Hampden selectmen consider three candidates for police chief

Feb. 24, 2021 | Sarah Heinonen
sheinonen@thereminder.com

HAMPDEN – The Hampden Board of Selectmen conducted interviews for the vacant police chief position at its Feb. 22 meeting. Three candidates, all from within the Hampden Police Department (HPD), answered a series of questions posed by the board members and wrote a short essay as part of their interview.

The first person to answer questions for the board was Detective Scott Trombly, a 26-year member of the HPD, followed by Sgts.  Thomas Yvon and Tawrin Seega, who have been with the department for nearly eight years and 19 years, respectively.

Trombley touted his experience and the contacts that he has made over the years with other law enforcement officials, state and county officials. Among his strengths, the Warren resident noted his willingness to work with others. He identified delegating tasks as a weakness.

Yvon presented himself as a long-time business owner who is comfortable managing people and leading “from the top down.” He emphasized that trusting subordinates to do their jobs and keeping them accountable breeds respect and efficiency.

Seega, a former marine, told the board that he is a life-long learner who has taken every opportunity to further his law enforcement knowledge and experience. His philosophy on leadership is all about active listening and communication, he said.

All of the candidates said that they had experience with budgeting - Trombley through working in the union, Yvon as a self-described “frugal” business owner, and Seega from helping former chief Jeff Farnsworth with the annual budget.

Board of Selectmen member Mary Ellen Glover asked each of the candidates about their comfort with and knowledge of technology, which is ever-expanding in police work. While Trombley and Yvon were familiar with the technology used in the everyday course of their work, among Seega’s duties is his role as the department’s technology officer, giving him more experience with ever-developing equipment and software.

The Board of Selectmen was interested in the candidates’ views on several key issues. Davenport asked for their thoughts on the new regionalized dispatch. Trombley said the department will “make it work,” but acknowledged a dark station will “be an adjustment.”

Yvon noted that the town would be gaining “highly-trained dispatchers. They’re going to know if we need assistance and they’ll be on top of it.” He acknowledged the downside as not being able to go back if the new system doesn’t work out, but said the growing pains will not be “insurmountable.”

Seega opined that the new dispatch system is going to change the way the department works and the supervisors may have some more work, but said “[Wilbraham Dispatch Director Anthony] Gentile runs a great communications department.”

On the topic of the state police reform bill that was signed into law on the last day of 2020, Trombley said that the new regulations will be the biggest challenge. He cited increasing difficulty keeping reserve officers since the new law requires them to have as many training hours as a full-time officer.

Both Yvon and Seega also said that police reform will require more training and a change in how the department operates, but Seega noted that the new rules may lead to saving the town money. He said the training needed to get reserve officers certified may mean that they will not have to attend the police academy when they become full-time officers, as some likely will. This would save the police department roughly $40,000 for each officer.

Board of Selectmen member John Flynn asked how each of the candidates felt the town performed in terms of community policing and community outreach. Each of them noted that more has to be done to interact with the public in settings other than emergencies. “We’re a small community,” Yvon said. “They should know our faces.” Trombley expressed a similar sentiment, saying “We need to get out of our cruisers and into our businesses.”

They also felt school resource officers, which are no longer mandatory under the police reform bill, helped kids see police in a better, friendlier light.

When it came to how “hands-on” the police chief should be, all three individuals said that micromanaging wasn’t the best strategy and a slightly more hands-off approach would be more effective.

At the end of his interview, Trombley asked the board what their number one priority will be for the new chief. Davenport and Flynn told him that transitioning to the regional dispatch system and getting the emergency radio system up and running are the most important items. Glover said it was re-establishing trust with the community.

The board is expected to make a decision at its March 1 meeting.

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