Appointee, Special Election will Fill Sheriff's Seat

Gov. Deval Patrick has not yet considered a replacement for Middlesex Sheriff James DiPaola, preferring to wait until the family has had time to bury their husband and father before mulling over his choices, according to an official in the governor's office.

Special Sheriff John Granara is currently in charge of the Sheriff's department and will remain so for the foreseeable future.  Granara will retain control of the department until a replacement is named by the governor, according to Sheriff Chief of Staff and Malden City Councilor Gary Christenson.

"John Granara will spearhead the operation until the Governor names a successor. It is a strict gubernatorial appointment meaning that there is no direct legislative input," Christenson wrote in an e-mail.

DiPaola  to the head inside a Wells, Maine resort motel Saturday night, according to Wells Police.

DiPaola had  in advance of a Boston Globe story detailing his attempt to collect both a salary and pension while still in office. Later that week, a Fox 25 investigation revealed  for campaign finance violations.

Before , it was announced the governor would appoint a replacement to start the sheriff's new term in January.  When the governor will name that replacement is not yet clear. An official in the governor's office said the governor declined to speculate on a timeline to fill the vacancy.

According to Secretary of the Commonwealth Spokesperson Brian McNiss, the governor's appointee will serve until the next scheduled state election in 2012.

"At that point, there will be an election to fill the remainder of the term," said McNiss. A special election will then be held for a new sheriff to serve the remainder of that term.

The Sheriff is elected for a six-year term, so the next regular election for the position is scheduled for 2016.

"In [2016], we'll have a regular election," said McNiss.