posted on 9/12/2025
Capt. David Terlemezian has been selected as Dover’s next police chief, City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. announced this week. He will succeed Chief William N. Breault, who is retiring Sept. 19 after nearly three decades of service to the city.
Joyal told councilors at this week’s City Council meeting that Terlemezian was chosen after a competitive internal process that drew three strong candidates.
“Capt. Terlemezian was one of three very well-qualified candidates within the department who went through a rather elaborate testing process,” Joyal said. “I was faced with a tough decision. Looking at his experience, his involvement in the department, I decided to select Capt. Terlemezian to be the next chief of police.”
Terlemezian has spent nearly 30 years with the Dover Police Department. He joined as a patrol officer in 1996 before moving into the Special Investigations Bureau three years later, where he worked as a detective. He was promoted to sergeant in 2005, lieutenant in 2007, and captain in 2010. In his current role as captain, the second-highest rank in the department, Terlemezian has overseen investigations, training and accreditation, community outreach, grant administration and financial management.
At the City Council meeting, Terlemezian expressed gratitude for the appointment and emphasized his commitment to teamwork.
“I am proud and humbled,” Terlemezian said. “Really, I’m just part of a fantastic team with just a new title, so thank you very much.”
In a letter to the council earlier in the day, Joyal cited Terlemezian’s qualifications and leadership.
“He will be assuming command of a well-respected, nationally recognized local law enforcement agency,” Joyal said in the letter. “An agency which has been repeatedly designated the ‘best of the best’ with their ‘flagship’ designation by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies. In being promoted to chief of police, I have complete confidence that he will successfully lead our Police Department and continue to ensure the highest level of professionalism and commitment in serving our Dover community.”
Terlemezian is a 1995 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. In 2012, he completed a master’s degree in criminal justice at Boston University. He has also participated in the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association’s command and executive-level training programs. Terlemezian is married and has one child, and he and his family live in Dover.
Chief Breault’s retirement marks the close of a long career in Dover policing. Breault joined the department in 1998 and was appointed chief in 2018. Under his leadership, the department continued its national accreditation and focused on community engagement initiatives. His retirement was announced in August, and he will be departing to take the role of police chief in South Burlington, Vermont.
