NORWAY – Town Manager David Holt said he has made a decision concerning the fate of Police Chief Tim B. Richards, who is under an order to stay away from a former officer.

“I’ve made a decision, but on the advice of the town attorney I’m not allowed to tell,” Holt said. “I can’t speak about Tim Richards.

He said a special meeting of selectmen will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 7 at the town office, but the reason was not disclosed.

“It’s frustrating,” Holt said. “Part of my job is to explain things to the public, and in this case I can’t.”

Richards, 44, of Bradley Pond Road, Lovell, was placed on paid administrative leave March 4, pending the outcome of Holt’s investigation into incidents surrounding a protection from abuse order sought by former Norway police officer Cynthia M. Mitchell, 41, of Harrison.

A temporary protection order was granted Feb. 20, based on Mitchell’s allegations that Richards harassed her earlier this year and assaulted her in August 2002.

Mitchell, who was a Norway officer from August 1999 to December 2002, said she and Richards had been seeing each other since the summer of 2002, and she broke off the relationship earlier this year.

A March 4 hearing for an extended protection order was waived by Judge Andrew Horton at 9th District Court in Bridgton when Richards agreed to a year’s continuance of the temporary order.

Richards has been placed on administrative leave twice in 21 months.

The first time was after his arrest June 6, 2001, on a charge of assaulting his former wife, Patricia.

That case, heard in Franklin County Superior Court, was filed Feb. 5, 2002. The filing meant that no further action would be taken providing Richards have no further incidents over the next six months.

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