Rush Township has a new police chief.

Supervisors approved a motion to hire interim Chief Gerard M. Gallagher to serve as full-time chief of police at an annual salary of $72,800, subject to a 12-month probationary period.

The probation period started with his initial appointment as interim chief.

Gallagher has served as deputy director of academy operations for Lackawanna College Police Academy and was site coordinator for Lackawanna College’s Hazleton police site.

He attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice of The City University of New York and has a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice and police science from Lackawanna College.