Native son tabbed for Antrim Police Chief post

Lt. Scott Lester of the Peterborough Police Department was offered the position of Police Chief in Antrim at a meeting held by the search committee on Tuesday night. Lester is an Antrim resident who has served in several area police departments.

“I’ve known Scott all my life. He’s a local kid and I think he’ll run a good department,” said Dave Boule, owner of Antrim Lumber and a member of the search committee formed to review the candidates for the position. “I think he’ll be very approachable, which would be nice.”

“He’s an exceptional listener. And I think he’s going to be somebody who will help get the town back to where we want it to be, where the police are approachable and they are there as part of the community,” said Crista Salamy, another member of the committee. “And I don’t think he’s going to up and leave in two year’s time.”

“It feels really good. I really like the town and it’s a great community, so it will be a pleasure to work there,” Lester said. “I think community outreach is very important. I think you need to be visible to the community and open to the community. That’s how I’ve handled myself in my career so far.”

At this point, Lester needs only pass a background check and a physical. The only other issues still to be negotiated are contractual.

Lester was born in the Monadnock Community Hospital and raised in Antrim. His parents had friends in law enforcement and he decided to pursue it as a career. He earned a degree in Criminal Justice at Hesser College. At first he started out working part time in Lymeborough. After that, he worked as an officer in Hancock for a time. He has been on the Peterborough police force for nearly ten years.

“He’s certainly qualified. He was one of the top two choices from the selection committee,” said selectman Gordon Webber.

“He’s extremely professional and has very strong communication
skills,” said town administrator Bill Prokop. “I think the community was looking for someone who is very community minded and understood and was involved in Antrim. What the search committee members and the community at large were looking for in the qualities of a police chief – Scott has them all.”

Prokop also believes that Lester is well respected by the officers who are already working in Antrim. “I know he’s highly regarded in Peterborough,” he said.

“He’s been a soccer coach. He’s spent a lot of time talking with people in town. He has frequented many school events and talked with parents. He’s always talking with parents,” Salamy observed.

“They were all good candidates. It was a tough choice, but I think we all felt that Scott living in town is a good fit,” Boule admitted.

The selection committee was made up of the selectmen, Prokop, Dave Boule, Crista Salamy, interim police chief Mike Healy, resident and State Trooper Kathy Kimball, and Peter Thomas, an officer from Keene who grew up in the Antrim-Peterborough area.

“I thought it was very professional,” said Boule of the committee. “Being on the committee myself, I didn’t feel shortchanged at all. It was a bunch of serious people.”