MILLVILLE, Mass. -- State police are patrolling the streets in a tiny town in central Massachusetts after selectmen suspended the town's police chief and two of his officers.

NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that Millville officials made the move after they say several citizens complained.

"Since September 2005, the board has received four written complaints from citizens," Selectwoman Diane McCutcheon said.

In the tiny Blackstone River Valley town of Millville, if it weren't for the police, there wouldn't be any news.

"The leaders of the town will do what is right for the town. We are going to do that. I don't have a problem with that," said McCutcheon.

The board suspended Police Chief Tim Ryan and his top officer and brother, Sgt. Jim Ryan, and another officer pending a full investigation into charges the board will not talk about.

"I was placed on administrative leave. The selectmen said within a couple of weeks, they'd tell me what the complaints are," Chief Tim Ryan said.

The suspensions have become the talk of the town, especially on local radio station WMRC.

"I think what's happened is that Millville wants their police chief, Tim Ryan, out. They hope to embarrass him by putting for some charges that eventually will not stick," said WMRC's Ed Thompson.

Thompson said the chief crossed a Mendon police officer who lives in Millville.

"It involves an allegation against a Mendon police sergeant that Millville was doing an investigation for the state. The allegation is that Tim Ryan, the chief, leaked this information to some members of the media, I was one of them -- he did not leak it to me," Thompson said.

The chief turned in his badge, gun and patrol car.

"I've been here my whole life. I've worked for the department for 23 years, 19 of it as police chief. You can understand how we are upset over this," he said.

Town officials said the state police troopers would maintain the streets.