Senate confirms former Londonderry police chief Bill Hart as NH's next US Marshal

Jun. 8—The full U.S. Senate has confirmed former Londonderry Police Chief William Hart as the next U.S. Marshal for New Hampshire.

The nomination was confirmed on a voice vote Wednesday.

"We offer our sincerest congratulations to Chief Hart for his confirmation to serve as the next U.S. Marshal for the District of New Hampshire," said U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan in a joint statement. "It's hard to find a U.S. Marshal nominee with more merit. His record as a police chief, prosecutor and Marine Corps veteran exemplifies the values of the U.S. Marshal Service: justice, integrity, service, unity, empowerment and inclusivity,"

"U.S. Marshals make our country's justice system work by upholding the law and seeking accountability," added Hassan and Shaheen. "We're proud to have such an upstanding public servant lead the District of New Hampshire, and help protect the rights and liberties of all Granite Staters."

President Joe Biden nominated Hart in August 2022 as the next U.S. Marshal for New Hampshire, a law enforcement job with responsibilities that include tracking down people wanted on federal warrants, jailing federal defendants before trial and arranging for witness protection.

Hart's nomination was part of several Biden nominations for law enforcement posts announced by the White House on Friday, but was the lone nominee for the job of marshal, the oldest law-enforcement position in the United States government, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Hart will succeed former Manchester Police Chief Enoch "Nick" Willard, who has served in the post since 2018.

Hart served as the police chief in Londonderry from 2009 until his retirement in 2022.

He was previously a captain with the Londonderry Police Department from 2000 to 2009. Before that, Hart served as Rockingham County attorney from 1995 to 1998. He was Londonderry's police prosecutor from 1992 to 1994. He also served as a prosecutor for several towns across New Hampshire from 1992 to 2002.

Hart received his B.A. from Merrimack College in 1981 and his J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1986. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

The president gets to name 94 marshals, one for each federal judicial district across the country. They are charged with protecting federal judges, apprehending federal fugitives, managing and selling forfeited assets and protecting witnesses, including those in the witness protection program.

They also are responsible for transporting federal prisoners and arranging the detention of criminal suspects awaiting trial. Marshals answer to the U.S. Attorney General.

Willard was nominated for U.S. marshal in 2018 by former President Donald Trump, after working on the Manchester police force for 26 years.