, but he said that he was sure the District Attorney's report would demonstrate that the police did nothing wrong.

"Due to litigation, I'm not at liberty to discuss any particulars," Stanley said. "I can assure you that, when the DA's office comes out with the report, I anticipate that report to find no fault with the police officers."

Town Administrator Mark Andrews expressed complete confidence in Stanley.  He said that lawsuits were part of the job of a police chief, especially when a chief was making so much change in the community.

"When you're cracking down on criminal activity,  it's inevitable you will be tested through the courts," Andrews said.

"I believe Stanley to be an outstanding candidate and wouldn't put his name forward to the next level without thinking so," Andrews said. "I make no judgment on his history, I'm going with my working relationship with the chief and what I know of him as a person, and I have an excellent opinion of him.  We'd be hard pressed to find a more accomplished Chief.

Andrews said that he has spoken with the North Andover town manager and gotten the sense that there will be no problems with the board allowing Stanley, who is eligible for retirement from North Andover, to leave.

"I think they would wish him well as he takes on a new challenge in his career," said Andrews. "There's solid leadership behind him, so that [Stanley's] not leaving them unprepared."

But Stanley said the process of bringing him to Wareham was in its "infancy."  He said contract negotiations had not yet begun, and that he was still weighing other employment options.

"I do you want to come," Stanley said. "This is the first step."