When Zachary Townes becomes a full-time police officer in Edgartown next year, pending completion of the police academy, it won’t be his first paycheck from the town.

Far from it. Mr. Townes, 29, has worked for the town for the past 13 years.

He has served as a special police officer for the Edgartown police department. He has also worked at the Edgartown School and for the parks department.

Now, with the retirement of Sgt. Ken Johnson earlier this year, there’s a spot for him on the town police force.

“He’s a perfect fit,” police chief Antone Bettencourt told the selectmen on Monday, as he asked them to appoint Mr. Townes as a student police officer.

The designation allows Mr. Townes to enroll in the police academy, where he will train for about six months.

Mr. Townes will pay his own way, just like any other academy student, but he’ll graduate knowing he has a job in his hometown, Mr. Bettencourt said.

“He’s the guy I want working for us,” he said.

Without backing from a police department, it’s difficult to get a slot in police school, Mr. Bettencourt said. “They are hiring so many police officers around the state that you can’t get in self-sponsored.”

The selectmen responded to the appointment enthusiastically, perhaps too much so.

Chairman Arthur Smadbeck mistakenly signed his name for Mr. Townes on a document authorizing the appointment, inadvertently committing himself to the academy, his colleagues joked.

“Okay, but I don’t know if it’s the perfect fit,” the police chief said, chuckling.