Granville Police Chief Jose Rivera explains some of the police items that are normally carried by law enforcement personnel as part of the Granville Junior Police Academy. (File photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
GRANVILLE – Some residents are outraged that Police Chief Jose Rivera’s contract has not been renewed by the Selectboard.
Rivera’s three-year contract expires July 31.
Resident Carol Washington contacted The Westfield News with her concerns.
“Our town police department is in danger of losing its relationship with the surrounding towns, something Chief Rivera has worked hard to build in the seven years he’s been here,” Washington stated. “He built a rapport with the young people in town with the annual Bike Rodeo and Jr Police Academy. His Citizen’s Police Academy exposed residents to the intricacies of police work and has been very well received. Now all this is in danger of going away.”
Washington said a petition was signed by numerous residents protesting the Selectboard’s actions.
“There is a group of us who believe in the chief and all the good he’s done for this town,” she said.
The Selectboard, in a written statement, said “while Police Chief Jose A. Rivera’s contract was not renewed, he continues to serve as Chief in a hold over status. All other police personnel were re-appointed and the Selectboard have no plans to dismantle the police department. Legal counsel has advised us that we can comment no farther at this time as this is a personnel issue.”
Rivera received a letter from the board June 24 stating his contract would not be renewed.
“They are unwilling to negotiate a new contract,” said Rivera.
Rivera offered his own written statement, which outlined his dedication to the town.
“My family and I are deeply saddened by this turn of events,” he said. “We recently put down our roots by purchasing a house in town, having finally been able to sell our house south of Boston late last year. We were previously living in Southwick, but felt it was important to show our long-term commitment to the town by purchasing and making our home here.”
Rivera said he has put his new home on the market to provide flexibility in his job search.
“My young children are particularly devastated by seeing our house being packed up, their toys and pictures put away. I believe the town has failed to abide by the terms of my employment agreement,” he stated.
Rivera added that attorneys would decide if the town did break his contract.
Rivera listed a number of accomplishments achieved during his seven years as police chief.
“I am proud of the many positive relationships I have made in town and the accomplishments I have achieved, including initiating and implementing a variety of community policing programs that did not exist previous to my tenure,” Rivera said.
Among those programs are the Children’s Bike Safety Rodeo, Citizens Police Academy, Jr. Police Academy (for children ages 5 -12) and the School Safety Zone Initiative.
“I am also glad to have had the opportunity to support the town by providing a connection to law enforcement at the multitude of events hosted by the town, the Granville Village School, and other community organizations,” he said.
Rivera stated that he brought a degree of professionalism and modernization to the Department.
“Prior to my administration, there were no uniformly enforced standards, no disciplinary process, no selection process, no field training, and no remedial training,” said Rivera.
He added that the department is now staffed by trained, career police officers with significant law enforcement and military-security experience and who hold college degrees in criminal justice or law enforcement.
Rivera said he has built relationships with surrounding communities and the state police.
“I am proud of my many accomplishments and sorry to leave the town despite the extremely challenging nature of the position,” he said. “As the sole full time officer and CEO, with an extremely limited budget, I not only routinely respond (alone) to calls for service, late at night, on weekends and holidays, and on days that I am ‘on’ vacation or compensatory time, but my attendance is also required at court.”
Rivera listed numerous responsibilities that fall to him as the only full-time police officer.
“Despite the sometimes frenetic pace and demands, I have enjoyed my tenure,” Rivera said in his statement. “My family and I are deeply saddened to leave Granville, but I am looking forward to the next opportunity to provide another town or institution with the most cost effective, technically feasible and most professional police services possible by serving as their chief.”
