BY GAYLA CAWLEY
REVERE — Mayor Brian Arrigo has his sights set on a complete review of the Revere Police Department, and hiring a new chief.
Earlier this year, Arrigo opted against renewing the contract of Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli, which expires on June 30, citing a difference of philosophy. He said it was clear his philosophy — making sure leadership in the department was building trust in the community, and was focused on creating a culture of accountability and community policing – was a little bit different from the current chief.
“My administration is committed to delivering the highest standards of professionalism and accountability in all aspects of city government, especially public safety,” Arrigo said. “It is clear that we have to transform our police department into a modern outfit focused on 21st century community policing.
“We need a police department with leadership that emphasizes officers patrolling on foot, who get to know residents and business owners, and who make it their core mission to build deep trust between police and residents,” Arrigo continued. “In a complex, ever-changing urban environment, this approach to policing is vital in making our city a safe place to live, raise a family, and conduct business. This guiding principle is one we’ve followed in searching for our department’s next chief of police.”
Over the last two months, Arrigo said the candidates for police chief have undergone a thorough assessment from three police chiefs from outside the area. He said the candidates all scored lower than what was expected, which he said speaks to some deeper issues that may be in the department.
“Throughout this process, we have discovered significant managerial, communication, and community-relations issues within the police department,” Arrigo said. “Many of these revelations have been deeply concerning.
“While I had hoped to have a permanent police chief in place by July 1, based on what we have learned, I have decided to implement a top-to-bottom organizational review of the department, which will be conducted by a third-party.”
Arrigo said he expects the review will last six to nine months, which will involve looking at the organizational structure of the department, using technology better, and levels of communication, within the department and outside to his office.
While he said it is possible that the ideal candidate is internal, he also plans to request that the city council and the legislature allow him to expand the pool of potential applicants for chief, to include ones from outside the department. City ordinances states that a chief needs to come from within the department, and can only be a captain or lieutenant with five years in that rank, he added.
In the meantime, Arrigo said as of July 1, he will be appointing Capt. James Guido, the executive officer of the department, as interim chief. He will be in place while the organizational review is completed.
City councilor Anthony Zambuto said the process has obviously been initiated by the mayor, thinks that it has merit and is going to look at it, but hasn’t seen exactly what Arrigo was planning to do.
“I’m certainly going to keep an open mind and look at it and support the parts of it that I can,” Zambuto said. “It’s always good to review the structure of any of our departments.”
Zambuto said it was not his choice to not renew Cafarelli’s contract, and that he felt he was doing a great job. The city councilor pointed out that he is not the appointing authority, the mayor is, and all the council can do is say ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ to whomever Arrigo puts up. He said he would have reappointed the existing chief, but that’s not up to him.
Appointing an interim chief is a good stabilizing move, Zambuto said, and added he’s not against any review, as any department will always benefit from one.
“I can’t speak negatively about a review,” Zambuto said. “Who would? The best department in the world could use tweaking. Let’s see how it will shake out and we’ll go from there … Every force has its problems and Revere did too. A review will not hurt. It will only be helpful.”
City councilor John Powers said he is in favor of supporting whatever recommendation the mayor puts before the council. Regarding possibly expanding the pool for police chief, he said he thinks it’s always in the best interest of any city to make sure it is getting the best qualified candidates for that position.
“That’s not to say we don’t have qualified candidates,” Powers said. “I’m sure we do. When you look beyond what you have, you get a better understanding of what’s out there, and what may be the best fit for the department.”
Powers said that a review of any municipal, state or national department is always good, adding that circumstances change and procedures need to change with those circumstances. “We don’t operate a police department like we did 50 years ago,” he said.
“This decision and the appointment of a new police chief is critical and will have a long-term impact on our beloved city,” Arrigo said. “I have a responsibility to ensure our next chief has deep managerial skills, is guided by the principles of 21st century policing, and meets rigorous, high standards.
“Our police officers work diligently each and every day to keep our residents safe,” Arrigo continued. “They deserve a leadership structure and an organizational culture that utilizes best practices and gives them the tools to succeed. I look forward to working with fellow community leaders to make sure our police department is an example for the rest of the Commonwealth.”
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.