Peabody Police promote three

PEABODY-Three Peabody police lieutenants were promoted to the rank of captain last week, moving the department closer to its overall goal of reorganization.Lts. Dennis Bonaiuto, John DeRosa, and Joseph Berardino were quietly sworn in Thursday afternoon in Mayor Michael Bonfanti?s office at City Hall.?These are good guys,” said Bonfanti. “They?re all very qualified and experienced.”All men have at least 20 years of service to the city under their belts. Most recently, Bonaiuto has served as the department?s spokesperson working out of Peabody District Court, DeRosa as the watch commander and Berardino as a training officer.As one of the state?s largest cities, both the Mayor?s office and the department decided it was time to join forces and reconfigure the way the city protects its citizens.?Things have started to change here,” said Bonfanti. “We?re going to have to change how we police the city.”Already, the city has appointed two new deputy chiefs, Marty Cohan and Scott Carriere, who will serve as non-union “mini chiefs” of selected geographical zones. They will be responsible for all that occurs in their post 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Police Chief Robert Champagne.?We wanted to start at the top,” Bonfanti said. “We had to get the key players in place so we can have everything filter down.”In order for the new captain positions to become official, the deputy chiefs will have to first become permanent, said Champagne, which means Carriere and Cohan will have to pass their civil service exams this spring.?Everything is very regimented,” he said, speaking on the civil service process. “It?s a hierarchal ladder.”Champagne and Bonfanti both agree that the reorganization will enhance the department?s delivery of services to the public.?It adds an extra hand,” said Champagne. “It adds some people who will now have to be subject matter experts of everything that goes on in that specific area of the city.”Champagne said the new positions will also increase accountability, availability, and knowledge of issues, crime-related or not, in all of the city?s communities.Champagne said it will likely take the department another 24 months or so to fully transition from the old ways into the new. At that time, positions may be reviewed and perhaps reduced.?Down the road, when we get this all organized and up and running, at that point in time, we?ll look at whether we should reduce the number of captains,” said Bonfanti.