The Temple-Greenville Police Department has a new chief following a swearing-in and pinning ceremony for Michael Needham, a longtime officer and sergeant.
The ceremony was held on the Temple town common and attended by members of Needham’s family, as well as police officers and fire departments from several communities.
“The board has offered the police chief’s position to Mike and he has accepted, and we felt a little celebration was in order,” said Charles Buttrick, a Greenville selectman and chair of the Temple-Greenville Joint Police Board.
The ceremony was held in Temple, and Buttrick handled the swearing-in as a Greenville representative, a deliberate effort to ensure both communities were represented in their ongoing policing partnership. Temple-Greenville merged its departments in 2005, and it remains the only joint department in New Hampshire.
Needham has been part of the department from the beginning.
The department merged under Chief Jim McTague, who led it until his retirement in mid-May. But Needham has as much longevity. He was a part-time officer in both Greenville and Temple, starting as a rookie in 2004, before the forces merged. He became a full-time officer in 2009 and worked his way up to sergeant.
Greenville Town Administrator Tara Sousa said the department has been lucky to have steady leadership and to see it continue under someone familiar with the Temple-Greenville communities.
“We are so pleased today to welcome a new chief to take the helm of an organization that keeps us all safe and is such an integral part of both of our communities,” Sousa said. “It’s wonderful to have one of our own who we know is dedicated to the community, knows what he’s doing here and knows both towns so well.”
Needham was pinned with his new chief’s badge by his wife, Leanne Needham, with his daughters standing by his side.
Sousa took a moment after the pinning to thank the Needham family, noting that while many people understand the kind of sacrifice it takes to be a first responder, many forget the sacrifices made by their loved ones.
Needham, in a short speech following the pinning, thanked the board for considering him.
“Those who know me know I don’t do speeches. But I will say, thank you to the Select Boards for putting a lot of trust, a lot of trust, into me. I hope I don’t let them down. I’ll put everything I can into providing the service we’ve been providing,” Needham said.
Needham also thanked McTague for his leadership and for building the department, including his work on the initial 2005 merger, saying it is a unique arrangement but one that has worked for both communities.
Speaking to the Ledger-Transcript, Needham said he was inspired to pursue law enforcement because he has several family members in the profession.
“Every day is something new. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, it’s always different, it’s always something new,” Needham said of what keeps him in police work.
Needham said he plans to continue running the department on the model McTague set.
“I want to continue his policing. It has worked for the communities,” Needham said.
Needham’s promotion leaves the department down an officer, a position it will seek to fill. C.J. Rousseau, Needham’s second-in-command, will continue as sergeant and may take on additional duties, Needham said. The department has three officers in addition to Needham as chief.