MATTAPOISETT — The Town of Mattapoisett got a new police chief on Thursday, Dec. 16 as the community gathered in the new fire station to swear-in Jason King.

Select Board Member Jordan Collyer spoke at the ceremony to officially welcome King, who served as interim chief for five months, as the permanent police chief. He expressed his confidence and excitement about King’s future as chief.

“He is just a truly good person,” said Collyer. “He’s someone I’m proud to call a colleague and now the chief of police for the Town of Mattapoisett.”

After he was officially sworn-in and his new badge had been pinned to his uniform by his young daughter, King spoke about his long connection with Mattapoisett. He has lived in town for most of his life and graduated from ORR High School.

He also read the Law Enforcement Oath of Honor, pledging never to do anything to betray his integrity, his character or the public’s trust.

Chief King’s brother, Sgt. Justin King, who also works for the department, said he was proud of his brother and was glad that the new chief was someone who knows and loves the town.

“I think it’s important to be part of the community and have respect for it to be a leader here,” he said.

When asked if he would have any trouble taking orders from his older brother, Justin King said that it was perfectly natural for him.

“We actually work really well together for brothers,” he said. “We both worked for our dad growing up and [Jason] was the boss then, so I’m used to it.”

King became the interim chief after the former police chief, Mary Lyons, retired. She had been placed on administrative leave following her arrest after a traffic stop in Bourne on July 17.

She was charged with operating under the influence of liquor and cited with a marked lanes violation by a state police officer. She pleaded not guilty to the charge on July 19 and has a trial date of Jan. 27, 2022.

King has been a captain at the department since October 2018. He was originally hired as a Mattapoisett police officer in 1994.