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Police chief moving on

By Staff | Dec 23, 2008

Terry Bellomy

Mayor Jim Auxer said this week that Police Chief Terry Bellomy is resigning effective Jan. 7 to take a job in federal law enforcement.

Bellomy’s last working day is Dec. 24. Sgt. Tim Johnson has taken over leadership of the department as the town begins the search for a new chief. “I guess my hope is that I left it better than I found it,” Bellomy said. “The town people and the town government treated me very well.”

He became interim police chief in August 2007 after the departure of Curtis Keller. He was named chief in January 2008.

Bellomy, 40, said he wants to pursue other opportunities. He will be working in the Arlington-Washington D.C. area, he said.

“I’m like everybody else – it’s better pay and better retirement,” Bellomy said, adding the changing of mayors in Shepherdstown every two years can be stressful. The police chief serves as the pleasure of the mayor, which brings the possibility of meeting a new boss after every town election.

Auxer said the town will begin to advertise for the chief vacancy in January, adding the Police Committee will be charged with interviewing candidates before a selection is made.

Bellomy ushered in the implementation of the official policies and procedures handbook, catalogued and streamlined the department’s evidence room, and implemented standard residence and business checks.

During Bellomy’s tenure, the department received new computers, vehicles, camera systems and new weapons. And he did much of the work to remodel the offices at South Princess Street.