by Geoff Fox
With Rich Miller retiring at the end of the year as Hancock Police Chief, Hancock officials needed to conduct a search for his replacement.
To find their new chief of police, all they had to do was look across the river to find Allan Thomas to fill the role.
At a special ceremony on Thursday evening, July 31, Mayor Roland Lanehart, Jr. swore Thomas in as the new police chief. 
Miller will still stay on with Hancock Police to assist when needed until the end of the year.
Town Manager Mike Faith said there had been seven candidates for the position of Police Chief, but only six had interviewed. One candidate pulled out before the interview process.
Thomas brings 39 years of police experience to Hancock. He started his law enforcement career in the Air Force as a security policeman with four years active. He stayed in the guard and reserves until around 2001.
While in the Air Force on active duty, Thomas said he was a reserve for a county sheriff’s department.
Thomas has also been a prisoner transport officer for Anne Arundel County, a part-time police chief in Paw Paw, W.Va., a deputy with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, and some “part-time gigs” while in Jefferson County.
Retirement came in 2022 and Thomas went to work for the feds in several spots.
“Yeah, I’ve been around a little bit,” he said with a laugh.
Thomas said he wanted to come to Hancock because of the proximity to home in Berkeley Springs, and his wife who has some medical issues.
“I wanted to be five minutes away rather than an hour away driving time-wise,” he said.
He also said Hancock and Berkeley Springs are relatively the same type of town even though they’re in different states.
There’s also the familiarity with Hancock.
Thomas said he and his family have been coming over to Hancock to eat in the restaurants and shop in the stores.
“That familiarity was probably a big thing as well,” he said.
Thomas said he’s going to take some time to get his feet wet and see what the lay of the land.
Once he sees if there’s something lacking in certain areas, Thomas said the police would do directive patrols to handle those kinds of things.
“So right away, I’m not going to immediately pick on one thing in particular or another because I haven’t really seen what the issues are,” he said.
Enforcement, though, is enforcement, no matter what state you’re in.
His biggest job is protecting the people of Hancock.
“That’s what they hired me to do,” Thomas said.
He also has to make sure schedules are appropriate for current police staff.
Thomas said is a big supporter of having 24/7 police coverage in Hancock.
Thomas’ first day on the job was July 21, but he wasn’t officially sworn in until July 31 because of scheduling conflicts and needing certain qualifications.
It also gave him training time with Miller on how to do the department-specific tasks.
Thomas has been getting a warm welcome from the residents of Hancock.
He’s also getting a chance to meet a “wide range of folks” as he’s been riding with the officers getting to know them and interacting with the people they know.
“They’ve all been very welcoming,” Thomas said. “I appreciate that.”
Thomas said he has an open door policy, so if people have an issue they need to speak directly to the chief about, he’s available when he’s on duty and if he’s not, they can leave a message and he’d return their call.
“I want to be as open with everybody as I can,” he said, adding he’s a very transparent person.
He said also would not be doing things without town officials knowing what he’s doing.
Barring ongoing open investigations, Thomas said he’s going to be very open with the citizens.
Thomas wanted to let people know his job is to protect the people of Hancock and he takes that job very seriously.
