Council Denies Lieutenant’s Retirement Extension Request

On Tuesday, June 2, the Town Council rejected a request from Winthrop Police Department (WPD) Lieutenant Nancy Dalrymple to continue as a full-time officer past the mandatory retirement age.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, WPD Sergeant Sarko Gergerian urged the council to reject the request.

“We have faith in the system. It is moral, ethical and legal, it takes others into consideration,” he said. “If [this request] is allowed, it’s going to destroy the faith our officers have in being able to build a career at the WPD.”

Lt. Dalrymple also spoke in her own defense.

“Treat me the same as you treated Paul Flannagan less than a year ago. I should not be treated differently,” she said. “[The police department] is not going to explode as people stated previously, just like the fire department didn’t explode.”

During the written correspondence period of the evening, Council President Phil Boncore reported that he had received six letters from community members all opposing the lieutenant’s request.

When the matter was brought to a vote, it did not receive the mandatory five affirmative votes in order to pass. In support of the request were Councilors Peter Christopher and Barbara Flockhart. Opposing the request were Council President Phil Boncore, Council Vice President James Letterie, and Councilors Rob DeMarco, Tracey Honan, Nicholas LoConte, and Stephen Ruggiero. Councilor Richard Ferrino recused himself.

Prior to the vote, Council Vice President Letterie and Councilor DeMarco explained why they would be opposing the lieutenant’s request, claiming that they could not find any reason why her retirement would harm the department.

Lt. Dalrymple will retire before the end of the fiscal year, after which she will be eligible to continue assisting the department as a “special police officer” part time.

The Transcript originally reported that a clerical error prevented the matter from being brought to a vote at the last council meeting on May 20. In fact, a motion had not been filed. Town Manager Austin Faison submitted the motion to the council on May 26, allowing the council to vote on it on June 2.

The Transcript reached out to both the sergeant and the lieutenant for comment but did not receive a response by the deadline for this publication.