HOLYOKE — A public listening session will be hosted by the Search Committee tasked with evaluating candidates for the new police chief on Tuesday, Aug. 27 from 5-7 p.m. at Holyoke Media and residents are encouraged to attend to voice their vision in what they want for the next police chief.
Former Police Chief David Pratt officially stepped down on July 31 after announcing his decision to retire in May. Holyoke Police Capt. Isaias Cruz will serve as interim chief until a permanent chief is named.
The Search Committee has engaged the services of Public Safety Consultants LLC to assist the team. Public Safety Consultants provides a range of specialized services, including personnel management, to municipal fire and police departments in Massachusetts. One of the firm’s principals, Russ Stevens, will participate in the listening session.
Stevens has 37 years of municipal and state law enforcement experience, retiring as chief of staff to the Connecticut State Police colonel. He has a master’s degree in criminal justice and a bachelor’s in communication. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy and is currently the president of the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
City Personnel Director Kelly Curran is one of the appointed members of the Search Committee and spoke with Reminder Publishing about the ongoing search process. Curran said Stevens has been a great addition and they are looking forward to the listening session at the end of the month to get insight on what the public is looking for in the next police chief.
“We want to use the public input session as a start and use that data to come up with questions and see what the community wants in the next police chief,” Curran said.
After the listening session, focus will move to interviews as applications are being accepted through the end of the month. Curran said she anticipates after more time spent interviewing candidates the committee will narrow down the options to three candidates for Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia to consider and interview.
Appointed to the Search Committee by Garcia are Curran, Ward 1 City Councilor Jenny Rivera (chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee), Holyoke Police Sgt. Joseph Zurheide, Narcotics Intervention Officer Detective Dorothy Bene and Community Police Officer Josh Colon. Citizen participants — all of whom are members of the Police Relations Committee — Axel Fontanez, retired Holyoke Police Capt. Alan Fletcher, Quilana Rivera, Colleen Chesmore, Rosanna Lopez and Jennifer Keitt.
Holyoke’s Personnel Office is conducting a community survey that asks residents what qualities they would like to see in the next police chief. The survey can be accessed online at the city’s website. The survey is available in both English and Spanish and can be found on the Holyoke.org home page under “News.”
Paper copies of the survey are available at the City Clerk’s Office and the Personnel Office. Surveys should be completed by Friday, Aug. 23.
Curran said she encourages residents to attend the public listening session so they can directly provide feedback and insight to their requirements in a new chief of police in Holyoke. As a lifetime Holyoker herself, Curran added it was important for this process to be transparent and have open communication between the city and its residents.
“As someone who was born and raised in Holyoke and lives here and will probably die here, I think it’s important for the police chief to have trust from the community and for the community to feel safe and like they have a relationship,” Curran said.
