Braintree Council Confirms Kilroy as Police Chief in 5-4 Vote

BRAINTREE -- July 7, 2026, Braintree Town Council confirmed Robert J. Kilroy Jr. as police chief in a 5-4 vote on Tuesday, July 7, with three dissenters citing process failures rather than the nominee's qualifications. Kilroy, a 26-year Massachusetts law enforcement veteran currently serving as deputy chief in Walpole, was nominated by Mayor Arryn V. Joyce after an eight-member screening committee forwarded four finalists. The Committee on Ways and Means had split 2-2 on the appointment at its June 30 hearing. The confirmation was conditioned on Kilroy passing a third-party, non-law enforcement background check, a requirement added after Ways and Means raised concerns about a fellow municipal agency conducting the original check. Councilor Michael Reynolds called the overall hiring process "managed and overseen in a blatantly unprofessional and biased manner," while Councilor James Ringus said the officers most affected by the decision "were not consulted." Council President Patrick Morin, a screening committee member, voted yes, saying his role is to assess whether the nominee is qualified and serves the town's interest, not to pick his own preferred candidate. After the split confirmation, Councilor Reynolds moved for a unanimous-consent vote of support for Kilroy and the department, which passed 9-0. The council also unanimously approved 14 motions totaling $3.5 million in FY2026 supplemental appropriations, including $1.1 million in free cash for snow and ice deficiencies, and authorized a deed in lieu of foreclosure for a long-delinquent contaminated parcel at 50 Elmwood Park, assessed at $198,600, carrying over $212,000 in outstanding taxes and costs.