By CHRIS LINDAHL
@cmlindahl
Daily Hampshire Gazette
SOUTHAMPTON — Community policing, increasing officer training and restructuring shifts are a few of the ideas interim Police Chief Michael R. Goyette shared with the Select Board before he was offered the permanent job after his interview Tuesday.
Goyette and the only other candidate for the town’s top police job, Sgt. Ian Illingsworth, were each interviewed for over an hour by the Select Board. While the members largely agreed that both men were highly qualified and dedicated, the board voted 4-1 to offer Goyette the position.
“I’m impressed by both candidates,” Chairwoman Elizabeth Moulton said. “I don’t think the town can go wrong.”
Goyette will be hired as permanent chief pending contract negotiations, which Town Administrator Heather Budrewicz expects to be complete by Feb. 9.
Goyette has served on the Southampton force for nearly three decades. He attended Greenfield Community College before leaving early to enroll full-time in the state Criminal Justice Training Academy in Agawam in 1987.
He worked as a police officer in Northampton and Williamsburg before joining the Southampton Department. He was promoted to sergeant in 1996 and lieutenant three years later. He has also served as the DARE officer at Hampshire Regional High School in Westhampton.
Goyette is set to replace former chief David Silvernail, who retired in October after 16 years as chief.
At the Tuesday meeting, Goyette and Illingsworth were asked 10 identical questions, the answers to which were scored numerically by the Select Board members.
Asked how his career thus far has prepared him to take on the top job, Goyette said he has learned something from all his supervisors and on every call he’s answered.
“Every day it’s a learning experience — no matter what rank you’re at,” he said.
He said key attributes he looks for in new police officers is level-headedness and adaptability.
“Somebody who will work with the people and not just look at themselves as a person with a badge,” Goyette said. “Treat people fairly, decently and respectfully — and with compassion.”
Goyette focused during much of his interview on how he has implemented or plans to implement community policing efforts in Southampton.
He already has increased the department’s social media presence in his time as interim chief, regularly posting tips, crime alerts and other advisories on Facebook.
Goyette also has a policy where officers get out of their cruisers for at least 10 minutes per hour to walk around or talk with people inside businesses.
“That what it’s about, making a connection with the community that you’re working in, that a lot of us live in,” he said. “We’re part of the community.”
Goyette also said that he wants to continue policing duties, rather than run the department from a desk — something board member John Martin said is important.
“I’m looking for someone who’s out in uniform, out in public, doesn’t treat it as an 8-4 job,” Martin said.
Goyette said that he believes it is important that a chief continue to work in the field for the benefit of the community and the officers.
“Being the chief you have administrative duties, no doubt about that,” he said. “But you have the duty to your officers … to be a good leader you need to have your feet on the ground with them.”
Goyette also presented ideas for improvements to the department, including increasing the amount of free trainings officers attend, reinstating the program in which officers checked the homes of vacationing residents, improving traffic management at William E. Norris School, working with criminal justice students from Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton and local colleges, utilizing cost-saving vehicle lease programs, implementing bike patrols and creating an online reporting tool for residents.
Goyette said he plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree and has already completed an FBI leadership training program and begun networking with area police chiefs.
Nearly all of the members ranked Goyette slightly higher or equal to Illingsworth.
Member Jacqueline Sears said she voted against the appointment because she has worked extensively with Illingsworth on a citizens’ emergency preparedness program, though noted she thought both men would do an “excellent job.”
Chris Lindahl can be reached at [email protected].
