With retiring Police Chief Arnold Downing, center, at his final Mayor and Council meeting were Council members Steve Green, Jack Orris and Dean Burrell, Mayor Zack Tyndall, Council member Jay Knerr and Town Administrator Mary Bohlen.

By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Berlin’s elected officials Monday night honored Police Chief Arnold Downing as he prepares to retire after more than three decades of service to the town. The mayor and council also announced that current department member Lt. Robert Fisher will serve as interim chief.

At the Town Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 8, Mayor Zack Tyndall recognized Downing’s decades of dedication to the department. Tyndall noted that he had the privilege of working with Downing in many capacities, including as a paramedic, a councilmember, and finally as mayor. The departing police chief is stepping down after more than 34 years with the department, with an official end date of March 1, 2026.

While Downing’s retirement was announced in November, the mayor and council expressed their gratitude to him this week.

“On behalf of all of us, I do want to say thank you for your service,” Tyndall said. “Decades of service to the Town of Berlin and to the citizens, capstoning a fundamental career as the chief of police. We couldn’t have asked for a better person to serve in that capacity.”

Downing began his career with the Berlin Police Department on Aug. 26, 1991. He was appointed acting chief of police on Feb. 17, 2000. He was officially appointed chief of police on Dec. 1, 2002, becoming both the first African American administrator and the first African American chief of police in the department’s history.

On Monday, Downing reflected on the support he has received over his 34-and-a-half years in law enforcement.

“You can’t make it this long without the support of so many council members, so many mayors and administrators,” he said. “During that whole time, I have felt the support of a wonderful town, and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I think that when you talk about the coolest small town, we can take that title and run around with it. We have some of the best guys in law enforcement. I am retiring from the position, but not the community.”

Under his leadership, the department launched specialized units including SWAT, a traffic reconstruction unit, five K9 teams, a drone unit, a Defensive Tactics Instruction Team, and a Firearms Training Unit.

He also championed officer wellness and professional development, leading initiatives including enrollment in the Law Enforcement Officers Pension System (LEOPS), the Take-Home Car Program, and specialized pay incentives.

One of the achievements of Downing’s administration was the opening of the new Berlin Police Station in 2018, modernizing the department’s public safety infrastructure and paving the way for future growth.

Furthermore, Downing is also a founding member of the Worcester County Child Advocacy Center (CAC), formerly known as the C.R.I.C.K.E.T. Center. The facility serves as a vital community resource for abused and neglected children on the Eastern Shore.

His community involvement also included service with Lower Shore CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services.

Downing’s dedicated service has been recognized with various awards, including the Alcohol and Other Drug Task Force Award in 1993, the “Charitable Soul” honor from The Dispatch’s Shore Stars Awards in 2012, the Sun Award from Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services in 2014, the Coastal Style Magazine Public Safety Official of the Year Award in 2020, and the Tri-County Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition Worcester County Award in 2023.

In announcing Fisher’s appointment as interim chief, Tyndall said, “Lt. Robert Fisher is not a new name to anyone who’s been in town for a while. He will be taking over in the interim capacity. We are still in good hands, even though the chief of police will be retiring. Lt. Fisher, we appreciate your service to the Town of Berlin as well.”