Photo: Salem, NH Deputy Chief Shane Smith
The Belmont Select Board will begin contract negotiations with Salem, NH Deputy Chief Shane Smith to be Belmont’s next Police Chief.
The board voted unanimously at a special meeting at Town Hall on Friday, Feb. 20, where the board interviewed the three finalists provided by the Police Chief Screening Committee. The other two candidates were Daniel S. Unsworth of Southbridge and Shane D. Woodson from Watertown.
More to come
Photo: Belmont Police Department
Three finalists – one from the next town over, there’s the current president of state’s Police Chiefs organization, and a deputy chief from (barely) across the state line – to fill the post of Belmont’s police chief will be presented at a Friday afternoon meeting, Feb. 20, of the Belmont Select Board.
Who wasn’t selected for a final interview was an internal Belmont Police Department candidate, a request from the patrol officers and sargents unions as well as many residents.
The finalists coming before the Select Board on Friday are:
Shane Smith is the deputy chief in Salem, NH. He has spent his entire law enforcement career on the Salem Police Dept., spanning 24 years. Smith attended the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA in 2024. He graduated from University of Massachusetts Lowell with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology.
Daniel Unsworth has spend the past 19 years on the Watertown Police Department, most recently as Captain of the department’s Administrative Services Bureau which includes the Detective Division, budget management and facilities management, and managing community policing. Unsworth has his master’s in Criminal Justice from Western New England University.
Shane Woodson is the chief of the Southbridge Police Department where he has served for the past three decades. This past December, Woodson was installed as the 2026 President of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association.
Photo:
The finalists to be Belmont’s next Police Chief will come before the public and the Select Board on the Friday of school vacation week at Belmont Town Hall.
Town Administrator Patrice Garvin said the interviews will commence after the Select Board holds its general business beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20. The interview section of the meeting will start at 3 p.m.
Garvin would not say how many candidates will be scrutanized by the three-member board or if any are interternal candidates, which the leadership for the patrol officers, and sargents unions have said is their preference. The Select Board strongly preferred three finalists if the Committee feels they have that many qualified candidates.
The announcement of the interviews came on the same day as the final meeting of the Police Chief Screening Committee. The seven-member committee chaired by former Select Board member Roy Epstein, was assisted by Chelmsford-based Parow Consulting & Associates which performs Fire and Police Chief recruitment services.
Former Chief James MacIsaac announced his retirement in July. Assistant Belmont Police Chief Mark Hurley was named the department’s interim head by the Belmont Select Board on Thursday, Aug. 21. Chief James MacIsaac who announced his retirement in July.
Photo: A Google Maps image of the location of the fatal accident involving a moped and a SUV in Belmont
An 18-year-old Watertown resident with Belmont ties was killed in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Stults Road and Fairview Avenue at approximately 9 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4.
In a joint press release from the Middlesex County District Attorney and the Belmont Police Department, a young man on a moped was first identified by Belmont Police driving “erratically” on the wrong side of Trapelo Road heading eastbound onto Belmont Street.
When Belmont officers attempted to stop the moped, the driver continued down Belmont Street before turning left onto Stults Road. It was at the first intersection where the moped ran a stop sign and struck a Honda CR-V, a compact SUV, travelling on Fairview Avenue.
It is still not clear if there was an active police pursuit of the moped at the time of the accident.
“The teen was transported to an area hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead,” said the release. The driver of the Honda CR-V was also sent to the hospital with “minor injuries.” The man has not been identified by authorities. According to several local sources, the young man, who attended school in Cambridge, was the son of a Belmont town employee.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Belmont Police, Massachusetts State Police Collision Reconstruction Section and Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section are investigating the incident.
Photo: James MacIsaac, Belmont Police Chief and Head Coach of the Belmont Junior Marauders
Belmont High School football will honor retiring Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac before the Middlesex League season opener on Thursday, according to Belmont High School Athletic Director Adam Pritchard.
While mostly known for this more than quarter century career in public safety, the life-long Belmont resident is instrumental in promoting football by establishing the Belmont Junior Marauders football club, recuiting Belmont Middle School students – both boys and girls – to learn and play games against opponants throughout eastern Massachusetts.
The ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4 at Harris Field. The Belmont High football team will get its season underway at 7 p.m. against Waltham High School.
Photo: Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac
In a surprise move, Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac announced his retirement from his post effective Aug. 25.
“After much reflection, I have decided that the time has come to move on,” MacIsaac said in a one-page letter dated Aug. 6 to the town’s Select Board.
“Serving Belmont has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am deeply grateful for the trust, support, and friendships I have experienced along the way,” he said.
“Chief MacIsaac has served our community with honor, dedication, and integrity since 1999, and has been an invaluable part of our police department’s leadership. Chief MacIsaac is also a proud resident of our community, making his commitment even more personal and impactful,” said Patrice Garvin, Belmont Town Administrator reacting to the announcement.
Hired as a police officer in 1999, the lifelong Belmont resident was appointed by the Select Board in December 2019 after many years as Assistant Chief under Richard McLaughlin. Right off the bat, MacIsaac faced the COVID shutdown and the impact on police/public relations of the George Floyd murder a few months later.
“The most effective way we can build trust between the police and the community is for us to get to know one another. I, and the members of the Belmont Police Department, will always make ourselves available to anyone who has concerns or questions regarding operations, tactics and how we interact with the public,” said MacIsaac in a letter to the community in May 2020.
