Hancock Police Chief Andrew Wood is resigning effective Dec. 31 of this year. He cited “the events involving law enforcement throughout this country” as a factor in his decision to resign in a Facebook post with his resignation letter attached on Monday evening.
“This has not been an easy decision for me or my family, but I believe that now is the right time to move on to the next chapter. Over the past 12 years, have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have had many incredibly wonderful memories and some very sad moments. I have made many friends throughout the community and beyond which I will sorely miss. I have taken great pride in wearing the uniform of the Hancock Police Department every day,” he wrote in a resignation letter to the Town of Hancock.
Wood said he would be transitioning all the department functions over in the coming months, and that he wanted to grow the programming with Rookie the K-9 comfort dog that he began within the department.
“I want to be able to help a wide variety of people through difficult times and bring joy to those who need it the most. For this reason I have decided it is time to pursue these goals further,” he wrote.
“We thank him for his service to the town and really wish him all the best,” Select Board Chair Laurie Bryan said on Tuesday. Wood said he hadn’t decided whether he would retire or move on upon his resignation.
While he was Hancock’s police chief, Wood also served as the officer-in-charge at the Richmond Police Department until that department was dissolved in 2019.