John Cartledge.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
NORTHAMPTON — A new era for the Northampton Police Department is officially underway after Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra announced that John Cartledge has officially become the city’s next permanent police chief.
Cartledge, a Northampton native, has served as the interim police chief for the city since January.
“I am looking forward to continuing our community partnerships and leading our department with transparency and honor and building community trust in my hometown,” Cartledge said in a statement to Reminder Publishing following the announcement.
Sciarra’s office spearheaded a job search for the permanent chief position in the spring. A job posting for the position with minimum qualifications was disseminated locally and nationally, and a deadline to submit resumes and cover letters was set for May.
According to Sciarra’s announcement in the spring, the city hired search consultant Public Safety Consultants, LLC of Boxford to assist with the search, the same consultant the city used in 2015 when the city hired former Police Chief Jody Kasper at the time.
Sciarra also appointed a seven-person screening committee for the search comprised of Health and Human Services Commissioner Merridith O’Leary, Human Resources Director Chad Dunham, City Council President Alex Jarrett, at-large City Councilor Garrick Perry, University of Massachusetts Amherst Assistant Chancellor and Chief of Police Tyrone Parham and Northampton residents Allison Pash and Felicia Lundquist.
The committee reviewed applications, conducted interviews and assessed candidates through a “rigorous evaluation process.”
According to Sciarra, Cartledge received “strong endorsements” from various stakeholders in the community, including Northampton’s police unions, the Western Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association and residents.
“Northampton is incredibly fortunate to have someone of John Cartledge’s caliber and commitment leading our police department,” said Sciarra, in a statement. “John was born and raised in Northampton, and his lifelong dedication to this community is evident in every aspect of his work. He has been a key figure in building a forward-thinking, community-focused police department, and I have full confidence in his ability to guide our city forward in this critical role.”
Cartledge has spent his entire career in the Northampton Police Department, according to the mayor’s office. He started as a patrol officer in 1995 before rising in the ranks. He became captain of operations in August 2015 and then moved to captain of administration in 2019 before officially being named interim police chief earlier this year.
Cartledge officially replaced former police chief Jody Kasper on Jan. 2 after Kasper left Northampton’s department to become the police chief on Nantucket.
Kasper served in the Northampton Police Department for 26 years as a patrol officer, field training officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, detective lieutenant, captain of operations and then chief, beginning in 2015.
Born and raised in Western Mass., Kasper replaced former Nantucket police chief Bill Pittman after he decided to retire in his role.
Now that Sciarra has named Cartledge the permanent chief in Northampton, the next step is to submit the appointment to the City Council for confirmation. A public meet-and-greet with Cartledge is scheduled for Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Northampton Senior Center.
“We conducted a fair and thorough process to select our next police chief, and I am confident that John Cartledge will continue to serve Northampton with care and distinction,” Sciarra said.
