Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 11/2/2023
WESTFIELD — The Police Commission recently chose Capt. Jerome Pitoniak as the city’s new police chief after interviewing three candidates, all of whom are current Westfield officers.
Pitoniak, 54, was chosen to replace the retiring Chief Lawrence Valliere from a group that included Capt. Steve Dickinson and Lt. Eric Hall.
Commissioners Richard Sypek, James Irwin and Peter Velis asked the same nine questions of all three candidates, often following up with additional questions.
When asked about the strengths of the department, Pitoniak said that whenever the department gets a call from either the public or another police department, “we go above and beyond.”
Pitoniak named several priorities for improvement. First, he said, was creating a new mission statement for the department that “really tells the people what we’re really about … we’re a community-driven Police Department.”
He also said he wanted to reestablish monthly staff meetings, continue to invest in officer training, renovate the women’s locker room at the station, and acquire a new K9 unit.
He also said the city needed to invest in body cameras for its officers, acknowledging it would be a “huge expense” to the city.
Most important, Pitoniak said, was increasing the size of the Traffic Bureau was vitally important. He said when he started on the force, the Traffic Bureau had four dedicated officers working. Now it has two.
“The biggest community problem now is the traffic issue … speeding and accidents,” said Pitoniak, who has been with the department for 28 years.
Pitoniak said his philosophy of leadership is “simple”: the Golden Rule.
“If you follow that principle, it’s the easy way to look at the work and the people,” he said.
He also said he would maintain an open-door policy and is not a micromanager, but believes delegation is an effective management style.
He said he believed the relationship with the community was strong, and he said the department needed to continue its relationships with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, the Boy and Girl Scouts, and the Police Explorer program.
Each of the candidates spoke of the need of increasing the number of officers on the force and the importance of recruiting and mentoring new officers.
Pitoniak grew up in Blandford on a 220-acre farm and said he understands hard work. His parents, both teachers, instilled in him the importance of education and service.
“I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty,” he said.
He earned an associate degree from Holyoke Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University, and a master’s degree from an online university. He was also an Eagle Scout, he said.
When finishing his interview, Pitoniak reiterated his belief that the Golden Rule would guide him while serving as the chief and that he would lead by example.