Exeter Police Chief Poulin To Retire From Department On March 1

EXETER, NH — Exeter Police Chief Stephan Poulin announced on Monday he will retire from law enforcement on March 1, with his last day as police chief being Feb. 16.

Poulin submitted the following retirement notice to Patch and other media outlets:

After a total of 26.5 years in law enforcement, 23.5 with Exeter, I am at peace with the decision that the time has come for me to retire.

It has been an amazing honor serving Exeter and especially these last seven years as the police chief. As I reflect back on my service, I feel proud of the many accomplishments that we have been able to make and the challenges that we overcame. This includes leading during a worldwide pandemic and a sweeping police reform movement.

On a personal level, the service calls or cases where I was able to really make an impact and help people through justice, some of which were victims of some horrible crimes, such as the City Concrete homicide or the Hepatitis C Serial Infector case, are the most rewarding. It is why I always made it a point throughout my career to be victim-oriented with my approach to each investigation and ensure that the best police work is being done in the department to honor the victim(s) and their families. There are many of these important cases within my career and outlining them in a letter would be very difficult to do. Instead, I will continue with a focus on the ways that, as chief, I was fortunate enough to be able to create meaningful and lasting impacts within both the agency and the community.

Becoming chief in 2019, I first set out to take an in-depth look at our rank and file and the command structure. Our rank and file, as I already knew, were and continue to be filled with men and women who are compassionate and truly dedicated to the profession. This includes our amazing civilians in Dispatch and Administration. The command structure, however, needed some re-aligning for proper succession planning and was renovated to include a new Deputy Chief position.

Next came the obvious need to improve the agencies’ aging technology in different areas to better assist the officers and employees in providing the finest services to the community. We added an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), which uses computer technology to scan, store, and compare fingerprints. Upgraded our pistols, rifles, and Tasers. We enhanced our mobile communications with the latest Motorola portable radios and cruiser data terminals. In 2023, we implemented a complete body-worn camera program, which also included full in-car camera systems. We had our servers rebuilt and implemented an integration with the State’s J-One program-a network connecting law enforcement, courts, and corrections for data sharing. Our largest area of deficiency and liability was our physical building. Beginning in 2022, we began working diligently with many different stakeholders and committees regarding the spatial needs and program assessments of the Public Safety Complex. With the help of Exeter Fire officials, Exeter TV, and our supportive Town officials, we were all able to produce a clear and concise outreach video, and in 2024 the voters responded positively in our favor to proceed. Today, I am proud to say that the final architectural drawings are set and the ground is being cleared away for the new Exeter Police Department and Fire Substation on Continental Drive.

The importance of connecting the police with the public goes back hundreds of years and is one of my favorites of Sir Robert Peel’s Nine Principles. In my first year in 2019, working with our extraordinary Community Resource Officer, Detective Bruce Page, we brought National Night Out to Exeter for the first time. It was an amazing success right from the start and is always highly anticipated each year since by our officers and the community. We created specialty patches such as Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Patch Project, Autism Awareness, and the UFO patches. In 2022, in both the realms of community policing and mental health, we added our comfort dog named Maple.

A renewed approach at how Exeter Police responds to the growing mental health needs of the public was implemented. The year 2020 also saw the accomplishment of a milestone for the Exeter Police Department as we became a certified One Mind Agency with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. We were the first in the state of New Hampshire to achieve this certification, which illustrates our desire to improve police interactions and provide options to those suffering from a mental illness or crisis. In 2021, through our sustainable partnership with the Seacoast Mental Health Center, the department also participated in the use of a pilot “mobile crisis intervention team” model, which would later become the Rapid Response teams that are functioning today. For our employees’ own mental health, we implemented wellness checks and peer support initiatives.

To build upon our commitment to professionalism, in 2022, we entered into a contract with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), to become nationally accredited. We attended the CALEA conference in March of 2025 for our final accreditation hearings. The Exeter Police Department is now proud to be one of only 21 nationally accredited agencies in NH (out of approximately 200 total). Accreditation is a continuous process that involves constant reviews and updates to our policies and procedures to ensure that the best practices in policing are being adhered to.

Lastly, please find comfort in the fact that I have also working diligently these last few years, succession planning for this anticipated moment. By mentoring and developing Deputy Chief Timothy “Josh” McCain, I am confident that the organization and the Town will have the opportunity for a smooth transition and the continued great leadership that has placed the Exeter Police Department as a model for exceptional policing in New Hampshire.

I retire comfortably knowing that the residents of Exeter can be very proud of this police department and the men and women who commit themselves to providing quality law enforcement services with compassion and integrity to ensure the safety for all. We are where we are today because of the diligence of our dolice department employees (sworn and civilian); along with cooperation and partnerships from the town of Exeter’s whole community, the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, other Town Departments, the SAU 16 School District, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter Hospital, local media outlets, and the many local businesses and large corporations.

Submitted by Exeter Police Chief Stephan Poulin