After nearly four decades in the military and law enforcement, Edgartown police Chief Bruce McNamee plans to retire at the end of September. 

Mr. McNamee’s retirement ends a six-year run as the head of the Edgartown department and puts a bookend on a career that started when he was in high school and enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

“I’ve been in some kind of uniform, whether it be military or police, ever since,” he said. 

Mr. McNamee, 55, said in an interview this week that it was time to pass the torch and he has been talking to town officials about the transition. A search process is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

Chief McNamee keeps watch at the July 4th parade.

Ray Ewing

Chief McNamee keeps watch at the July 4th parade.

Ray Ewing

Edgartown town administrator James Hagerty praised the chief’s professionalism and leadership over the years.  

“He successfully assimilated into Island culture and became an integral part of the community, a feat not to be understated on Martha’s Vineyard,” Mr. Hagerty said. “Through numerous challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic and Massachusetts criminal justice reform, he propelled the police department forward and his accomplishments will have a lasting impact.” 

Mr. McNamee, born in Newfoundland, Canada and raised in Massachusetts, had family ties to the Vineyard when he moved here in 2018. His wife Mary is a teacher’s aide at the Oak Bluffs School and she is the daughter of David Healey, the namesake for Healey Square. 

But his career in law enforcement started on the mainland. After serving in the Navy, Mr. McNamee went into the Army National Guard and then served as a special police officer in Marshfield during college. In 1994, he joined the Massachusetts Environmental Police and in 1997 went to work in Plymouth.

During his 20 years in Plymouth he worked his way up to captain, the second highest position in the department. 

Stepping into the Edgartown police department was a big change. He went from working with about 150 employees in the largest town in the state, to overseeing fewer than 20 co-workers in a seasonal town. 

But working on the Island town came with its fair share of attention. 

In 2022, Mr. McNamee’s picture made it into the national press as he assisted the Vineyard’s response to the now-famous migrant flights orchestrated by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

Chief McNamee and his bagpipes were a fixture at Island parades and Burns Nicht.

Ray Ewing

Chief McNamee and his bagpipes were a fixture at Island parades and Burns Nicht.

Ray Ewing

There is also no shortage of calls when former President Barack Obama is a resident in town. 

Mr. McNamee said he fell in love with the Vineyard right away due to its strong sense of community and the quiet off-season.

“It’s still a small town,” he said. “Though it may get some national attention now and then it’s still a small town.”

Many may also recognize Mr. McNamee for his regular bagpipe performances. A member of the Boston Gaelic Column of Pipes and Drums, Mr. McNamee plays his pipes at parades and events across the Island and beyond, often while sporting a kilt. 

He picked up the instrument as a youngster with his brother, and embraced it more when he became a police officer. He started taking lessons about 25 years ago and it helped break down barriers in the community. 

“The bagpipes were a terrific mechanism for me to ingratiate myself as an outsider,” he said. 

Mr. McNamee expects to continue to play the bagpipes, allowing him to stay in touch with the police profession, and is considering taking on consulting at the federal government level in his retirement. 

But he will always cherish his time in Edgartown and thanked town officials and members of the community for making it memorable.

“It’s the best job I’ve ever had, and one I will miss,” he said.