MacIsaac was outfront as the public face of law enforcement in the racially-based murder of Henry Tapia on Upland Street in January 2021, winning praise for his willingness to engage with the affect communities.
Also under MacIsaac’s watch saw the Police Department in 2023 depart from Civil Service, something he had advocated for many years. In recent months, a series of violent gun incidents – including one which a man was wounded by gunfire – and other incidents have increased concerns from residents on being safe in Belmont.
MacIsaac was in the first year of a new three-year contract approved last year which began Jan. 1, 2025 and ran through Dec. 31. 2027. His base salary was $225,000 under the contract with annual cost of living adjustments and merit pay reviews.
MacIsaac is Belmont’s 12th full-time chief since David Chenery, Jr. was named Superintendent of Highways and Police Chief in 1877.
“I have been truly fortunate to call Belmont both my home and my place of work,” said MacIsaac.
Following past precedent, the Select Board will appoint a Police Chief Screening Committee which will whittle down candidates to a pair of finalists. After a public interview, the Board will vote on a new police chief.
Photo: Channing Road
Belmont Police is seeking the publics help as it investigates a shooting on Channing Road Monday night, July 7, which left a house riddled with bullets.
In a press release from Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac, multiple shots were heard in the area of Channing Road near Belmont Center at approximatley 10:57 p.m. After arriving, officers discovered someone or some people had fired off at least 15 rounds, with multiple gunshots striking a residence. MacIsaac said no one was injured during the incident.
At this time, the Belmont Police believes this was an isolated event. Police are working with the
Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, led by District Attorney and Belmont resident Marian Ryan, in the investigation.
This marks the second significant shooting in Belmont in 2025. On Feb. 24, gunfire in the vicinity of Clark Lane, a dead-end road off Royal Road, resulted in one person wounded and a suspect on the run. The victim later drove himself to a local hospital.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has any information is asked to contact the
Belmont Police Department Detective Division at 617-993-2550.
Photo: Clark Lane in Belmont
A suspect in the Monday night shooting of a man on Clark Lane remains at large as Belmont Police continues its investigation into the incident that left a victim hospitalized.
In a press release from Belmont Polie dated Feb. 25, at 9:12 p.m. Monday, the Belmont Communications Center received multiple 911 calls reporting gunshots as well as a person shot in the vicinity of Clark Lane, a dead-end road off of Royal Road lined by multi-unit dwellings that end near Pearson Road.
When officers arrived, both the suspected shooter and the victim had fled the scene. Belmont Police and officers from Watertown, Waltham, and Arlington collected evidence at the scene while searching for the individuals. Soon afterward, the police learned the wounded man had driven himself to Mt. Auburn Hospital.
The suspect remains a fugitive as of Wednesday. Belmont Police have yet to identify either the victim or shooter but have reassured residents “that this was not a random act of violence, and there is no immediate threat to the community,” noted the press release.
The investigation remains active, and anyone with information is urged to contact Belmont Police Detectives at 617-993-2550.
Photo: Snow with a coating of ice will make travel on Sunday “nearly impossible”
Effective Saturday night, Feb. 15 at 9 p.m., a SNOW EMERGENCY PARKING BAN on all roadways, municipal, and school parking lots has been announced by the Belmont Police Department. The parking ban will continue until further notice. All vehicles parked in violation of of the parking ban will be towed at the owners expense.
The ban comes as the National Weather Service at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb.15, a Winter Weather Advisory that will remain in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16. The weather event will result in a mix of snow and sleet with accumulations between 2 and 6 inches and ice accumulations between a trace and 0.15 inches.
“Slow down and use caution while traveling,” noted the NWS. “Be prepared for slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving. If you are going outside, watch your first few steps taken on stairs, sidewalks, and driveways. These surfaces could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury.”
“Travel could be nearly impossible,” said the NWS.
Photo:
Belmont’s public safety chiefs received merit pay increases after the Belmont Select Board conducted its annual performance review during the board’s Aug. 26 meeting.
Police Chief James MacIsaac and Fire Chief David DeStefano received two percent merit increases effective July 1, 2024. Each also collected a two percent cost-of-living adjustment on July 1. MacIssac’s annual salary increases to $218,676.14, while DeStefano’s pay is now $184,671, according to Director of Human Resources Kelli King.
Both men received high overall scores – 4.75 out of a top score of 5 – in their merit review by the three-member Select Board and Town Administrator Patrice Garvin. King summarized the comments and totaled the scores in eight categories highlighting the chief strengths, various opportunities and the board’s statements.
DeStefano was described as a “consensus builder [who] has provided much needed direction to the department, making it more innovative and successful.” His expertise is viewed as crucial in helping Belmont’s drive to stimulate new growth and increased density. While facing budget and staffing constraints, DeStefano move towards promoting department-wide paramedic training as “a promising step for addressing these challenge.”
“Chief DeStefano is seen as a strong, balanced leader who has a cohesive team and has proven to be the right person for both Belmont and the entire department,” said King.
MacIssac is “recognized as an articulate and clear sighted leader” who “takes challenges head on, regardless of their difficulty.” His commitment to modern policing is evident in his focus on promoting de-escalation techniques, the use of a social worker to resolve domestic disputes as alternative to deadly force. The board noted his leadership was “instrumental in the decision to leave civil service” which the board praised and has resulted in a substantial increase of new hires this year.
“The [police] department is a source of pride for Belmont, a reflection of Chief McIssac’s leadership and the effort of every member of the team. His exemplary performance especially over the past year and its various challenges, underscores his effectiveness,” said King paraphasing the comments of the Select Board.