Portsmouth Police Chief Mark Newport one of three finalists for Nantucket job

PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth Police Chief Mark Newport has been named a finalist for the same role in Nantucket, just over three months before his contract with the city is set to expire.

The Massachusetts island community off Cape Cod announced Newport was now one of three finalists in the running to replace retiring Nantucket Police Chief William Pittman. The announcement states while five candidates were chosen to participate in the assessment process, two bowed out, narrowing the field to three.

“Out of respect for the selection process with the town of Nantucket and in fairness to the city of Portsmouth, I am respectfully withholding making any comments until after the town of Nantucket has made its final decision,” Newport said in a prepared statement in response to questions for this story.

The other two finalists for the position are Northampton, Massachusetts Police Chief Jody Kasper and Arlington, Massachusetts police Capt. Richard Flynn.

Newport was confirmed as the head of the Portsmouth police force in January 2021 after serving in the position on an interim basis for three months following former Chief Robert Merner’s retirement. He is the department’s 31st police chief in history and the first Black person to hold the title.

Newport has spent his career in Portsmouth, beginning as a police officer in the department in 1995. He worked as a drug liaison detective, general investigator, sergeant, patrol lieutenant, detective lieutenant, captain of the department’s administrative division before becoming interim chief in October 2020.

Newport’s Portsmouth contract is set to end Jan. 31. The chief’s agreement in 2021 called for him to be paid an annual base salary of $148,557.55 with cost-of-living adjustments ranging from 2%-5% in effect each year. He was paid $163,622 in 2022, according to the city wages report.

The three finalists for the Nantucket job took part in an Assessment Center process on Monday, Oct. 9, according to the town.

“The Assessment Center process is standard in public safety recruitment and evaluates the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position of Police Chief,” Nantucket’s finalist announcement states. “Routine responsibilities of a Police Chief include personnel management, budgeting and strategic planning. The Assessment Center also included evaluation of candidates’ performance in non-standard and emergency situations.”

Nantucket’s deadline to apply for the police chief role was June 10, and Newport was one of more than 40 applicants in the initial candidate pool, according to the town.

“To further accelerate the hiring of a new Nantucket Police Chief, the Town has also secured housing for the selected candidate,” the town announcement adds.

Portsmouth City Manager Karen Conard declined to comment.

Nantucket, per the town’s finalist announcement, expects to name its next chief by late October, with an anticipated start date of mid-to-late November.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH Police Chief Mark Newport a finalist for Nantucket job