Former Francestown Police Chief Fred Douglas is back in charge of the Francestown Police Department after Chief Michael Dowd resigned at the start of August.
“Family matters that necessitate a move to New Jersey, will not allow me to continue as Francestown Police Chief,” Dowd wrote to the Select Board. “…it has been an honor to serve the community, and my departure is for no other reason other than family matters,” he wrote, thanking the Select Board, the Francestown Community, and Douglas, “who has been instrumental in my development as Police Chief.”
Dowd became Chief at the end of 2018 after joining the Francestown Department in 2017, after retiring from the Milford Police Department. Douglas served as Francestown’s Police Chief from 2015 to 2018 after previously serving as Chief in Milford for 12 years, ending in 2012. He and Dowd worked together in both towns.
Douglas took up his former role on July 26 after the Francestown Select Board asked him to, he said.
Douglas will serve part-time as Chief until he can secure a new part-time Chief, one full-time officer, and enough part-time officers to provide Francestown residents with their desired level of coverage, he said.