Police/Fire

Westfield Police expecting shake-up in ranks

WESTFIELD–The Westfield Police Department will be experiencing a lot of internal movement in the coming months, as they and the city are expected to fill several ranking positions within the department.

According to Westfield Police Chief John Camerota, there are a total of five positions that will be filled–two at the sergeant position, two at the lieutenant position and one captain. The shake-up comes after former Westfield Police Capt. Hipolito “Paul” Nunez retired earlier this year, as well as another retirement of a ranking officer expected in July of this year.

“It is a domino effect,” Jane Sakiewicz, personnel director for the city of Westfield, said. “We try to promote from within whenever possible so it creates a domino effect.”

According to Sakiewicz, the positions are all filled through the state’s civil service program. Each applicant that is qualified must be on the list for the positions, which is provided by the Massachusetts Human Resource Division. Their qualification to be on the list includes completing an examination based on the position they may be applying for.

Sakiewicz said that currently there are two qualified applicants for the captain position and three qualified applicants for the two lieutenant positions. The eventually-vacant sergeant positions have no one on the list and there is currently no timetable for the positions to be filled.

All of those going for the positions are currently within the department, said Sakiewicz, but officers from other departments can also apply, which is done through the civil service system initially.

Applications for the lieutenant and captain positions are due by April 26.

“I’m hoping that in the first week of May we hold interviews and then appoint as soon as possible,” Camerota said.

 The second captain’s position in the department has been vacant since Nunez’s retirement in January of this year.

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