West Tisbury selectmen approved the promotion of patrolman James Neville to the position of sergeant at their meeting on Wednesday, September 3.
“It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend James Neville’s appointment,” said police chief Daniel Rossi.
Mr. Neville, the father of five children, has been a member of the West Tisbury police force for six years, He spent 10 years with the Dukes County Sheriffs Department, where he attained the rank of captain, and served as an officer for the town of Aquinnah for three years. Selectmen Richard Knabel and Cynthia Mitchell voted for the promotion. Chairman of the selectmen Jeffrey “Skipper” Manter, a police sergeant, abstained from the vote.
Mr. Rossi told the selectmen that Matthew Gebo, an officer with the department for five years, has been named a detective.
In other town business last week, selectmen decided to not sign an agreement presented by two representatives of a film crew working on a program for the Discovery Channel, until the agreement is reviewed by town counsel. The television producers, Travis Dowell and Kevin Warnecke, asked for permission to film for about one hour at the dumptique, the recycling center at the West Tisbury dump, as part of a six-episode show, tentatively entitled Big Swords.
The episode will highlight West Tisbury resident Michael Craughwell, an Island artist and welder who makes medieval swords for medieval battle reenactors, often from things he finds at the dumptique.
