By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- After 21 years at the helm of the Massena Village Police, Chief Tim Currier says he plans to retire on Nov. 27.

"In the coming days I will file the application with the New York State Police & Fire Retirement System," Currier wrote in an email. "I will also formally submit a retirement/resignation letter to the Village Board in early November."

Currier is running for Massena mayor, having received the Democrat nomination in August. His main challenger is Republican incumbent James Hidy.

Currier's nod raised questions about who would run Massena's police force if elected, since he can't legally lead both the village and its law enforcement.

He says the decision to seek the mayor's office and to retire "were linked together."

"I thought long and hard about retirement and what I wanted to do next," Currier said. "This [is] less about retirement, given the fact that I am 48 years old, and more about what I want to do next professionally."

He says the village Board of Trustees will decide his successor. He wouldn't speculate on who he would like to see become the next chief.

"I certainly have some thoughts on it, however, that's council I will offer to them privately should they ask for it," Currier wrote.

The next highest-ranking officer below him is Lt. Mark LaBrake.

Currier would not speculate on his post-retirement plans under either scenario of winning or losing the election.

"Continuing public service has always been my interest," Currier replied to a question about what influenced his decisions to retire and seek office. "This community has been very good to me and continuing to work for our citizens is my hope."

He is also president of the Massena Boys and Girls Club.

Currier has been with the Massena Police Department for 26 1/2 years. He started on Feb. 29, 1988 as a patrolman and was promoted to sergeant in June 1992. He was named chief on Sept. 7, 1993.

He graduated from Massena Central High School in 1984. He went to Mater Dei College and received and associate's degree in criminal justice, later graduating from Session One of the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services Law Enforcement Executive Institute.

He lives in Massena with his wife, Emily and son, Nathaniel.