Police Chief Michael Kehoe, 60, who joined the police department in 1978, has submitted his letter of retirement to the Police Commission, stating that his last day of work will be on January 6, 2016.

Chief Kehoe worked his way up through the ranks of the organization, becoming its acting chief in 1999, and then becoming its chief in 2001.

In a June 1 letter to Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico, Chief Kehoe wrote, in part, that his career has been professionally and personally rewarding, adding that he will work to aid commission members as the police department makes a transition to a new leader.

After a June 2 Police Commission meeting, Chief Kehoe said. “There’s never a good time to leave.”

Asked whether the April arrests of former police Sergeant Steven Santucci and former civilian emergency services dispatcher Jason Chickos on drug trafficking charges prompted him to leave the police department, Chief Kehoe said his decision to retire is “incidental” and not related to those arrests.

On May 13, the Police Commission conducted a lengthy closed-door special meeting with Chief Kehoe. The commission entered the session under the terms of the state’s Freedom of Information Act, which allows closed sessions, from which the public is excluded, for certain  reasons.

At that meeting, the stated subject was  “police department operations and the chief’s performance.”

Following the June 2 Police Commission session, Chief Kehoe said, “I could probably stay for another five years,” but added that he has been considering retirement for several years, and came to the conclusion that it was the appropriate time to submit notice of retirement.

Asked after the meeting whether the arrests of Santucci and Chickos precipitated Chief Kehoe’s decision to retire, Mr Mangiafico said, “I don’t see any connection between the two.”

On May 14, Santucci and Chickos pleaded not guilty to all federal drug charges against them, which allege that they were part of an anabolic steroids drug trafficking ring with others.