Like police chiefs in other small towns, Keith Hervieux, Lyndeborough’s new police chief, is dealing with staffing issues.

“There’s the ongoing challenge of having enough officers for coverage. Nobody wants to do this kind of work, it seems,” Hervieux said.

Hervieux has been with the Lyndeborough Police Department for 16 years, and was a patrol sergeant for the last six. After Rainsford “Rance” Deware retired in December, the Select Board voted unanimously to appoint Hervieux chief. He assumed the post quietly, eschewing a public swearing-in ceremony.

After growing up in Lowell, Mass., and serving in Afghanistan as a sergeant in the Army, Hervieux was honorably discharged in 2012. Prior to then, he and his wife were looking for a change from a more-urban setting in Massachusetts. They did their research and settled in Bow. Lyndeborough has less than a quarter of Bow’s population, and he understands that policing in larger municipalities can seem attractive to some.

“It’s probably more exciting in bigger cities, and small-town policing can be seen by some to be boring. Boring (in police work) is good,” he said, noting that the same kind of calls that city forces get come in to Lyndeborough as well, but less frequently. He also noted that small towns lose some officers to larger ones and cities. 

“Smaller departments are easier to get into, but after two or three years, some people are seeking more excitement. More money, and more opportunities,” he said.

This reality has led towns in the area such as Greenfield, Hancock and Bennington to consider regionalization, and Hervieux was asked whether the topic has come up with his department. 

“Maybe around 2010 there was talk of something involving Lyndeborough, Mont Vernon and Greenfield, but it never happened,” he said, and staffing remains an issue.

Asked whether high school vocational programs which train students in fields such as HVAC and culinary arts could help by offering programs that could lead to law enforcement careers, he said, “It wouldn’t hurt. Right now there’s nothing.”

Hervieux said the job has also become more complex over the past five years.

“Since 2020 and COVID, it seems that mental health issues have skyrocketed,” he said.

That was also the year of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. 

“We’re much more scrutinized with everyone having a phone. Lots of videotaping. There’s less respect for the police too,” he said.

Hervieux said he supports the establishment of a school resource officer for the Wilton-Lyndeborough schools, which was rejected at the district meeting Saturday.

“I think the schools should have one,” he said.

Hervieux doesn’t expect that residents will notice any particular change in the department and policies with him as chief.

“We’ll be providing the same amount of coverage for them,” he said.