MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro officially has a new fire chief.

Owen Thompson was sworn in by Town Clerk Allison Ferreira during the Sept. 12 Select Board meeting after signing his contract. A large contingent from the Middleboro Fire Department attended the ceremony, held during the Sept. 12 Select Board meeting.

Thompson, who served as a fire captain in Brookline for 20 years, was selected at the Aug. 8 meeting from a field of three finalists.

After the Sept. 12 meeting, he thanked the select board for choosing him for the post. He succeeds Fire Chief Lance Benjamino, who has retired.

“I have wanted to do this for a very long time,’’ he said of the chief’s position. “I’m very excited.’’

He thanked his family for their support and what he described as his “Brookline family’’ of firefighters who “taught me what firefighting is all about.’’

His goal, he said, is “to lead this department for a long time and to lead it in a very positive direction.’’ 

He appeared visibly moved by the attendance of many members of the Middleboro Fire Department. “I can’t thank you enough for showing up,’’ he said.