METHUEN — Mayor D.J. Beauregard and Police Chief Scott J. McNamara announce that Chief McNamara will retire from the Methuen Police Department, effective Aug. 24, 2026. This date marks Chief McNamara reaching full retirement age and qualifying for a full pension after nearly five years of dedicated leadership.
Chief McNamara was appointed Chief on Oct. 4, 2021. During his tenure, he and Mayor Beauregard have forged a strong, collaborative partnership dedicated to modernizing the department, enhancing public safety, improving officer wellness, and strengthening community trust.
“Chief McNamara is leaving the Methuen Police Department stronger than he found it. He led the department through a period of significant change, helped guide it beyond one of the most challenging chapters in its history, and championed reforms that modernized the organization and strengthened public trust,” said Mayor Beauregard. “The department’s accreditation and recent reaccreditation are lasting testaments to his leadership and commitment to professional policing. I am grateful for his service to the City of Methuen and wish him nothing but success in his next chapter.”
The following is a statement from Chief McNamara:
“It has been the honor of my life to lead the dedicated men and women of the Methuen Police Department, both our sworn officers and our outstanding professional staff. I am deeply grateful to the citizens of Methuen for entrusting me with this role and for their continued support and partnership throughout my tenure.
“I want to offer my sincere thanks to the previous City Council, which included Mayor Beauregard and his current Chief of Staff James McCarty for confirming my appointment in October 2021.
“I am profoundly grateful to former Mayor Neil Perry, who selected me for this position. Neil was far more than a boss to me; he was a true friend and a valued mentor. I will never forget the trust he placed in me or the wisdom and guidance he shared. His belief in me changed the course of my career, and his memory continues to inspire me every day.
“I am especially grateful to Mayor D.J. Beauregard for his unwavering leadership and steadfast partnership over the past five years. Together, we have worked hand-in-hand to transform the Methuen Police Department through meaningful reforms, increased accountability, and a shared commitment to both officer wellness and
community safety. This includes the implementation of our comprehensive 360-Degree Officer Wellness Plan, a holistic program addressing physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being through preventive health screenings, confidential counseling, critical incident support, social connection activities, and wellness
incentives.
“Mayor Beauregard’s vision, support, and collaborative spirit have been instrumental in every major accomplishment we have achieved. His dedication to public service and to the men and women of our department has made our partnership one of the most productive and positive experiences of my career.
“I also extend my sincere appreciation to all the City Councilors I have had the pleasure of working with over these years, including City Council Chair Neily Soto, for their partnership and commitment to our community.
“My retirement is a natural progression as I reach full retirement eligibility, and I leave with immense pride in what we have accomplished together.”
The following is a statement from City Council Chair Neily Soto:
“On behalf of the Methuen City Council, I want to thank Chief Scott McNamara for his years of dedicated service to the City of Methuen and for his leadership during an important period of transition and progress within the Methuen Police Department.
“What I have appreciated most about Chief McNamara is his accessibility, his willingness to listen, and his steady presence during both challenging and important moments for our city. He has always made himself available to the Council, to residents, and to community partners, and that level of communication matters
deeply in public service.
“His leadership has not only been about policies, accreditation, and progress on paper, but also about relationships with officers, families, residents, and the broader Methuen community. As City Council Chair, I also want to recognize the men and women of the Methuen Police Department, sworn officers, dispatchers, and professional staff whose daily work keeps our community safe.
“The Council remains committed to supporting a professional, transparent, and community-centered police department that reflects the needs and values of Methuen.
“I thank Chief McNamara for the respect he has shown to the Council, for his service to our city, and for the care he has brought to this role. I congratulate him on his retirement and wish him and his family the very best in this next chapter.”
In May of 2020, the City of Methuen contracted the CNA Center for Justice Research and Innovation to conduct a performance audit of the Methuen Police Department to review department operations, policies, procedures, general orders, department data, and culture and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.
