BRATTLEBORO — Although he was sitting in the back of the hall, Brattleboro Police Chief Eugene Wrinn was the center of attention at Monday night's Special Representative Town Meeting.
Meeting members went out of their way to shake his hand. We'll miss you. Good luck. Great job, they said.
Earlier in the day, the town announced that Wrinn, a 28-year veteran of the force, is retiring, effective June 27.
For Wrinn's part, he's never regretted a day on the job. He praised those he's worked with as professional and dedicated.
“Best 28 years of my life,” Wrinn said. “Great staff, never regret a day working with them.”
Wrinn started his career in law enforcement while in the military. He worked in the New Canaan, Conn., police department before he and his family moved to the Brattleboro area in the 1980s.
Wrinn was hired by Brattleboro Police in 1986 and he charged through the ranks. He made sergeant in 1989, captain in 2002, and chief of police in 2008.
In announcing Wrinn's retirement, interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland wrote that Wrinn has had a distinguished career with the Brattleboro Police Department, receiving recognition for his work rebuilding positive relations with the community.
Wrinn also continued a program to enhance public safety in the downtown by requiring patrol officers perform foot patrols as a regular part of their workday.
Wrinn took his computer science degree from Keene State College in 1990 and leveraged his education and background as a detective to significantly improve the department's computer forensics capability. He also is a graduate of the elite National Academy Program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Now, after 28 years, Wrinn said, “It's a good time to transition on.” He'll leave the BPD operating smoothly and almost fully staffed. As for the Police-Fire Facilities Upgrade Project, which was tabled during budget negotiations, Wrinn said that the project will move forward.
“There's a good team of people working on the project,” he said.
Wrinn said he doesn't know what he'll do in retirement, just that he'll find a new way to serve the community.
Moreland said his office will coordinate a search to fill the position and that details will be released as they're available.