A former Tisbury police lieutenant has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the town claiming civil rights violations and breach of contract.

The Tisbury police department will be restructuring, and former Lieutenant Eerik Meisner is no longer employed by the town as of Wednesday, police chief Mark Saloio told the Gazette.

Island police responded to a car driving into a tennis court, a malfunction at the Lagoon Pond drawbridge and a bike accident over the long Columbus Day weekend.

Tisbury selectmen voted to offer the job of police chief to Sturbridge administrative lieutenant Mark Saloio following a public interview and forum Thursday.

An administrative lieutenant from Sturbridge is the lone finalist among five applicants for Tisbury police chief. Mark Saloio of Brimfield will be invited for a public interview on Sept. 19.

The search for a new Tisbury police chief has been narrowed to five candidates from a field of 16.

Tisbury police and the Martha’s Vineyard tactical response team were called to a Daggett avenue home in Vineyard Haven Wednesday morning.

Tisbury is set to begin the process of searching for a new police chief, and as part of the search the town hopes to recruit candidates from on and off-Island.

Mark Santon, a Tisbury police officer with more than 25 years of experience on the force, was fired Friday following a disciplinary hearing.

Dan Hanavan in Tisbury and Dan Rossi in West Tisbury have announced plans to retire, leaving vacancies in the top police job in two of the six Island towns.