Bristol will soon install its fourth police chief in the past six months, but it expects this one to last a while.

Kevin Lynch, a former second-in-command in the Cranston Police force and currently director of the Public Utilities Commission/Division of Public Utilities and Carriers for the State of Rhode Island, has been hired to lead the Bristol Police Department, starting next month.

Town Administrator Steven Contente, a retired Bristol deputy chief, made the announcement Wednesday with a press release and an announcement to the Bristol Town Council, where the new chief was introduced Wednesday night.

With more than 30 years of public service in both state and local government, encompassing all facets of public administration, public safety, fiscal management, litigation management, labor negotiations, academia, emergency management and extensive community interaction, Kevin Lynch has an extensive history in public service.

What’s more, he’s well-versed in the police accreditation process, the loss of which has vexed Bristol’s leadership over the past year. He supervised the Cranston Police Department’s initiative in seeking national accreditation established by CALEA.

He’s now slated to become Bristol’s new police chief, effective the first week of October, when he will begin under a three-year contract. He will be spending the next couple of weeks organizing his transition from the public utilities position.

“I’m thrilled and honored to join the ranks of the Bristol Police Department,” he said by phone Wednesday afternoon.

Asked about his background and strengths, the new chief believes his varied background, which includes serving in Gov. Gina Raimondo’s cabinet along with teaching in area universities, makes him a very “customer service-oriented” leader.

“It’s all about being genuine and listening to people, having empathy,” he said. “One of the great leadership traits one can have is listening.”

He added, “If you really want to be an effective police chief, you have to get out in the community, and that’s what I plan to do.”

Mr. Lynch is married and his wife, Lynn, is a teacher in the Cranston public schools. His son recently graduated from the University of Rhode Island and works for National Grid, and his daughter is a student at Salve Regina University.

Mr. Lynch also serves as an adjunct professor of law in the Criminal Justice programs at both Roger Williams University and Bristol Community College, where he has taught courses centering on criminal justice studies, including community policing, police administration, criminology, ethics and career leadership. He obtained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Criminal Justice Studies from Roger Williams University.

He also took part in Leadership Rhode Island, has completed courses at Harvard University and with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has been a mentor at Central High School in Providence, and has coached in Little League and the Babe Ruth League.

The new chief will replace Interim Chief Brian Burke, who took over for previous Interim Chief Brian Peters, who left this summer to take over as Portsmouth’s chief of police. Chief Peters stepped in to replace longtime Chief Josue Canario, who retired in March. Chief Burke remains with the force, where he served as Detective Commander prior to his promotion to interim chief.

Mr. Lynch was the town administrator’s top choice, after a lengthy search process narrowed the field to three finalists. From an initial group of applicants for the job, 13 were evaluated by a nine-person panel. Nine of those moved forward with the process to take a written examination. Those exam scores counted for 60 percent of each candidate’s score on a 100-point scale. The evaluation panel gave its own 30-point scale, and each candidate received an equal 10 points by meeting minimum experience requirements.

Mr. Lynch was among the top three candidates, all of whom were invited to a one-on-one interview with Mr. Contente. He named his top choice, and Mr. Lynch passed all the remaining background checks and evaluations.