NEWPORT — Longtime Newport Police Chief Jim Burroughs announced Friday that he will retire early next year from the post he has held for almost nine years.
The 46-year-old Newport resident, who joined the Newport Police Department in 1994 and rose through the ranks, said “now” seemed like the right time to step down; it wasn’t for any particular reason.
“The decision to go was not something I took lightly,” Burroughs said in a phone interview Friday. “But if you listen to your career, your career will tell you when it’s time to go.”
Leading a police department comes with its stressors, and Burroughs said he has had to make many sacrifices over the years. He looks forward to a personal “recharge” and potentially working in a different field if and when the time comes.
“I am looking forward to kind of resetting and … reestablishing priorities,” said Burroughs, who has two adult daughters. He said he has no plans to leave the area.
Burroughs’ last day with the town is slated for Jan. 31, 2020.
Town Manager Hunter Rieseberg will lead the search for his successor, Burroughs said. An email sent to Rieseberg on Friday wasn’t returned by deadline.
Burroughs, whose current salary is $96,850, said he hopes the next chief has some knowledge of the town and carries on his philosophy of “enforcing the law and keeping the Newport community safe.”
A 1993 Newport High School graduate, Burroughs spoke favorably of his 25 years in policing. A highlight of his career, he said, was becoming the first school resource officer in Newport, one of the first in the state of New Hampshire.
He spent a bulk of his career in supervisory and managerial roles, and he ran the detectives unit before becoming chief in March 2011. He said he plans to still be an active member of the community.
“After all, this is my hometown. It’s a town I love,” Burroughs said. “(But) it’s time for somebody new to come in and hopefully do some great things.”
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.