WESTBROOK – As Westbrook develops a process for replacing its public safety director, the interim heads of the city’s fire and police departments will both likely apply for the top job.

Michael Pardue, the city’s first and only public safety director, announced his resignation last week. He will be replaced by former Portland Officer Janine Roberts, taking on an interim police chief role, and Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Turcotte, stepping up within the fire department.

Pardue, who leaves Oct. 10, said that he plans to return to his Kennebunk-based consulting firm, The Tideview Group.

Roberts and Turcotte will be sworn in Monday, Sept. 29, at 9 a.m. at the Westbrook Public Safety building on Main Street.

Each of the last two significant changes in Westbrook’s public safety department came after possible suits against the city. Pardue said last week that his departure is unrelated to a possible sexual harassment suit against the police department. Officer Melissa May filed a notice of claim against the city in late August, stating that she has been the victim of gender bias, sexual harassment, retaliation, and whistleblower discrimination ever since a routine traffic stop in January, when she ticketed the girlfriend of a fellow officer.

This week, Roberts said that after retiring from the Portland Police Department in June 2013, she didn’t expect that her career in law enforcement would be at an end.

“I’m a public servant at heart,” she said. “I think (the Westbrook job) is a great opportunity to help move forward a department that’s already on a great path.”

Roberts said that she will consider applying for the role as Westbrook’s director of public safety if the transition goes smoothly.

“I wouldn’t be surprised in myself for putting in my resume,” she said.

However, she said, she has not previously held a chief position, and “has some learning to do.”

Contacted by Westbrook officials roughly two weeks ago about filling the interim police role, Roberts said she was aware of the recent controversy.

“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 last week.

At the time of her departure from Portland, Roberts was a 28-year veteran, serving as a lieutenant for the last 12 years. A Portland native, Roberts was an active volunteer in the city outside her professional role as the Community Service Section’s commander. According to the Portland Police Department’s website, she led Portland’s Color Guard in the city’s parades each year, volunteered for the Maine Police Emerald Society, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House, Wreaths Across America, the Police Unity Tour, and was a member of the Advisory Board for Central Maine Community College’s Law Enforcement program.

Six months before retiring from Portland, Roberts received the city’s Robert B. Ganley Public Service Award, in recognition of her contributions to the Portland Police Department, the city and community organizations.

Mayor Colleen Hilton said last week that Roberts was not brought in because of her gender, but because she is “the right person right now.”

On Wednesday, speaking from a Special Olympics event in Poland, Turcotte said the departing Pardue has been a great “mentor and leader.” He added that Pardue’s optimism often “brought people together.”

Through the next two weeks, Turcotte said, he and Pardue will work together on the transition. Turcotte was previously fire chief and director of EMS in Millinocket for two years until shifting to Westbrook in early 2014. Turcotte also spent a few years in Florida, working as an operations manager for a Life Flight team.

When the director position is posted, Turcotte intends to apply, he said, and is focused on making a good impression during the transition period. While new to the consolidated public safety format this year, he said he has faith in the structure.

“That model makes sense, and of course whatever city administration deems appropriate, I’ll do what’s asked of me,” he said.

Responding to controversies within the department, Turcotte said Pardue “and the leadership under him have done a phenomenal job in addressing those concerns, and have identified areas that need improvement,” adding that he sees the morale on both sides as being positive.

“Obviously if we need to make changes and tweaks, we’ll do that along the way,” Turcotte said.

Bill Baker, the city’s administrator for business and community relations, and former police chief, said Wednesday that as the first person to occupy the role and oversee both departments on an interim basis, he understands “the complexity of the role of public safety director.”

Following a string of claims against the fire department in 2009 and a resulting shake-up instigated by Hilton during her first term in 2010, Pardue was brought in as a management consultant to head the fire department. He was eventually named director of public safety, overseeing both police and fire departments.

Hilton had campaigned with a firm promise that she would resolve the problems facing the fire department.

“I think our short-term focus with these two interim chiefs is on ensuring the stability and forward progress of our public safety departments,” Baker said. “We had the good fortune to work with Mike Pardue on a smooth transition, and I have supreme confidence in both Chief Roberts and Chief Turcotte.”

Baker said he sees Roberts as someone with great credibility, and “someone who in recent years has grown into and mastered the community relations piece.”

“I think she will be a highly visible, positive and formidable presence,” he said.

Baker said Turcotte has a lot to offer.

“My experience with Chief Turcotte has also been excellent. He is a very bright and personable person committed to doing the right thing for the right reasons,” he said.

While Hilton has said she intends to maintain the consolidated public services format, Baker said Wednesday that city officials “are still considering all possible options for the future of our public safety departments.”

But, he said, “I guarantee that taxpayers can rely on Colleen to make hard choices and good choices that achieve the best possible results for the public safety employees and the people we all serve.”

Entering her first experience in a consolidated department, Roberts said Wednesday that she sees the director’s position as someone who needs to facilitate the four entities of police, fire, EMS and communications.

“It’s somebody that can develop a knowledge of all so they can lead appropriately,” she said, adding that it requires strong people skills, both internally and in the community.

Roberts said she has been told that the city is “committed” to maintaining the consolidated structure, and that she will use the transition as a learning process.

“I’m definitely a doer, I can talk a lot, but after I get out of that meeting, I want action,” she said. “It’s a good solid department, there’s a lot of good things going on there, but as far as changes, there’s naturally going to be changes.”