FREMONT — A sergeant with the Brentwood Police Department has been named interim Fremont police chief following last month’s firing of Neal Janvrin, who held the position for 23 years.

H.D. Wood IV, 39, was sworn in as interim chief Monday morning after selectmen appointed him to the position last Thursday.

Wood will fill the role until Dec. 31.

The appointment comes after Janvrin, 66, was fired Aug. 20 for reasons that neither he nor selectmen have made public. Selectmen have said that the firing didn’t involve any criminal investigation.

On a Facebook page created to build support for Janvrin, his daughter, Lisa Hert, recently stated that her father was fired because selectmen felt he was no longer capable of performing the duties of the town’s part-time chief.

Janvrin has hired an attorney and plans to fight the dismissal, but as of Monday had not sought a hearing at Rockingham County Superior Court.

Deputy Police Chief Reese Bassett stepped in as interim chief immediately after Janvrin was removed, but he wants to remain in the deputy’s position, said Selectman Annmarie Scribner, board chairman.

Wood said he will continue to work as a full-time police sergeant in Brentwood, because the Fremont position is a 24-hour-a-week position.

“It will be business as usual and my service to them will not be interrupted,” he said.

Wood has been a police officer since 1992 and has worked as a full-time officer for 14 years — seven of which were in a supervisory capacity, he said.

Wood is a Fremont resident and is a former supervisor with the Fremont Police Department.

“I’m looking forward to working with members of the Fremont Police Department and working with the residents of the town to continue to move forward and have a professional department,” he said.

Wood will earn $25.34 an hour in the position, Scribner said.

“We felt he was a really good choice for an interim chief. He definitely has the administrative skills and he’s got a good relationship with the police officers we have there,” Scribner said.

jschreiber@newstote.com