Overview:
Athol Police Chief Craig Lundgren will retire in January, as he approaches the mandatory retirement age of 65 for police in Massachusetts. Lundgren began his career in public safety in 1981 with the Orange Fire Department and later joined the Orange Police Department. He was sworn in as Athol's police chief in 2019 and oversaw the operation of both police departments for a short time.
ATHOL – Following a career in public safety that began with the Orange Fire Department in 1981, Athol Police Chief Craig Lundgren will retire next January.
The news comes as Lundgren approaches his 65th birthday on Jan. 4, the mandatory retirement age for police in Massachusetts. His last day will be Jan. 9.
A job posting has already been placed on the town’s web site, and Town Manager Shaun Suhoski said this was done “because we wanted to give ourselves a little lead time to recruit a qualified candidate who can lead the department into the future.”
“Craig has done a really great job,” Suhoski said. “He’s had an outstanding career, both in Orange and in Athol. It’s a little bittersweet, but we’ll look to recruit somebody very qualified, whether it’s internal or someone from the region – that’s kind of where we’re headed.”
At the Oct. 21 Selectboard meeting, Suhoski said he intends to establish a search committee to vet applicants.
“Well, I guess I’ve known this was coming for quite a while because he and I are the same age,” Selectboard Chair Rebecca Bialecki said. “But, he knows it’s time; we know it’s time, so we’re looking forward to a fresh face in that seat.”
Lundgren was sworn in as Athol’s police chief on March 5, 2019, following a short experiment with the Town of Orange, during which he oversaw the operation of both police departments. Prior to accepting the Athol post on a full-time basis, Lundgren had spent his entire law enforcement career in Orange.
The outgoing chief said the agreement between Orange and Athol lasted, at most, six months.
“That was a case where Athol’s police chief left and, around the same time or shortly before that, all the senior sergeants reached retirement age,” he said. “So, (Athol) was really in a bind to have someone come in and just help them out for a little bit, and that was my intention. But I realized I had bitten off more than I could chew. Trying to juggle two towns was just too much for me – a case of my ego being a little bigger than my ability.”
Though Athol ended up offering the post to Lundgren, he said, “Orange was in a real good position. I had a sergeant who worked with me in Orange; he is now the chief – Chief [James] Sullivan. As a chief, you can tell as you work with someone, as they do more and more and take on more responsibilities doing things a chief normally does, and I was really comfortable knowing he could step right in. There would be no learning curve. He’s a great guy.”
Lundgren described the thought of stepping down as Athol’s police chief as “bittersweet.”
“Athol has been a great town to work for,” he said. “I know the job has been posted, so they’ll collect all the applications and resumes, and I’m sure I’ll have some part in reviewing them. But Athol will be fine. They have a really good police department that will continue to move forward.”
Lundgren said he began his career in public safety more than four decades ago.
“I started with the Orange Fire Department in 1981 and in 1984 I transferred to the police department, full-time,” he said. “Back then, you could work full-time without going to the police academy, so I didn’t go to the academy until 1986. I haven’t really been anywhere else. Orange was certainly the bulk of my career – 37 years, if I’ve figured it right. And I’ve been in Athol the last six years.”
Asked if he would like to see the job go to someone currently working for the Athol Police, Lundgren said, “I’d say I’m hopeful that it will go to someone local.”
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.