CHESAPEAKE — A village police corporal was named acting chief of the force Monday night at a special meeting of the village council.

Dennis Gibson, a longtime member of the force, will take over the reins of the police department, according to Mayor Dick Gilpin.

“We appointed him for a period of up to six months,” Gilpin said. “We are trying to give him a shot at it and see what he can do. If he does well, he has a leg up on the job.”

Gibson replaces Russell Bennett who took early retirement in a buyout offered by the council. The village continues to seek applications and hasn’t determined when a decision on a permanent chief will be made.