Police/Court
The Hon. J. Thomas Kirkman was sworn in as first justice of the Edgartown district court Thursday in a crowded ceremony at the Edgartown courthouse. In a series of speeches, court officials welcomed the judge to his new role.
One day after his appointment as Edgartown police chief, David Rossi was already in full stride. On his first morning in the corner office, he had updated the department’s post office information, ordered new business cards and organized his desk.
Edgartown selectmen appointed Officer David Rossi as the town's new chief of police at their meeting Monday, and Det. Sgt. Chris Dolby was also promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Both officers were enthusiastically endorsed and they were sworn in immediately following the vote.
Interim Edgartown police chief Jack Collins conducted an evaluation and search for a successor to retiring police chief Antone Bettencourt. Mr. Collins issued an 89-page report which offers high praise for the police department and its officers, but also makes wide-ranging recommendations for improvement.
A Vineyard Haven accountant was sentenced to three years of probation last week after pleading guilty to filing false tax returns in which he underreported more than $800,000 in income.
The town’s acting police chief John M. (Jack) Collins recommended longtime Edgartown police officer David Rossi as the new police chief at a board of selectmen meeting. Selectmen took the recommendations under advisement.