Adams Interviews Two of Three Police Chief Candidates
 Scott Heagney is one of three finalists for the position. |
ADAMS, Mass. — A man who has worked his way up the Police Department ladder and the current head of an ATF Bureau are two of three candidates vying to take over the helm of the department.
Richard Tarsa, current acting chief, and Scott Heagney, resident agent-in-charge for the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm's Rochester, N.Y. office, both interviewed to fill the position vacated by Donald Poirot's retirement. Michael Bennett, a sergeant from Templeton, will be interviewed on Wednesday.
For more than an hour each, Tarsa and Heagney were questioned by the Board of Selectmen on an array of issues. Both subscribe to the "community policing" model while looking to modernize it.
Tarsa said he has gained the trust of the community and the other officers during his 29 years in the department through his community initiatives.
"I want people to treat me the way I treat them," Tarsa said, adding that still has cordial relationships with people he has arrested because "I've treated them with respect."
Tarsa says he'll create an open-door policy with the staff encouraging the officers and the community to keep an open line of communication about issues. He promised that if hire he would keep and open mind.
"I've always been willing to listen," Tarsa told the Selectmen. "You really need to take an open mind whether it is trivial or not."
However, he knows that no matter how open and honest a chief can be, rumors can still circulate in a small town. Tarsa said it would be his responsibility to perform "damage control" if a rumor becomes detrimental to the town.
"Open, honest and transparent, that's the best way to handle it," Tarsa said.
That communication goes for the Selectmen and the town administrator, he said. Tarsa has worked with every one of the town's administrators and has a good line of communication with them — especially with current Administrator Jonathan Butler.
"Over the years, since Jonathan came on, that communication is a fact. When we say we are talking, we are talking," Tarsa said "The communication is there. I feel it is very easy to speak to any of you."
Tarsa has seen the department modernize to handle such threats like computer crimes and he hopes to continue keeping up with the technology and "be proactive." Meanwhile, he feels that the best policing efforts are by building relationships with the community — particularly with the children.
"If I am fortunate enough to become chief, I will put an officer on the beat whenever I can," Tarsa said.
He added that he is currently working with the superintendent of schools to create an assembly program for the high school students in an attempt to curb drug and alcohol problems.
He has led neighborhood watch programs for the department and feels those are an effective way to prevent crime. However, when asked if he would support arming those in a watch program, he voiced strong opposition.
Tarsa said he will give extra effort in the position, such as his recent turn on patrol since being appointed acting chief because an officer was injured and there was no other option.
Heagney boasts a 27-year career in law enforcement starting as a patrol officer. He spent much of his career with the Franklin Police Department, working his way up to lieutenant in charge of operations. But by 2001, he was still fourth in the line of seniority to having a shot at becoming the chief.
He took a job as a special agent with the ATF and moved around the Northeast investigating violent and gang crimes. He supervised a bureau in Washington, D.C., coordinating international investigations before heading the office of 10 agents in Rochester.
However, being a Massachusetts native with a passion for community policing, he is now looking to move closer to his family and get back to his original career he started. He, too, believes in the "community policing model."
"You can't just sit in your office at the police station," Heagney said. "I'd encourage officers to get out of the car. You don't need to be out catching crooks all of the time."
Heagney said it is proven that sitting in a cruiser is not effective in reducing crime and it "drives me crazy" to see that happening across the country. He wants his officers to be sports coaches, to stop by playgrounds and talk to parents and build relationships to townspeople and foster public trust.
"The police should police the way the community wants. The people should be telling us what is important," he said. "We're in the service business."
He said he would "open up the police station" to residents and "pump information out" to prevent rumors from spiraling "out of control."
"We're not the CIA. There are no secrets," Heagney said, adding he would put out accurate information via the department's website, Facebook page and the media.
Meanwhile, he said he would explain the his philosophy on policing and encourage officers to think outside of the box.
"You need to let them know that it is OK to go out and do their jobs," Heagney said of his management style, in which he would sacrifice some of his control to give officers more discretion.
When asked about handling corruption, Heagney said he has no tolerance for it — he put his partner and friend in jail for interfering with an investigation. An officer misbehaving would be a "failure of leadership," he said, because he stands out in front of his staff, not shoulder to shoulder.
As for addressing school issues, Heagney said he would immediately change the part-time school resource officer position into a full-time position.
"The kids are the most important resource we have and we need to protect them," he said.
He, too, supports neighborhood crime watch and also opposes arming those involved. Both candidates support the town's efforts to add bicycle lanes to slow down traffic and create a safer environment for pedestrians.
Heagney summarized his beliefs with three main points — that police need to be active in the community, do what the citizens want them to do and think out of the box.
The Selectmen have one interview remaining and expect to announce their selection within two weeks.
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