JOHN A. CAMEROTA
WESTFIELD – After 42 years, John A. Camerota is about to become a civilian.
Camerota started working as a Westfield police dispatcher in 1976 and will end his career – as the city’s Chief of Police – on Friday, his 65th birthday.
Camerota said in a recent interview that the year he worked as a dispatcher “really got me focused on police work …I was hooked.” He became a reserve officer in 1978 and a full time officer in September of 1980. He was promoted to sergeant in 1986 and became a lieutenant slightly less than a year later.
Camerota said that (except for the traffic bureau) he worked in all of the department’s bureaus during his career but he was happiest as a lieutenant when he commanded the department’s detective bureau.
“Detective lieutenant was what I considered to be the best job in the police department,” he said, because it allowed him to investigate all manner of crimes. “You’re always surprised when something new and different comes in. It was always a challenge.”
In addition, he said, as the department’s detective lieutenant he enjoyed the opportunity to interact with other police departments in the area on joint operations and targeted tasks forces.
Years ago, the Westfield police printed trading cards for each of the serving officers including – of course – Chief John A. Camerota.
Although he said the detective bureau was very rewarding he said his assignment there resulted in his biggest disappointment as a police officer. “Probably my biggest disappointment is the Jamie Lussier case” he said. “When I meet my maker I hope to find out what actually happened” in the still-unsolved case of the disappearance of 16-year-old Jamie Lussier on Nov. 6, 1992.
Camerota said that he would have liked to stay in the detective bureau but when the opportunity for promotion came he had to consider what it would mean for his family and his career and he became the department’s captain in 1997.
Again, Camerota spent only one year at that rank before he was appointed chief in 1998.
He said that when he became chief one of his first priorities was “more involvement from the rank and file” in addressing the department’s objectives. “Nobody I’ve ever met has the answer to everything” he said. He said that junior officers can bring a different point of view to a discussion and “something not thought of (by the supervisory officers) might be the thing that works.”
He also said that as chief he has tried to encourage officers to take active roles in the community and points to officers working as coaches for youth sports teams and in leadership roles in city institutions such as the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA.
The department has changed in the two decades Camerota has been chief and he cited several innovations which began during his tenure including motorcycle patrols, ATV patrols for off-road enforcement, marine patrols on the Hampton Ponds and, most recently, a drone unit. “It’s just going to get better” he said.
A younger Chief John Camerota marches in one of the city’s parades.
Although Camerota can claim many innovations and successes, he said that there is one serious problem which he has not been able to tackle and has to leave to his successor, newly appointed Chief Lawrence Valliere who will officially take the reins of the department on Monday.
“We need a public safety complex” he said. “This building is falling apart and we’re throwing good money after bad,” constantly fixing one thing after another in a building which was never well suited for its purpose.
He said that he was not able to make significant progress on the problem and, to secure a public safety complex, the new chief will have to work with the fire chief to establish a committee to explore the problem and find a solution.
Camerota said that he had considered retirement years ago but didn’t follow through. “I had plans to retire at 55 but I liked the job too much” he said. He waited for his upcoming 65th birthday to reluctantly retire. “Mentally I could do it all over agai,n but physically I couldn’t” he said. “It’s a young man’s game and it’s time for me to step aside.”
Looking back on his career he said “One thing’s for sure. There’s been many more good times than bad times.”
He said he is not planning to look for other employment after he retires and, although he is considering some travel, “most of my time will be with my kids and my grandkids.” After spending 42 years as a cop, he said “I want to put in 42 more as a grandfather.”
Like Camerota’s tenure as chief of police, his departure will also be low key. He has eschewed a lavish retirement party but said that on his last day, Friday, June 21, he’s planning to stop for a beer at the Elks Lodge. A crush of cops and other well-wishers is expected.
