Ronald Sellon Sworn in as New Mansfield Chief of Police

With a swearing-in ceremony on April 1, the transition in police chiefs at the Mansfield Police Department was completed when Sgt. Ron Sellon became Chief Sellon in the special ceremony held at Mansfield High School.

State Senator James Timilty started the evening on a light note, mentioning the suspect date of the swearing in ceremony.

“When I saw the day, I thought there may be something afoot and that it would be Chief O’Neill with another year,” joked Timilty.

The state Senator went on to praise Sellon for what he called a well deserved promotion in one of the finest police departments in the state.

Timilty also brought a proclamation from the Massachusetts Senate congratulating Sellon on his appointment to Chief of Police. Not to be outdone, Rep. Jay Barrows and Rep. Elizabeth Poirier also passed along a proclamation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Selectmen Olivier Kozlowski praised the new chief for his commitment to the department, citing a conversation where Sellon stated his desire to not see his name on the front door of the police department.

“He said he didn’t want to have his name on the door because it’s not Ron Sellon’s department, it’s the Mansfield Police Department,” Kozlowski said. “To me, that speaks volumes.”

Calling the process to find a new chief easy and difficult at the same time due to the quality of the candidates, Town Manager Bill Ross praised the department for the superb list of candidates ready to do the job.

“It was easy because there were well qualified people in the department who were ready to do the job. It was easy because this is a professional police department with quality people with high standards and high ethics and no problems that we can’t overcome,” Ross said

Closing the night, Sellon promised to bring transparency, care, desire, passion, and commitment to the department while serving the people of Mansfield.

"The terms 'not my job' or 'not my problem' needs to be erased,” Sellon said. “Our job is the quality of life issues that surround the community and the people that it effects.”