Branford’s Deputy Police Chief to Interview for Chief of Salisbury PD

will be interviewed for the position of Police Chief in Salisbury, Mass., this evening according to Newburyportnews.com.

Fowler, a North Branford native, has been with  for 25 years and has worked his way from officer to deputy chief.

Tonight, before the Salisbury Board of Selectman, Fowler will compete against two other candidates for the position of chief according to the Newburyportnews.com. From a pool of 40 applicants, the online news named Michael J. Sielicki, police chief in Rindge, N.H. and Robert M. Eaton Jr., police captain in Smithfield, R.I. as candidates in addition to Fowler. Sielicki, the news source detailed, grew up in Salisbury and has owned a home in town for the last five years. Eaton does not have ties to the town.

Fowler could not be reached for comment yesterday. The story will be updated should any new information become available.

Salisbury Mass., has a population of about 7,800 according to the town website and is located 45 miles north of Boston on the Northshore. Salisbury is boarded by New Hampshire to the north, the Atlantic ocean to the east, the Merrimack River to the south and Newbury Port to the west.

At the end of January, to become Chief of Police for Windsor Locks Police Department in Connecticut but then of the offer in late February. Fowler never detailed why he made that decision. Prior to Windsor Locks, Fowler had applied for the, which was awarded to former department in August. Fowler was also in the running for chief of police in Boxford, Ma., a position he did not get.

We will keep you posted on the outcome of the interview with Salisbury and offer any comments from Fowler as they become available.

Fowler has not mentioned if he will retire from if not selected for a chief’s position elsewhere. The has a line item for the deputy chief’s position for an annual salary of $86,035, which has passed through the Board of Finance review but still awaits final approval from the Representative Town Meeting in early May. Not selecting the deputy chief to automatically become the police chief was a first in department history for Branford. Current Captain Geoffrey Morgan of Branford was also in the running for the chief’s position in Branford; he remains with the department even after recently passing his 25-year mark of service.