Mayor Joseph A.
Curtatone confirmed today that Police Chief George F. McLean March 7 will
retire city’s police force.

 “Chief McLean gave the city nearly three decades of
dedicated service,” the mayor said. “He
led the department through difficult times when budget cuts put a strain on
every city department. His service is
much appreciated by the entire community.”

 An acting
chief would be appointed by early next week at the latest, he said.

Somerville“I’ve been honored to serve the city of  Somerville and am proud of my association with the men and women of the department, all of whom
have shown great commitment and dedication to service during difficult
financial times,” said  McLean.

 The chief said, “These men and women are
responsible for our successes, most notably

Somerville’s continued reduction in overall crime."

Curtatone said during McLean’s tenure, the department began
to modernize its facilities and practices, installing computers in cruisers and
equipping officers with hand-held devices that provide remote access to local,
state and national criminal databases.

The chief also initiated several community programs,
including Rape Aggression Defense Training, Cops and Kids, Adopt a School, and
Adopt and  Elderly  Center, the mayor said.  He oversaw the full implementation of the
National Incident Based Reporting Information System, a new state-of-the-art
crime reporting system, and managed the city’s response to post-9/11 homeland
security threats, Curtatone said.

  McLean reorganized the superior
officers assignments to ensure that sergeants and lieutenants were given
clear-cut management responsibilities and were no longer performing patrol
officer duties, he said.

"Chief McLean has left the department in a position to
advance and modernize in the coming years,” said Curtatone. “We thank him for his service and wish him
well in his future endeavors.”

 McLean said he plans to spend time
with his wife Pamela before pursuing opportunities in teaching and homeland
security.

Somerville McLean, who grew up in  Somerville and graduated from Somerville High School in  1969.  He  joined the  police force in 1976 after serving an enlistment  in the Marine Corps, which included a one-year tour in Vietnam.