Henry "Rick" Pasqualini, a retired lieuteant from the Dover Township (N.J.) Police Department, will be paid $57,500, plus partial benefits.
By: Carl Reader
NEW HOPE The Borough Council hired Henry "Rick" Pasqualini as police chief Tuesday night, thus ending a long search for the position of top cop in town.
Mr. Pasqualini, a retired lieutenant in the Dover Township, N.J., Police Department, started almost immediately. He took on the responsibilities of his new job the next day, Wednesday.
"I couldn’t be happier with Rick’s selection," Borough Council President Richard Hirschfield said.
The new chief’s salary is $57,500 with partial benefits since he has medical coverage from his retirement. He gets life, disability and vacation.
Happiness has been a long time coming to New Hope police matters. For the last three years, the borough has been searching for some way to hire a new chief after a troubling time with the firing of previous chief Richard Brobson that led to a division in the town over the matter. In the interim, Cpl. John Goss has been the acting chief.
The council began the process of hiring a new chief in September. It asked the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association to interview selected candidates for the position. The Police Liaison Committee recommended seven candidates to the chiefs, who then ranked those candidates. All seven were judged qualified.
Those seven then were turned over to the Police Chief Interview Committee, a group of 14 local businessmen and residents who also interviewed the candidates and reduced the group to four candidates in two tiers, two in one and two in the other. The council then interviewed all four candidates in January and came to its decision.
"I think the sense of the council was unanimous in who we felt was the best candidate for the position," Mr. Hirschfield said.
Mr. Pasqualini spent 28 years in the Dover Township Police Department in New Jersey and retired with the rank of lieutenant two years ago. He supervised 30 officers.
"I think Rick’s a hands-on manager," Mr. Hirschfield said. "I think he’s demonstrated that. He wants to make a long-term commitment to the borough."
Mr. Pasqualini has an associate’s degree in public and social services and a bachelor’s of science degree in human services from Thomas Edison College. He also has a master’s degree in human resources in training, development and management. He had a 4.0 in his master’s studies.
"Rick’s references were outstanding," Mr. Hirschfield said. "He completed all the background checks physical, psychological all that stuff has been done. We got wonderful results across the board. Rick’s had many commendations in his career, and I think he’ll be a great credit to the borough."
Mr. Pasqualini will relocate to the area, according to Mr. Hirschfield, in the next five or six months. His wife already works in Trenton.
"Rick is well along in getting his Act 120 (mandated special police training for employment in a municipality)," Mr. Hirschfield said. "Once he is hired, we can then cram him for an exam, which will waive him for all those requirements. We expect that to happen very quickly. In the meantime, he can perform all the duties. He just can’t carry a weapon or arrest anyone."
Pennsylvania Act 120 requires anyone employed as a municipal police officer in the commonwealth to have completed a 610-hour course of instruction covering all aspects of police work. The Act 120 curriculum covers areas of law enforcement pertaining to municipal police officers. Included in it are criminal law, motor vehicle code, rules of criminal procedures, firearms, self-defense, driving and ethics.
Before Mr. Pasqualini was hired by council, former Councilman Robert Gerenser asked what his civil service status would be, and Mr. Hirschfield replied he would have none.
Mr. Gerenser then asked who would pay for his Act 120. Mr. Hirschfield said the new chief would be reimbursed for it.
"We expect the cost to be very low," Mr. Hirschfield said.
After the council hired him, Mr. Pasqualini thanked the search committee and council for the opportunity to be chief of police. He said he would look forward to working with the community and council, adding he would have an open-door policy and would address issues as they came up.
"I look forward to coming to work tomorrow," he said.
The council then gave a special commendation to Cpl. Goss for his service as officer in charge over the past year.
"Now that we’ve resolved the chief of police issue, I think we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize the person who held the fort together, so to speak," Mayor Laurence Keller said.
Cpl. Goss served as officer in charge from September of last year. His commendation praised him for conducting himself with dignity and professionalism while serving in the difficult transition period.