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April 12, 2010

Amesbury police chief, deputy chief to retire this week

AMESBURY - After 29 years as Amesbury’s Chief of Police, Michael Cronin has announced he’s stepping down from his post effective this Friday.
And on the heels of Cronin's announcement, Deputy Chief Gary Ingham told The Daily News he too is retiring - effective Wednesday.
The two men are the two top leaders of the Amesbury police department. Both men had said they were considering retiring due to possible changes in state pension laws that would have capped pensions at about $80,000 per year. Croning makes about $167,000 per year, and Ingham about $133,000. Under current pension laws, they would qualify for 80 percent of their income.
Cronin, a 34-year veteran of the Amesbury Police Department, submitted his official retirement papers last Friday, and said this afternoon that while he’s been mulling over the idea of retiring sometime this year, his decision to act sooner rather than later was based in part on the economy.
“I had sort of picked at tentative date toward the end of August but as I went through the budget process and had conversations with the mayor regarding the financial horizon and the bleak look of it, it didn’t make sense to stick around and go into the new budget year, possibly having to lay off people on the other end to meet the budget requirements. I haven’t laid off an officer in 28 years. I certainly wasn’t going to do that and step out the door a few months later.”
Cronin was first hired as an Amesbury Police Officer in 1976. He was promoted to sergeant in 1980 and chief in 1981, and said today he’s seen alot of changes in law enforcement since first coming on board. Noting he’s not one for long goodbyes, Cronin said he’s looking forward to hanging up his gun belt.
“I guess the greatest relief, is that the police chief’s responsibility is a large one and it will be nice to put aside the responsibility and the incumbent stress that comes along with it - to be a private citizen once again and hang up the gun belt,” he said.
Mayor Thatcher Kezer will reportedly make a decision on Cronin’s replacement in the coming days, as he is required by law to have an acting Chief at all times and the department will be without one as of Friday.
“I think I caught everybody by surprise a little bit,” said Cronin today of his abrupt announcement. “I’m not one for long goodbyes.”

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