Left to right: Commission Chair Karl Hupfer, Commissioner Felix Otero, Commissioner Leonard Osowski, and former Police Chief John Camerota at a Police Commission meeting late last year. (Photo by Peter Currier)
WESTFIELD- After 25 years as a member of the Police Commission, Commission Chair Karl Hupfer is expected to resign at the Oct. 21 Police Commission meeting.
Police Chief Lawrence Valliere said that Commissioner Hupfer had sent in his letter of resignation and that it would be read publicly during Monday’s meeting. Mayor Brian P. Sullivan is preparing a plaque recognizing Hupfer for his service to the city, which will be presented during the Nov. 12 Police Commission meeting.
Hupfer is a Marine Corps. veteran on top of having been a major in the Massachusetts State Police. At one point, Valliere said, he was close to becoming the colonel of the entire state police force.
At one point during his time with the state police, Hupfer was assigned to a security detail to protect the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod.
“He’s got an interesting life,” said Valliere, “this guy has been around the block.”
Following Hupfer’s official resignation, his position on the commission must be filled by an appointment from the mayor. Sullivan has said that he wants to fill the position before his own term is up in January.
“First and foremost, I want to congratulate Karl Hupfer for his many, many years of service,” said Sullivan.
He added that he wants to fill the position quickly to avoid only having two active police commissioners.
Sullivan said that he has a couple of names in mind for a replacement, but that he would not be announcing them yet. He hopes to submit a name to be approved by the City Council before Nov. 7.
Sullivan said that the ideal candidate for the position would be someone with a criminal justice or law background.
