Steve Flis takes oath as Royalston police chief in ceremony

ROYALSTON – The swearing in of newly-appointed Royalston Police Chief Steve Flis was marked by a crowd of family, friends and colleagues offering their support.

Police officers from surrounding towns – including the police chiefs Athol, Phillipston and Winchendon – along with a number of family, friends and town officials watched as Flis was sworn in by Town Clerk Barbara Richardson. Flis, a sergeant with the Templeton Police, will be Royalston’s first full-time chief.

Also on hand was former Royalston Police Chief Curtis Deveneau. Selectboard Chair Bill Chapman, who serves as chief in Phillipston, thanked Deveneau for his 39 years of service to the town, 34 of them as chief, recognizing his efforts to recruit new officers to Royalston and mentor them in their early years of law enforcement.

Chapman told the crowd that Royalston’s Police Chief Search Committee and Selectboard had made a good choice in appointing Flis. He added that Flis and Deveneau happened to cross paths in an airport – both destined for Disneyworld – when he informed Flis of his pending retirement. Flis was chosen from a field of 12 applicants interviewed by the committee, which recommended several finalists to the Selectboard.

“He was a great candidate,” Deveneau added of Flis on Tuesday, March 31. “He’s a great individual. He’s definitely going to serve the community very well. So, I’m very happy. I’m confident he’s going to do right by the community, and the community will do right by him.”

Before the oath of office was administered, Chapman took a moment to thank those who served on both the Police Staffing Feasibility Committee, set up two years ago to look at the department’s staffing needs, and the Police Chief Search Committee.

“We really do have to thank all the townspeople who stepped forward to get this whole process done,” said Chapman. “It was a very lengthy process, but it was an excellent process.”

After being sworn in, an emotional Flis said, “I didn’t know all of you were coming, but I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. First and foremost, I have to thank my family because they believed in me to take this step. I was with Templeton 23, 24 years, and one thing people don’t like is change. My family believed in me enough to say this was okay.”

Flis said that, during the interview process, he told both the search committee and the Selectboard, “I have good news and bad news for you – you would not be getting just a police chief, you would be getting my whole family.”

The new chief took a moment to thank the residents of Royalston for approving a Proposition 2 ½ override last year which provided the funds needed to pay for a full-time chief and one full-time officer.

“I also want to thank all of the Royalston Police officers who are here tonight,” said Flis. “I really appreciate you guys. It means a lot that you’re here supporting me.”