For Immediate Release: 5/5/2016 2:43 pm
Worcester, MA (May 5, 2016) - It is my pleasure to announce that I have selected Deputy Chief Steve Sargent to become the next chief of the Worcester Police Department.
Steve knows this city and its people. For 30 years, he has been a well-respected member of the WPD, serving in every rank and in a multitude of roles, including Patrol, Detective Bureau, Gang Unit and Vice. For the past nine years, Deputy Chief Sargent has been in charge of the Operations Division, overseeing day-to-day operations and the largest division in the Worcester Police Department. He is a U.S. Army veteran and a lifelong resident of Worcester.
He impressed me with his passion for police work, love for his city and understanding of the challenges facing police in the 21st century. He is also committed to ensuring the Worcester Police Department is transparent and accountable to the community, another area that is deeply important to me.
In my discussions with Deputy Chief Sargent, I was also struck by his commitment to the model of community policing, continuing the work of his predecessor, Chief Gary Gemme. While in the Gang Unit, he organized a number of community outreach programs, starting youth leagues in basketball, baseball and boxing, and forming a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester that continues to provide positive programs and opportunities for hard-to-reach youth to this day. He currently oversees the department's foot patrols, and its interactions with the City's neighborhood watch groups - just a few examples of his commitment to true community policing.
This decision was not easy. The Worcester Police Department has a wealth of talent, and the four Deputy Chiefs are all strong candidates who are capable and worthy, any one of them would make an excellent chief. It is a testament to the efforts and leadership of Chief Gemme that he was able to develop such a strong command staff. I am confident that under the leadership of Chief Sargent, his talented command staff and dedicated officers, the department will not miss a beat in the coming months and years.
Chief Sargent will be sworn in at 4:30 PM, Thursday, May 12, in a ceremony at the Levi Lincoln Chamber at City Hall, 455 Main Street, Worcester.
