Hingham Police Chief Abruptly Retires After 40 Years Of Service

HINGHAM, MA — Hingham police announced the retirement of Police Chief Glenn Olsson Tuesday night after Olsson served the town for 40 years — the last five leading the department.

The two-sentence announcement said Olsson retired on Monday — effective immediately.

"We thank him for his service to our community and we wish him all the best in the next chapter," Hingham police said in a statement.

Deputy Chief David Jones was named interim police chief on Wednesday.

While no further information was released, the retirement comes a week after a dispute between Hingham firefighters and the town centered around "Thin Blue Line" flags that firefighters had placed on town fire apparatus.

The Hingham Local Firefighters Union 2398 began flying the flags earlier this month as a tribute to late Weymouth Sgt. Michael Chesna on the two-year anniversary of his in-the-line-of-duty shooting death. But when firefighters chose to keep flying the flags to honor all local law enforcement at a time when there has been public pressure to "defund" police departments and state legislation to institute more oversight and eliminate qualified immunity, and the town received a complaint that the flag violated a town ordinance, the Hingham Board of Selectmen ordered the flags removed.

Olsson and Hingham Fire Chief Steve Murphy were reportedly charged with delivering and enforcing the order.

While the union said it disagreed with the decision, it initially agreed to remove the flags, before reversing course days later amid what it called an outpouring of public support for the flags. Last Thursday, union members removed the flags with help from Weymouth police and firefighters.

On Monday, one of the flags was placed on Weymouth Fire Engine 3, while the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts union said another one of the flags will be made available for communities across the state to fly on fire apparatus upon request before being retired and presented to the family of Sgt. Chesna.

The town had not release any statement on Olsson's retirement as of Wednesday morning.

More Patch Coverage: Weymouth Fire Engine Flies Hingham's 'Thin Blue Line' Flag

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Hingham Fire To Remove Thin Blue Line Flags From Trucks
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Hingham Firefighters Union Keeps Flying 'Thin Blue Line' Flags