PARIS — The Police Department is on its way to restoring a full complement of officers after the Board of Selectmen appointed William Cook as an officer during its meeting Monday evening. 

Cook, of Paris, served as a police officer with Paris in 2007, then from 2009 to 2012. Since leaving the department, he has worked as an officer with the Mexico Police Department.

Town Manager Amy Bernard said Cook came to the department with excellent recommendations. She predicted he would be an asset for Paris and “bring stability” to the department. 

Previous management failed to file the proper paperwork to release Cook from the department, Bernard noted, so she was able to simply offer him his job back. 

Cook is expected to start working for the department full time Aug. 23 and will fill in as a reserve officer until then, Bernard said. 

Shortly before leaving the department in 2012, Cook wrote a detailed, 12-page complaint to then Town Manager Phil Tarr, expressing his concern that Police Chief David Verrier used his position to force officers that disagreed with him out of the department. The letter became public later that year.

Verrier resigned from his position in November and then Lt. Michael Dailey  replaced him as interim chief. Dailey left the department in March to take a job with the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office. 

The town is in the process of hiring a full-time police chief. During Monday’s meeting, Bernard reported that she met with two finalists for the position last week and interim Chief Jerry Hinton is conducting detailed background checks on the candidates.

The town plans on having a new chief in place by early October. 

The department is also in the process of hiring a new detective. During the meeting, Bernard reported the town received more than 11 applicants for the position.