SOUTH HADLEY — Police Chief David LaBrie will retire July 1 and Lt. Steve Parentela will step in as interim chief to serve until Town Administrator Michael Sullivan names a permanent replacement.

The Select Board, which must ratify Sullivan’s choices, voted unanimously Tuesday night to affirm Parentela to take on the additional responsibilities as of July 1.

Sullivan said he plans to advertise the permanent position with an annual salary “not to exceed” $134,000 by July, hold interviews in August and be able to make a recommendation to the Select Board in September. LaBrie is paid $133,000 annually, Sullivan said.

Sullivan said he learned a few weeks ago of LaBrie’s intention to retire after 18 years in the position.

“We are very much disappointed that the chief is leaving and we hope he has a long and healthy retirement,” said Sullivan. “The department is well run, is well structured and has a lot of fine people working there.”

He said he chose Parentela to take on the interim chief’s responsibilities after consulting with LaBrie. “Given his extensive knowledge of the department and the relationships that he has formed with other town departments he was the logical choice,” Sullivan said.

This will be the third time Sullivan has hired a police chief, after having previously done so as mayor of Holyoke and as town administrator in Maynard.

A review committee composed of the town’s human resources director, Jennifer Wolowicz, along with a department head and a town employee, both of Sullivan’s choosing, will screen the applications and conduct initial interviews and forwarding as many finalists as they see fit to Sullivan, who will conduct the final interviews.

Sullivan said qualifications will include, “somebody who understands the needs of a midsize town with a college influence.” Other important qualifications will be experience relevant to dealing with the opioid crises “that every nook and cranny of Massachusetts is suffering through,” and an understanding of the changing technology of police work.

Sullivan said he does not have a preconceived idea of whether an internal or an external candidate would be preferable. “I will choose the best candidate” among the applicants, he said.

Once he has made his decision, the Select Board has the option of vetoing his choice, Sullivan said. In that case the search process would begin anew.

The Police Department has 18 officers and 27 employees overall with an annual budget of just over $2.5 million.

Eric Goldscheider can be reached at eric.goldscheider@gmail.com.