Scott Stewart Courtesy of the Cumberland County Sherriff’s Office
BRUNSWICK — Scott Stewart, a patrol captain for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, will be Brunswick’s next police chief.
His appointment is expected to be confirmed by the town council on Monday.
Town Manager John Eldridge said in a memo to the council that Stewart, who has 30 years of law enforcement experience, was chosen from a pool of 20 applicants. Of those, six candidates were interviewed for the position.
Stewart will replace Chief Richard Rizzo, who is retiring at the end of June after 14 years.
Stewart began his career with the Lisbon Police Department in 1992, where he worked as a patrol sergeant until 2015. He then worked as a lieutenant in the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office before returning to Lisbon to serve as the interim police chief. He has been with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office since April 2016.
According to Eldridge, he will attend the FBI Academy later this year.
On his resume, Stewart describes himself as an “outgoing and approachable leader that is resolutely committed to community policing and transparency.”
According to his biography on the sheriff’s office website, Stewart is a certified drug recognition expert, a police academy instructor and has served as a K-9 handler. He has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Maine at Augusta and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University.
His salary has not been confirmed, but according to the job posting, it will range from $85,157 to $110,606, depending on qualifications and experience.
Rizzo, 66, announced his retirement in March after 46 years in law enforcement.
When he joined the Brunswick Police Department in 2008, he found it was already well-run, but he worked to ensure that officers were present and seen in the community, he told The Times Record earlier this year.
He helped move the department, previously operating in the basement of the former town office, to a new location on the corner of Stanwood and Pleasant streets in 2013. He said he believes, though it may be subconscious, that the visibility of the building gives the community a sense of security.
Stewart and Eldridge could not immediately be reached for comment Friday afternoon.
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