WESTBROOK – Michael Pardue, Westbrook’s public safety director, resigned this week, an announcement that he says is unrelated to a possible sexual harassment claim against the police department.

Pardue said Wednesday that he plans to refocus on his consulting business, and that the recent notice of claim against the city “had no bearing” on his decision.

In a resignation letter dated Monday, Sept. 15, Pardue said his last day in Westbrook will be Oct. 10. Wednesday afternoon, Pardue said he will return to his Kennebunk-based consulting firm, The Tideview Group, which he has been planning for some time.

While Pardue cites a shift back to private business, the timing of his departure is difficult to overlook. In late August, Westbrook Police Officer Melissa May filed a notice of claim against the city, stating that gender bias and sexual harassment is an issue within the department.

However, Pardue said that although the timing of the two “unfortunately collided,” he had always planned on being in Westbrook from three to four years, and feels he has accomplished what he set out to do for the consolidated public safety department.

“My decision was really laid out years ago,” he said.

In the city’s official statement released Wednesday morning, Mayor Colleen Hilton said Pardue is working with the city on the transition.

“Mike has been a true professional and a wonderful presence in our community throughout his tenure and in keeping with that assessment has worked with us on his transition which has allowed us to simultaneously name our interim leadership team,” Hilton said.

Hilton said Pardue had always indicated his position would be temporary.

“I always thought I would be grateful to get however much time I could get with Mike Pardue’s leadership. I think he did a fine job,” she said.

According to the release, Janine Roberts, a retired commanding officer with the Portland Police Department, will be interim chief of police, and will begin her work on Sept. 29. Andrew Turcotte, the acting deputy fire chief, will step up as interim fire chief. Turcotte joined the department in early 2014.

“We are very excited that Chief Roberts has agreed to join us,” Hilton said. “We know her to be an award-winning leader in the arena of community engagement and someone that has inspired the men and women under her command in difficult assignments, such as running the tactical enforcement unit in Portland. We look forward to great things under her leadership.”

Roberts said Wednesday that she was contacted by Westbrook officials last week, and that she looks forward to taking the helm.

“The controversies were there, but they’re looking for a strong leader that can come in and keep what’s working well and build on it, and look at things that need to be changed and address them in positive ways,” she said.

Hilton said Wednesday that the city’s decision to go outside the department for an interim director stemmed from the recent issues within the police department, and knowledge of Roberts’ previous work.

In her claim, May said that she has been harassed ever since a routine traffic stop in January, when she ticketed the girlfriend of a fellow Westbrook officer.

“It’s not a secret to other people that we’ve had some issues that we need to really put some focus on, but we coupled that with having someone of Roberts’ caliber in the market,” she said.

However, Hilton said, Roberts’ gender did not play a role in her hiring. Rather, she’s “the right person right now.”

Roberts retired in June following 28 years in Portland. In January, she received Portland’s Robert B. Ganley Public Service Award in recognition of her contributions to the Portland Police Department, the city and multiple community organizations.

Pardue said he feels Roberts will do an excellent job in Westbrook, and will “serve the city well.”

Following a string of claims against the fire department in 2009, the department underwent a shake-up by Hilton during her first term in 2010. Hilton had campaigned with a firm promise that she would resolve the problems facing the fire department. She brought in Pardue as a management consultant to head the fire department, and he was eventually named director of public safety, overseeing both police and fire departments.

“It’s bittersweet,” Pardue said Wednesday. “I have worked with and have had such good relationships with so many people here that I’ll dearly miss.”

According to the release, the city will begin the process to fill the department head position in the coming weeks, and officials expect both Roberts and Turcotte to apply.

Gorham Police Chief Ronald Shepard is also leaving a vacancy in the region when he retires on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Michael PardueJanine Roberts