For the first time in 22 years, the Londonderry Police Department is in search of a new Town Prosecutor. Up until this past month, the position belonged to Kevin Coyle, who had served as prosecutor since December 4, 1994. Coyle sent in his resignation letter in mid-July amidst a negative annual review from the Police Department.
Having to find a new prosecutor is something the Police Department has not had to deal with in over two decades, so they are taking “baby steps” to find the perfect person to fill the position, said Police Chief William Hart.
The first thing they did was reach out to local active prosecutors who would be willing to take on a part time position at the Londonderry Police Department. Some of the requirements, according to Hart, are that the individual must be someone who has experience working in criminal law, but also someone who is “honest and candid” and would be willing to make the Londonderry Police Department a part-time home.
For now, the Londonderry Police Department has hired two part-time prosecutors until they find someone to fill the position permanently: Adria Farr and Dan Clark.
One of the prosecutors Hart reached out to was the full-time prosecutor for the town of Windham, who then gave him Farr’s name. For the past few years, since March 2016, Farr has worked as a backup, part-time prosecutor in Windham, and after she was interviewed for the part time position in Londonderry, she was offered the “opportunity to provide temporary prosecutor legal services to the Town as an independent contractor.”
The term of her contract runs until September 1, 2017, after which it is renewable on a week-to-week basis “depending on the needs of the police department and my availability,” she said.
One of her favorite parts of being a prosecutor is helping people: “Whether it is helping a victim, or helping a person get the treatment they need, it is fulfilling to know that I was able to help.”
Farr has a BA in History from the University in Tennessee, which she received in 2010 – along with the title of Miss Londonderry; she received her Master of Laws degree in Intellectual Property Law from the University of New Hampshire School of Law as well as her Juris Doctor in 2014.
In addition to her position as a part-time prosecutor for Londonderry, Farr serves as the Legal Advisor and Assistant Manager for Marketing and Entertainment at Canobie Lake Park.
Clark is an attorney, and also works at the Windham Police Department as a Sergeant Police Officer and Assistant Prosecutor. He received his MBA from Southern New Hampshire University in 2007, and his Juris Doctrate of Law from Massachusetts School of Law in 2012.
It is unclear when the Londonderry Police Department will find a full-time replacement for Coyle, but for now, Hart is happy with the two interim prosecutors.