Cranberry Township has launched a preliminary search for the community’s next police chief following Chief Kevin Meyer’s announcement that he will retire at the end of 2025.

During a meeting on Thursday, June 26, supervisors approved a $33,500 contract with MGT Consulting Group for recruitment services as officials begin to look for a qualified candidate to take over by the end of December.

“We’re hoping to have someone on board with a little bit of overlap at the back end of the year,” township manager Dan Santoro said. “That’s why we’re starting now.”

Santoro also noted that Meyer, who has worked for the department for nearly three decades, will help guide that process during his final six months of employment.

“He’ll be engaged in the process, certainly,” Santoro said.

MGT, a professional services firm based out of Tampa, Fla., is poised to conduct a national search in hopes of finding the right person to lead the township’s 31 sworn officers.

That, however, does not mean that township officials are against an internal promotion, should that become an option over the next several months.

“There may be some candidates that are internal and we would encourage them to apply,” Santoro said. “But it’s also in our best interest and the best interest of the community to look at the best candidate for this role. We’re a fairly sophisticated community, so that’s what we’re looking for.”

According to the township’s website, Cranberry’s full-time police department was started in 1971 and led by former Chief John R. Scarfo, who retired in 1996.

Meyer, a former detective, took over police operations in 2007 after being promoted to lieutenant. In January 2015, he was named the chief of police.

In Cranberry’s 2025 budget, officials devoted just over $7.3 million to the township’s police department.