The Town of Weston Welcomes New Police Chief, Denis Linehan

On Thursday, May 19, 2022, the Town will welcome Denis J. Linehan as Weston’s new Police Chief. Chief Linehan comes to Weston most recently from the Town of Avon, Massachusetts where he served as Deputy Police Chief for over three years. Prior to that, Chief Linehan had a successful career with the City of Nashua, New Hampshire Police Department where he began in 1994 as a Patrol Officer and worked his way through the ranks until his retirement as Deputy Police Chief in 2018.
 
Among his many accomplishments during his career, Chief Linehan served on the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council, the Critical Incident Stress Management team as Operations Chief, the SWAT team as both Commander and Assistant Commander, and the Bomb Squad as both Commander and Assistant Commander. He worked to revise and create policies to ensure compliance with the 21st Century Policing recommendations and the Massachusetts Police Reform Act and was a key member in maintaining the City of Nashua's national accreditation standards.
 
Chief Linehan holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University and a Master of Science in Administrative Studies from Boston College. He also graduated from the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Former Chief Michael Goulding, Chief Linehan's predecessor, retired at the end of the 2021 calendar year. The Select Board and the Town Manager's Office initiated a competitive nationwide search and received many qualified applicants for the position. The Town conducted a survey that asked residents what qualities they would like to see in the next Police Chief. The results of the survey guided the assessment of the candidates. The final candidates participated in an extensive day-long, in-person assessment, and were then interviewed by the Select Board on March 23, 2022.

Photo credit: Marc Vasconcellos/The Enterprise