Milford Police Chief Search Committee Eyes Firm To Find Candidates

MILFORD, MA — The search for Milford's next police chief will reach a pivotal stage in April with the town's search committee selecting an organization to find candidates.

After the committee's last meeting on March 2, the members agreed to send requests for proposals (RFP) to consulting companies that handle executives searches, according to Select Board member and search committee chair Paul Mazzuchelli. The committee will then meet after the April 6 RFP deadline to select a firm.

In a typical executive search process, consultants will return a wide number of candidates from nearby and across the nation, and the local committee will then whittle candidates down to the top few.

The 12-member Milford search committee includes representatives from the police union, personnel committee, Town Meeting and a designee of the town moderator. The committee has set a goal of hiring the new chief by September, which is when interim Milford Chief James Falvey's contract expires.

Milford has had three police chiefs since 2019, including one permanent chief elevated from within the department who was later terminated.

In 2019, the select board voted not to renew a contract with former chief Tom O'Loughlin — who is now chair of the select board — after almost two decades on the job. Michael Pighetti took over for O'Loughlin in what was supposed to be a temporary assignment.

In early 2020, the town formed a search committee and landed on Baltimore police Maj. James Rhoden Jr. as the top pick. He turned down the town's offer, and so Pighetti was hired as chief on a three-year contract. After about a year in the job, the select board placed Pighetti on administrative leave to investigate the circumstances of a January 2021 traffic stop Pighetti initiated. In October 2021, the select board fired Pighetti over that stop. Falvey, a former Milford deputy chief, was given a two-year contract after Pighetti's termination.

In March 2022, resident Harold Rhodes sued Milford, alleging that officials had skirted a town law that requires the formation of a police chief search committee within 30 days of a chief's vacancy. That case was settled by dismissal in January, according to court records.

The Milford Police Chief Selection Committee will meet next on April 16 at 6 p.m. at the Milford Senior Center.