Framingham Police Chief To Retire In June

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham police Chief Steven Trask will retire next week, city officials announced Wednesday. The major personnel move comes as Mayor Yvonne Spicer has ordered a review of some police department policies.

Trask, 54, began his career as a Framingham officer in 1987, and was nominated by Spicer to take over as chief in 2018. He will be replaced after his June 26 retirement date by Deputy Chief Ronald Brandolini on an interim basis.

"The exit from civil service will allow the next chief to have tremendous flexibility in hiring and promoting officers," Trask said in a statement Wednesday. "Furthermore, with all the sworn personnel under contract with competitive wages, the Framingham Police Department will once again be a destination department."

On Tuesday, Spicer issued an order that, in part, sought a review of Framingham's use-of-force policies.

"I am proud of what he’s accomplished in his time as Chief such as helping to negotiate both the police officers’ and superior officers’ contracts, leading the department out of civil service, which will benefit the City and Department moving forward, and his contribution to yesterday’s joint executive order, underscoring the police department’s commitment to fair and equitable policing," Spicer said in a statement.

The city will begin a search for a permanent new police chief soon, officials said.

This is Framingham's second major public safety retirement this year. Former Framingham fire chief Joseph Hicks retired in March, and was replaced by Michael Dutcher, who had been acting fire chief since late 2019.