By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- Village Police Chief Mark LaBrake says he decided to retire for a number of reasons, among them the village board’s not hiring a lieutenant to replace him when he was promoted from that position to chief.

“It’s just time. I’ve had a good career. I’m ready to hang it up. There’s several reasons, it isn’t any one specific reason … there’s several reasons,” LaBrake said.

The board also voted on Tuesday to appoint Sgt. Adam Love as acting chief until they decide on a permanent replacement.

He said he hopes the department will continue what he has dubbed “Operation True Blue,” which he started to encourage officers interacting with youth. They spend a few minutes of each shift talking to kids, sometimes even playing sports or fishing with them.

“I hope they carry on Operation True Blue,” LaBrake said. “It’s got police officers on the street interacting with the community to hopefully stop crime in the future.”

He said he was also proud of the department for their part in Operation Believe It or Not, which stopped a pipeline funneling cocaine and heroin from New York City to the North Country. Six locals were charged, along with more than 20 members of a New York City gang.

“This last drug bust was a big thing. Because of hard work of officers in Massena, several downstate people are under indictment,” LaBrake said. “I thank the community for letting me serve them ... I will continue to serve them in some capacity in the future … I thank the mayor for trusting me, bringing me up through the ranks and to where I can retire.

“I hope Massena residents understand the problems the community is facing and continue to support their police department in battling those issues.”

He is referring to Mayor Tim Currier, who used to be Massena’s police chief. LaBrake was promoted from lieutenant to replace Currier on Nov. 18, 2014.

LaBrake began his career in law enforcement with the Norwood Police Department in 1989. He joined Massena’s police force in May of 1990. He remained there until June 2007, when he took a position with the New York State Department of Corrections Inspector General’s Office, which answers to the Attorney General’s Office. He returned to Massena in May 2011.

He has worked every post in the Massena department, including patrolman, sergeant, investigator, commercial vehicle enforcement, lieutenant and K9 officer.