A Buxton police corporal who had been sharing interim chief duties with another officer returned to work this week after resigning last month, saying at the time her opportunities to succeed had been restricted and the department had been “irrevocably” damaged.

The news that Cpl. Kim Emery would be returning after she had submitted a strongly worded resignation letter that was critical of the Board of Selectmen prompted questions from residents at a selectmen’s meeting, where her decision was announced last week. Neither Emery nor selectmen offered a full explanation for her decision to withdraw her resignation.

Her return was welcomed by a member of the department, which has been short-staffed since the resignation of Emery and the longtime police chief, Jody Thomas.

Veteran officer Mike Grovo, who was asked to share administrative duties with Emery until a replacement for Thomas could be found, said he was pleased Emery was returning to the department.

“I’m glad she’s back because she’s a very good police officer,” Grovo said. “Bringing her back has helped me out greatly. There have been a few long days lately.”

Emery’s departure had prompted the Board of Selectmen to consider going outside of the department to hire a temporary chief, but Selectman Bob Libby said the town would not be pursuing that option now that Emery has returned.

“That’s not going to happen now,” said Libby. “She’s going to continue as if her resignation didn’t happen.”

Emery submitted her resignation to the town at the end of July, only a few weeks after Thomas left her position. The town paid Thomas $46,000 in a severance package.

Emery wrote in her resignation letter that she quit because the Buxton Police Department had encountered many changes that were not positive or in the best interest of the department, and that she felt her opportunities to succeed in the department had been restricted and the department had been “irrevocably” damaged.

“I can no longer work for a town who would allow personal vendettas to destroy the integrity of a well-respected and well run police department,” Emery wrote in her letter.

Residents questioned why selectmen would allow her to return after she submitted such a strong rebuke of the town.

“What changed?” Buxton resident and former selectman Carol Sanborn asked the board at the meeting last week.

“She damaged the town,” Buxton resident Barbara Elwell said.

Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Jean Harmon said Emery’s withdrawal, submitted on Aug. 7, came before her effective resignation date, Aug. 10, and by law Emery is allowed to return to her job as “if the resignation didn’t happen.”

“The only thing I can comment on is that Cpl. Emery had time to think of her resignation and decided that she would rather stay employed with the town of Buxton,” Harmon said during the meeting. “She enjoys the people of the community, and she takes her job very seriously.”

Emery did not return calls seeking comment.

“I’m happy that she’s back,” said Selectman Cliff Emery (no relation) ,who didn’t attend the meeting because he is on vacation, but knew last week that Emery planned to return. “It bothered me that we were going to lose an important piece of the department, and I am just very happy that in the end she decided to stay.”

On Monday, the board narrowed the police chief search to six candidates after it received 26 resumes for the position.

The board is assembling an interview committee that will include police officers from other towns.