NEWBURYPORT — Mayor Sean Reardon has appointed Lt. Matt Simons as the next Newburyport City Marshal, effective following confirmation by the City Council.
Simons joined the Department in 2002 and has served as Operations Lieutenant in the Newburyport Police Department since 2016.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership. He has participated in the FBI National Academy and FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association Trilogy. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and was honorably discharged in 1999.
In 2018, Lt. Simons was honored for his actions in performing life-saving medical care to a motorist while off-duty.
“We had excellent candidates for the position of City Marshal, and Lt. Simons rose to the top thanks to his experience, credentials, and vision for the Department,” said Mayor Reardon. “I look forward to seeing what he can accomplish as our next City Marshal.”
The process to appoint a new City Marshal is mandated by ordinance. A selection committee, led by former Essex County Sherriff Frank Cousins, reviewed resumes, interviewed top candidates, and forwarded the names of four finalists to Mayor Reardon.
The Committee consisted of Cousins, Human Resources Director Donna Drelick, Ward 6 City Councilor Byron Lane, Fire Chief Stephen Bradbury III, Newbury Police Chief Patty Fisher, retired Georgetown Police Chief Donald Cudmore, School Committee Member Juliet Walker, Recreation and Youth Services Director Andrea Egmont, and retired Newburyport Police Officer Keith Carter.
The four finalists participated in an assessment center on Aug. 24 run by Public Safety Consultants, LLC, which included a series of real-world exercises that City Marshals would be expected to encounter. Mayor Reardon interviewed the three top scorers from the assessment center and selected Lt. Simons.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to serve my hometown as City Marshal,” said Simons. “As a native Newburyporter who cares about strong, professional leadership for the community’s Police Department, this is a tremendous opportunity to make a difference.”
The position became vacant after the retirement of Marshal Mark Murray, who joined the Newburyport Police Department in 1993 and has served as Marshal since 2016. Murray has served as Acting Marshal since May 11 and will continue to serve in that capacity until the approval of the new Marshal by the City Council.
“We thank Marshal Murray for extending his service to the City,” said Mayor Reardon. “He has been an exemplary Marshal, and we are appreciative for all he has done to leave the Department in a strong position. We are also very grateful for the work of the hiring committee, under the leadership of Sherriff Cousins. They facilitated an excellent process, and we are very happy with the result.”
