AMHERST — Temporary Police Chief Gabriel Ting, who has led the department since last May and been a member of the force for almost 27 years, will become Amherst’s permanent chief, pending approval by the Town Council.

Ting’s appointment to serve a chief of the force was announced by Town Manager Paul Bockelman Tuesday, three weeks after Ting and Chelmsford Police Lt. Todd Ahern were named finalists by a search committee and had meet-and-greet interviews with the community.

“Gabe Ting is the leader who can best lead the town of Amherst Police Department in the coming years,” Bockelman said in a statement.

The town manager said Ting brings extensive professional police experience in both operations and administration; advanced educational training in criminal justice; proven strength in the ability to listen and communicate, both within the department and with the public; and a strong commitment to progressive policing and to aligning the department with the needs and desires of the town of Amherst.

Ting, a police captain in charge of operations since 2019, succeeds Scott Livingstone, who retired after nearly 14 years as Amherst’s police chief. Town Council will act on his appointment at a coming meeting.

In his interviews, Ting spoke of his experience of being born in Argentina to Chinese parents who traveled to various countries seeking opportunity, immigrating to the United States and settling in Amherst when his father got a job at Kollmorgen in Northampton. Policing has run in the family, as his older brother, Kelson Ting, who was born in Brazil, was acting police chief and acting officer in charge for Leverett police from 2004 to 2005.

Bockelman praised Ting’s commitment to Amherst youth and promise to build better relations with young people.

“Most importantly, perhaps, is Capt. Ting’s commitment to the town of Amherst, which was evident throughout the process,” Bockelman said, citing his observations of Ting’s detailed and ground level leadership during his interim stint.

“He has earned the trust and respect of the police officers in the department, his professional colleagues, and members of the town’s many communities.”

A 1991 graduate of Amherst Regional, Ting, of Belchertown, came to the Amherst police as a patrol officer in April 1997, after graduating from the University of Massachusetts, was appointed as detective in 2004, and then was promoted to sergeant in 2010 and lieutenant in 2016.

Ting holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice from UMass and a master’s in criminal justice administration from Western New England University. He is a certified instructor under the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council and has taught at various police academies.

In addition, Ting has coached youth lacrosse and hockey in the region, and serves on the Ancestral Bridges Foundation board of directors.

Ting’s appointment continues a tradition in Amherst dating back more than 50 years in which internal candidates have been selected to succeed retiring police chiefs. When Frank Hart retired in 1973, he was succeeded by Donald Maia, who was followed by Charles Scherpa in 2000 and then Livingstone in 2009.

The selection comes after the finalists were brought forward by the Police Chief Search Committee, chaired by attorney Everald Henry. That committee included Lev Ben Ezra, executive director of the Amherst Survival Center; Tony Butterfield, chairman of the Amherst Personnel Board and professor emeritus at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass; Elizabeth Haygood, who co-chairs the Human Rights Commission; Jennifer Moyston, assistant director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Fire Chief Tim Nelson; UMass Police Chief Tyrone Parham; Derek Shea, principal at Crocker Farm Elementary School; David Williams, a member of the Amherst Housing Authority the Amherst League of Women Voters Racial Justice Committee; and Melissa Loiodice-Walker, director of Human Resources.

During his public interview, Ting pledged an open-door policy, welcoming all segments of the community to speak with him. But he also understands there can be discomfort among some residents, such as those who are Black, Indigenous and people of color.

He would expand outreach programs, such as to those living at apartment complexes, and has a goal to bring back the citizen police academy so residents can see policing firsthand.

“We have to make a concerted effort to reach out to the community,” Ting said. “It starts with conversations, it starts with building relationships.”

“We want to become problem solvers, not problem creators,” Ting said, adding he would prioritize anti-racism.

Ting emphasized the importance of helping youth, doing more to support the BIPOC kids in Amherst, in reflecting on his own life as an immigrant.

“Youth of our community are an investment,” Ting said. “You need to be able to listen to the community and what it needs.”