DIXFIELD – Police Chief Richard Pickett was back on the job early Wednesday morning, agreeing to take a retroactive unpaid four-week suspension that selectmen offered five weeks after voting not to renew his contract.

“The opportunity arose for me to come back to serve the people of the town,” Pickett said Wednesday afternoon, adding he appreciated the support he has received from people. He referred legal questions to his attorney, Phil Coffin, of the Portland firm of Lambert Coffin.

Pickett’s contract was not renewed June 30 for what some selectmen said was insubordination when he spoke at the annual town meeting in May against their recommendation to downsize the department.

At the Aug. 4 selectmen’s meeting, the board rescinded that decision and voted to reinstate him if he agreed to a retroactive four-week suspension without pay.

Town Manager Tom Richmond said that was roughly a $3,000 penalty.

Coffin said he and Pickett gave the offer a considerable amount of thought and concluded that both personally and professionally, a return to work made the most sense.

“We’d be in a better position to deal with our contention that the discipline in the first place was inappropriate and unwarranted,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “A lawsuit over the discipline is still possible.”

Whether it will be filed depends on the ability to work out a solution to the suspension without pay, Coffin said, adding that he is still talking with the town’s attorney, Lee Bragg, of the Portland and Augusta firm of Bernstein Shur.

The 3-2 vote not to renew Pickett’s contract was discipline for what some selectmen called insubordination when Pickett argued to maintain the four-person police force, not reduce it to three as selectmen recommended. Voters agreed with Pickett and returned funding to the police budget.

Selectmen Norine Clarke, Brad Dyer and James Desjardins voted last week to offer Picket his job back if he agreed to the suspension. Selectmen Bettina Martin and Raymond Carlton voted not to.

Sgt. Jeff Howe served as interim police chief during Pickett’s suspension.

Richmond, who leaves his position as town manager on Aug. 29 for a similar position with the town of Carmel, said Wednesday afternoon that he’s pleased that Pickett is back on the force.

“I hope everything goes well and he can retire from that job,” he said.