Passaro is proud to be SPD chief
Published on July 8th, 1998
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham Police Chief Eugene Passaro is a problem solver. As manager of the town's Police Department for the past 17 years, Passaro now sees "95 percent of the work as non-law enforcement," and challenges the townspeople to bring their concerns to the police.
"We want complaints. If there is a problem, complain. Don't expect us to see it, you have to tell us. If you do, and we don't respond, shame on us," he says.
Part of what has brought about this philosophy of a "problem solving department," as Passaro likes to call it, has as much to do with the person behind the badge as to the programs he has implemented.
Passaro brought to Stoneham an extensive background from Stamford, Connecticut, where he worked his way up through the ranks to serve as that city's deputy police chief, overseeing a department of 300.
Following the riots of the 1960s, the deaths of fellow police officers, and the myriad of urban problems facing that department, Passaro earned his Masters degree and sought out a new opportunity.
He soon found what he was looking for in Stoneham, a community whose police department seemed tailor-made for a leader eager to be an active member of the community and immerse himself in new types of problems.
Initially, he considered his position as police chief as an avenue to learn more about town government and eventually move on to a Town Administrator position.
"But after 30 days on the job, I realized there was no way I wanted to be a Town Administrator," Passaro recalls. In fact, he had found his niche and considers himself fortunate to have been chosen for the position which he describes as "extremely rewarding."
Passaro found many differences between the city and the town of Stoneham, the most notable of which was the people. He called the townspeople "more friendly, accepting, and trusting." That, he believes, "makes for better working conditions."
One of the most successful programs that the department has implemented under Passaro, and one that is redefining police work around the country, is community policing.
Passaro stated that Community policing is actually an old concept that has been lost due to tight budgets and cutbacks.
Years ago, he said, police had walking beats. This allowed them to get to know the people they served and their problems. Over time, however, as budget cuts became the norm, the walking beat died away and "suddenly every police officer was riding around in a steel and glass cage."
"They didn't hear from people except in a reactionary manner. All proactive police work went by the wayside," Passaro stated.
The Stoneham department recognized a glaring irony. "We had to ask ourselves, 'Why are we in an adversarial role with the people we are supposed to be helping?' " stated Passaro.
The federal government recognized the need as well and, five years ago, with funding through federal grants, the Community Policing program in Stoneham was founded.
Built on the philosophy of improving the way in which the police and community deal with each other, community policing encourages interaction among members of the department and the public.
Some of the work these officers can be found doing includes eating lunch in the Middle School cafeteria with the students.
This, Passaro advises, is of crucial significance. The Middle School students, which Passaro describes as a "vulnerable age group," share their lunch breaks with the officers and, as a result, have built a trust with the Police Department.
"The kids love it," stated Passaro, who recalled the response police would receive a few years back before this stress on positive interaction with the community. Back the, he said, if a uniformed officer sat down at the cafeteria table with students, the kids would get up and leave.
Community policing also encourages participation between kids and senior citizens, two groups who have traditionally misunderstood each other. In addition, Passaro stated that the police are available to help parents by interceding when parents fear their children might be heading for trouble.
"Parents now trust us...We both want to steer kids in the right direction." he said.
In much of the community policing work, such as described above, Passaro stated that law-enforcement does not come into play.
"We're doing what, in reality, some other agency should be doing," he said, and praises the program for filling in these voids.
Passaro commends Sergeant Herb Moore who "took up the gauntlet," and spearheaded the program in Stoneham five years ago. He continues to seek the grants that allow it to continue. In addition, Passaro credited the countless hours of volunteer time by his department, which mostly goes unnoticed, as responsible for the program's success.
There are many instances where police officers have donated their time, but the most memorable example of this dedication was at last year's Vietnam War Moving Wall Memorial.
In conjunction with the large number of volunteers throughout the town who helped make this event the great success that it was, Passaro said that among members of the Police Department, "everyone chipped in."
Passaro considers the experience another example of how the police have worked successfully in partnership with the community. Passaro did not just witness this, he got involved and was spotted directing traffic during the week-long event.
As the summertime settles in, Passaro does not anticipate any increasing trouble in town.
"A lot of the work we've been doing in community policing solves the traditional summertime problems," he stated.
The bike patrols, Passaro advised, will be out and about this summer, weather permitting. Citizens have been receptive to the patrols and to the community policing philosophy in general. Passaro explained that talking with residents, merchants and other members of the community, is helpful to police since it gives them an understanding of what the problems are.
"Do you know how many problems you can solve by just talking and listening?" he asked.
Passaro is currently busy with his involvement on the firearms legislation that is working its way through the State House. The issue at hand concerns applications for firearm permits.
A new bill proposes the establishment of a review board to re-examine applications for permits initially denied by local police departments. The current structure allows a denied applicant to appeal the local decision to the courts. This bill, Passaro explained, inserts another layer in the process and undermines the knowledge that the local authorities have access to.
"A review board knows nothing about the problems in Stoneham...They don't know what the community police know," he said.
He continued that the local police may not have enough information on an individual to put him or her in jail, but "they know enough to deny a gun permit."
"Many people feel there are too many guns out there...We don't advocate taking guns away, but we want to make sure those who do have them are suitable people," he said.
As Passaro looks toward the future, he worries about the predictions of unrest in the years between 2005 and 2010.
With a large population of children in and approaching the teen years, compounded with what Passaro sees as "less respect in general," experts anticipate similar unrest to that which occurred in the 1960s.
Another area of specific concern which Passaro foresees as a continued problem in the future is domestic violence. He describes the situation today, even in Stoneham, as "worse than it's ever been."
The Stoneham Police Department is trying to deal with the problem, however. With a task force put in place, the department is trying to become more knowledgeable on the issues and resolutions. Training sessions are held for the task force, but Passaro admitted that due to the volume of domestic problems in town, most of the work is still reactionary.
Passaro is confident, however, that Stoneham has the best tools already in place to deal with the future. He states that community policing attempts to build respect and what is being accompli
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