By Adam Swift
The city’s police chief search committee interviewed four internal candidates for the Revere Police Department’s top job on Monday.
The city is looking to replace recently retired Chief David Callahan, who served on the department for more than 34 years.
The four candidates included the current Interim Chief, Maria LaVita, Capt. Tom Malone, Lt. Brian Chapman, and Lt. Robert Impemba. The city ordinance requires that the city hire an internal candidate with at least five years rank as a lieutenant or captain.
“We were really pleased with what we pulled out from everyone,” said Mayor Patrick Keefe. “Everyone did a really nice job of interviewing and it was, if anything, we were able to get so much good information from sitting down with each of these individuals that we know that we will be able to use everything they gave us for the best of the department. Each one of them stated their interest in making the department better and being in a supporting role whether they get the position or not.”
Also serving with Keefe on the search committee are city finance director Richard Viscay, city solicitor Paul Capizzi, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dianne Kelly, mayoral chief of staff Claudia Correa, outside labour counsel Nicholas Anastasopoulos, and Col. Oscar Perez, the chief of the Providence Police Department. Keefe said Perez serves as the outside police colonel/chief who will help support the search committee.
The committee came up with a questionnaire of about 45 questions for the candidates that allow for follow up and further discussion, the mayor said.
Keefe said he hopes that the process is wrapped up within the next two weeks.
The interviews on Monday were the most formal setting for the process so far, but Keefe said each of the candidates have submitted bios, resumes, and cover letters and the committee has been able to review the experience and track record of all the candidates.
Each member of the search committee will rank the candidates they would like to see as the next chief, and then Keefe said there will hopefully be a consensus on selecting a single candidate.
“I think it is important for the department to have assurances on what the future holds and what the leadership looks like,” said Keefe. “Anytime you have a loss in leadership and you have 100-plus members in the police department, they are looking for their leaders and they want to know what to expect, so it is really important to establish that leadership. We are coming up on a new fiscal year, so I think it all aligns properly to have a new police chief and continue our positive direction with Revere policing.”
Keefe said he applauded Callahan and what he was able to accomplish in his more than three decades with the department.
“We don’t have a broken system, but like anything, you bring in some fresh new eyes that can bring in a different approach and it will be helpful,” Keefe said. “Any large institution, it is helpful to bring in a slightly different change of mindset every once in awhile to come up with some new ideas and new strategies when it comes to modern-day policing.”