The City would like to highlight the following reforms to Methuen Police Department’s operations addressing CNA’s audit under Chief McNamara’s leadership:
Organizational Structure, Staffing, and Resource Allocation
The Methuen Police Department strengthened frontline supervision by adding four Sergeants to the department’s structure, ensuring a patrol supervisor is always working 24/7 to provide immediate guidance and support to officers in the field. The department also increased dispatch staffing so that at least two dispatchers are on duty 24/7, resulting in significantly better customer service for residents calling the Police Department or 911 and improved support for field officers.
The department further addressed diversity in the dispatch staff: since October 2021, all new dispatch hires have been bilingual. This has increased bilingual dispatchers from zero to more than 50%, greatly improving communication and service to Methuen’s diverse community.
The department has responsibly grown from 90 to 102 budgeted positions. This expansion has allowed the department to build specialized units focused on preventing crime and disorder before they occur, shifting the department
from a primarily reactive posture to a proactive, problem-solving agency.
In addition, robust recruitment efforts have attracted an unprecedented number of lateral transfer officers for a department of Methuen’s size — 12 experienced officers chose to leave their previous departments to join Methuen. These lateral hires have made Methuen Police the envy of the state while saving Methuen taxpayers more than $1.2 million in pre-employment costs, including health screenings, police academy tuition, salaries and benefits during academy attendance, and field training. The Department has also fully eliminated the use of part-time and intermittent officers.
Policies, Procedures, and Professional Standards
All department policies and procedures have been comprehensively reviewed, revised, and modernized to align with 21st-century best practices in policing. These efforts resulted in the department achieving full accreditation for the first time in its history through the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC) in 2023, followed by successful full re-accreditation in June 2026. This milestone reflects the Methuen Police Department’s continued dedication to the highest standards of professionalism, accountability, and excellence in law enforcement.
Department Culture, Morale, and Trust
The Methuen Police Department has cultivated a positive culture of coaching, mentoring, and professional development. Officers are now empowered with greater autonomy to make good-faith decisions on behalf of the department.
The department has fully embraced the civil service promotional process favored by police unions, and no officers have been bypassed for promotion during the past five years. These initiatives have meaningfully enhanced morale, trust, and retention.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The 2021 CNA Performance Audit identified that the Methuen Police Department’s demographics were not representative of the community it serves, specifically noting low representation of women (approximately 7% of sworn personnel), Hispanic/Latino officers (approximately 10%), and zero Black/African American officers. This lack of diversity was cited as negatively impacting department culture, community trust and recruitment.
Over the past five years, through targeted and inclusive recruitment efforts, the department has hired 41 new full-time police officers with the following breakdown:
- Gender: 34 male (82.93%), seven female (17.07%)
- Race/Ethnicity: 21 White (51.22%), 18 Hispanic/Latino (43.90%), two Black/African American (4.88%)
This represents approximately 49% minority hires and 17% female hires — more than doubling the previous department-wide percentage of female officers and exceeding the national average of approximately 12% female officers. The department also promoted the first female Police Sergeant in more than two decades. These hires have made the department more reflective of Methuen’s diverse community and strengthened trust and engagement with all residents.
Citizen Engagement and Community Policing
In response to the 2021 CNA Performance Audit’s call to strengthen community trust, the department prioritized both formal programs and informal, officer-initiated citizen engagement. In just the last year alone, Methuen Police Officers participated in 66 community events including Coffee with a Cop and National Night Out;
delivered fraud prevention and safety education programs; and maintained strong community presence in areas such as the Arlington St. and Coolidge St. neighborhoods. Partnerships were expanded with the YMCA, PROSPERA,
Nevins Library, Methuen Senior Center, and MAN Inc. Additionally, 18 Methuen residents graduated from the department’s 2nd annual Citizen’s Police Academy. These combined efforts, structured initiatives and everyday positive interactions, have significantly enhanced police-community relationships and public confidence.
“These targeted reforms, achieved through strong partnership with Mayor Beauregard and the City Council, have professionalized the Methuen Police Department and positioned it for continued success,” said Chief McNamara.
Chief McNamara retires with deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve and full confidence in the department’s bright future under continued strong leadership.
The City of Methuen thanks him for his many contributions and wishes him well in retirement.
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