James Carritte, a 27-year veteran of the local fire department, was sworn in at city hall last Thursday as Lynn’s acting Fire Chief.

Carritte, who holds a doctorate in Sociology from Boston College, said he was proud and pleased to be the acting chief.

He is a lifelong Lynner who graduated from Lynn English High School, then went on to Salem State College and finally to Boston College.

His father, Thomas, was a Lynn fire fighter. His grandfather, Thomas, was the City of Lynn Electrician during the Great Depression.

As the acting fire chief, Carritte runs the department.

He said he has an interest in becoming the permanent chief, but will await the outcome of a variety of legal maneuvers as the city attempts to arrive at a proper and legal way of choosing a new permanent chief.

Newly inaugurated Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy will ultimately be the arbiter of how the new permanent chief is chosen.

Carritte is a loquacious sort, articulate, and well read.

He is the father of a 17-year old son.

He has some ideas on how the new chief should be chosen.

“The position should be taken out of Civil Service and posted for the best qualified to apply,” he said.

Whether or not that comes to pass is a moot question right now.