West Tisbury police Chief Matt Mincone couldn’t have predicted he would eventually call the Island his home when he first became a summer officer in the early 1990s. 

After two summers in Aquinnah and a stint in Chilmark, a full-time officer position opened in West Tisbury in 1995. Throughout the years, he rose through the ranks to become police chief in 2018. In October, he will retire after more than 30 years of service.  

“Professionally, I grew up in this town, and I think the town molded me into the person that I became,” he said. “I’m super grateful for that.” 

Mr. Mincone wrote to the select board in May with his intention to retire. The board is scheduled to interview three finalists on Wednesday. The finalists are Lieut. Matt Gebo, Jeremie Rogers and Brad Cortez. All three currently work in the department. 

Chief Mincone was also the longtime coach for the boys high school hockey team.

Ray Ewing

Chief Mincone was also the longtime coach for the boys high school hockey team.

Ray Ewing

Chief Mincone's retirement announcement came weeks after he decided that he was also retiring as the long-time coach of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys varsity hockey team.  

As he reflects back on his time in the department, the townspeople he has served have had a large effect on him.  

“My family’s not here, so the town became my family,” he said. “You slowly kind of realize that you’re doing the right thing when sometimes, not everyone agrees with [what you do], but if you stay fair and honest to your principles, this Island accepts that, and especially West Tisbury.”  

Being an officer on the Island in particular is unique, as it establishes a connection to the community many other places may not have, according to Mr. Mincone.  

“We live in this community, so we deal with the same issues [the people in the town] are dealing with, and encounter the same problems and have the same failures and successes,” he said. 

The most difficult part of the job has been dealing with tragedy. 

“Any loss of life that you’re involved with...that’s where you put your uniform away, and you go back to your principles of who you are, and you support the family, whether it’s the husband, wife, children,” he said. “There’s no police academy that’s going to prepare you for that, especially in this community.” 

Mr. Mincone’s consistent dedication to the town has been an important pillar of the department, according to West Tisbury Lieut. Gebo. 

“Thirty-two years is a long time to work in one town and have that dedication,” he said. “He started his career in West Tisbury and he’s ending his career in West Tisbury and it’s very admiral in how he has brought us along.” 

Chief Mincone’s mentorship of officers past and present has left an indelible mark. 

“His ability to teach and mold officers and gentlemen at the high school and the number of officers that have come through West Tisbury and have gone to have successful careers elsewhere... it’s really started with Chief Mincone,” Mr. Gebo said. 

That kind of effect is something Mr. Mincone takes pride in.

“That’s the kind of stuff that is important for my tenure of being here, to make people a little bit better and have a little more compassion for what we’re doing,” he said. 

The camaraderie with his department and daily interactions with the public will be the hardest for Mr. Mincone to leave behind. 

“There’s a lot of good men and women that I’ve met in this profession, and I’m glad for it, and I’ll miss that the most, just the normal daily stuff,” he said. “I’ll miss people that stop me at Cronig’s and say hello, but I’ll find [those conversations] somewhere else, just with a different capacity and different hat on.” 

As for retirement plans, he is keeping his options open.  

“I’m going to try to get into some level of teaching, and I don’t know what that is yet,” he said.