ALLENSTOWN – Police Chief Michael Stark announced his retirement plans at the Jan. 27 Select Board meeting. He gave ample time to find a replacement since his end date is May 31.
He offered to help the Board of Selectmen select a candidate and recommended using a minimal hiring process.
He said, “I always hoped to retire while I still enjoyed the job and things were going well, so while I will miss the department, I think it’s the right time.”
During his time at the Allenstown Police Department, he has served with the Central New Hampshire Special Operations Unit as crisis negotiations team leader and executive board treasurer.
Before coming to Allenstown he was at the state Fire Marshal’s Office and the Concord Police Department. In 2007, he was hired as a police sergeant, was then promoted to lieutenant in 2013, and finally promoted to chief of police in 2019.
In January 2018, selectmen asked him to fill in as the interim town administrator. He efficiently performed those duties until Derik Goodine was hired in May 2018. As police chief, he led a department of 11 sworn officers and three civilian members.
Accomplishments included establishing a drone program, providing the officers with a better work environment, developing grant funding sources, managing the department budget, writing and implementing department policies and procedures, and managing IT, facility, and vehicle needs.
Since 2021, Stark has taught a criminal investigations course at Nashua Community College.
Stark said “I have always enjoyed seeing the whole community at the open houses – even people we have arrested. It showed me that the officers were doing a good job of policing the town and keeping people’s dignity while they did it.”
Lt. Beth Tower offered these words of praise.
“Chief Stark has been a tremendous asset and mentor at APD for nearly two decades. He has helped foster the development and success of the Allenstown PD in so many ways and we can’t thank him enough for all that he has done to make APD such a great place to serve the community. In his role as chief, his family-first attitude truly emphasized how much he cared about his officers, their families, and the overall well-being of his department. Chief Stark will be greatly missed!
The town is indeed grateful to Police Chief Michael Stark for his years of dedicated service upholding the values of service, integrity, respect, and professionalism.
