Salem Police Chief Finalists Named

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Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll announced on Wednesday that the finalists of the recently completed assessment center for the City’s next Chief of Police have been certified by the civil service unit of the Commonwealth’s Human Resources Division.

The top three scoring candidates of the 17 who participated in the assessment process last month are (in order of placement on the civil service list):

• Edward G. Conley
• Mary E. Butler
• Kenneth Berg

The three finalists will next meet with a community stakeholders group, before meeting with Mayor Driscoll, who will make the final appointment from among the three. The stakeholders group was convened by Mayor Driscoll in order to collect additional feedback and insight into the candidates. Its membership represents a broad set of perspectives and includes neighborhood association leaders, the business community, probation and legal service experts, and former law enforcement professionals. It is chaired by former Salem Police Chief Robert St. Pierre.

“I am very pleased by the outcome of the assessment center. We have three very capable individuals to choose from, each with strong records and relevant experience,” said Mayor Driscoll. “While there were clearly some very strong candidates that participated, these three excelled in a broad range of exercises. I look forward to hearing the stakeholder groups’ input and to meeting and spending more time with all of these individuals myself. My goal is to appoint our new chief before the end of this month.”

FINALIST:

Lt. Edward G. Conley

Lt. Conley currently serves in the Chelsea Police Department. In that capacity he has overseen internal affairs, research, and crime reporting and analysis. He has served with the Chelsea Police Department since 1994 and prior to that was a Deputy Sheriff in the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department concurrent to serving in the Army National Guard. Before his time with the Sheriff’s Department he served in the US Army Rangers. Lt. Conley holds a Master’s degree in criminal justice from Anna Maria College and a Bachelor’s degree in sociology from Curry College. He is also a graduate of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Drug Unit Commanders Academy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Executive Development program.

Salem Acting Police Capt. Mary E. Butler

Acting Salem Police Capt. Butler was elevated from lieutenant to acting captain in the Salem Police Department in December 2014. In that capacity she is commanding officer of the department’s special operations division. She has served with the Salem Police Department since 1987, where she has overseen patrol division and the community impact unit as a Lieutenant, served as public information officer and detective, and worked as administrative aide to former Chief St. Pierre. Prior to her service in the Salem Police Department, Capt. Butler was security supervisor for Analogic Corporation. Acting Capt. Butler holds a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a Bachelor’s degree in social work, both from Salem State University, and has completed coursework towards a Master’s degree in criminal justice at Anna Maria College.

MBTA Transit Police Lt. Kenneth Berg

Lt. Berg currently serves as a Lieutenant for the MBTA Transit Police. In that capacity he is commanding officer of the department’s special operations section. He has served with the MBTA Transit Police since 1997 and prior to that was an officer in the Marblehead Police Department. Before his time with the Marblehead Police Department he served as an officer in the Largo, Florida Police Department. Lt. Berg holds a Master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Western New England University and a Bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley University. He is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police’s strategic executive management program and has worked as a special investigator for the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine.

Community Stakeholders Group

• Former Essex County District Attorney and Massachusetts Public Safety Secretary Kevin Burke
• Attorney and Salem resident Neil Chayet
• Point Neighborhood Association president Lucy Corchado
• Salem District Court Chief Probation Officer Dolores Gormley
• City Councillor Robert McCarthy
• Salem Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rinus Oosthoek
• City Solicitor Beth Rennard
• Salem Police Patrolmen’s Union president Officer William Riley
• Salem Common Neighborhood Association board member and Salem resident Jerry Smith
• Former Salem Police Chief Bob St. Pierre
• Salem Police Superior Officers Union president Lt. James Walker