Joseph Fitzgerald Promoted to Assistant Police Chief

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (January 13, 2020) – Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken announced today the promotion of Joseph Fitzgerald to the position of Assistant Police Chief in the Gloucester Police Department.  He most recently served as the Operations Lieutenant since 2018 overseeing the day to day activities of the department.   

Fitzgerald was sworn in as Assistant Chief this morning by Assistant City Clerk Grace E. Poirier.  A ceremonial City Council swearing in ceremony will be scheduled in the near future.  

Mayor Romeo Theken said, “I have complete confidence that Assistant Chief Fitzgerald will excel in this new role.  He is well-known, well-respected, trusted and gives the department the internal continuity needed to keep moving in a positive direction.  I look forward to working together with Chief Conley and Assistant Chief Fitzgerald to advance the City’s agenda to provide exceptional and transparent public safety services.”

After nearly a year on the job, Police Chief Ed Conley began recruitment for this important leadership position.  The Assistant Police Chief will assist the Chief of Police with the overall planning, administration and operation of the police departmentto comply with federal, state and local laws.  He will also spearhead GPD’s integrity control processes, oversee all formal internal affairs investigations and supervise the departments’ accreditation process.  

Fitzgerald, the most senior Lieutenant on the force, applied for the position.  All other Gloucester Police Department Lieutenants supported his application and recommended his appointment.

Fitzgerald said, “I look forward to working alongside Chief Conley on department initiatives while ensuring our rank and file officers have the resources, direction and support they need.  I am grateful for this opportunity to continue the work I love in my hometown community.  I take this responsibility very seriously and look forward to the work ahead.”

The Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission certification process is long and rigorous involving both an internal self-review and an external assessment by the commission’s team of experts.  The process is a self-initiated evaluation considered to be the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practicesaround the country and the region.  Chief Conley oversaw the accreditation process while in Manchester-by-the-Sea.  

Police Chief Conley said, “On behalf of the entire department I extend my congratulations to Joe Fitzgerald.  His professional experience and rise through the ranks of the department will serve the City well.  He has been instrumental in my transition to the department and has become a trusted deputy who shares the same values and approach to problem solving as I do.  I am excited for the future and direction of the department with Joe as my Assistant Chief. “

Fitzgerald, a Gloucester native, is a nearly 30-year law enforcement veteran.  He was first hired by the City of Gloucester as a Reserve Police Officer in 1993.  Since that time he has served through the department’s ranks.  Prior to his career in Gloucester he worked as a Correctional Officer for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department and as a Police Officer for the Town of Rowley. 

This position falls outside of civil service.  As a result, Fitzgerald signed a three year employment contract which commenced on January 1.  That agreement, like other similar employment contracts, may be extended for two (2) additional one (1) year periods.  

He is a graduate of Gloucester High School and holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Western New England University.  

This promotion is one of several recent announcements coming out of the Police Department.   During her inaugural address Mayor Romeo Theken announced the formation of a new Community Impact Unit that will expand the department’s efforts around addiction, homelessness, mental health and community engagement.  To support that work a new position, Community Health Navigator, was created.  Tito Rodriquez has been hired to fill that role and will act as an outreach agent to link substance abuse patients with health care providers, financial assistance and transportation. 

A very nice man on the train platform greeted us with a map and helpful suggestions. It is a VERY quiet day here but we are told there are deep post holiday discounts. Lunch to get organized then look out shops!

We decided to take advantage of the $15 (one way) Amtrak Downeaster rates for January and are on our way to Freeport today. After a little confusion over parking, we easily navigated the Woburn station for the 9:23 departure. Availability of Dunkin’ Donuts was a plus.

We are currently on board. I am having a coffee in the lounge. There’s WiFi, electrical outlets, reclining seats, tray tables for our comfort on the 2.5 hour ride north.

My (indoors) happy place at Sawyer Free Library is the local history section, which has recently been reorganized. Not only do I get to do lots of digging around in old newspapers, but I also get to go downstairs and borrow books recommended by staff. Win Win. Thank you Sawyer Free!

I first met Tommy when I was 18 years old, I’m walking the streets or East Gloucester and in need of a job . A brand spanking new pick up truck pulled over And a crazy looking character said hey kid you look like good backman material, are you looking for a work?
As it turns out, the character was The notorious Tom Burns.At the time, Tommy had just had a new boat built, a 42 foot Bruno in Stillman. At the time it was considered state of the art. Tommy was considered a Highliner back then, although some people would dispute this fact , we were the first boat in the harbor to have 1000 traps. Back then they were made of wood with four bricks. They were 16 x 36 wraparounds. I remember going to Maine to pick them up one truckload at a time. We would put 52 on the truck ,don’t ask me how, but one time we did lose a load on 495 ha ha they closed a couple lanes of the highway so we could gather the traps and re-stack them ha ha. He would pick me up 7 o’clock every day , whether we went fishing or not. Sometimes he would bring me up the yard and leave me there all day by myself to Brand and bridal the traps . This was all work that was considered part of the job you did not get paid for it ha ha nowadays you couldn’t get away with it. He had two gorgeous daughters at the time they were about 15 and 16 but he warned me if I ever even so much is looked at them watch out, they used to lay out on the lawn chairs and torture me all day ha ha . at the end of the season this was all work that you didn’t get paid for . it was all considered part of the job back then I . guess I was slightly naïve ha ha Tommy Took me full advantage of me but later on he came through in a big way.
I remember going down to Niles beach and gathering rocks , Something you would probably get arrested for today ha ha , but it was common practice back then . We would put them in the traps when we would set them . they would float on the surface for a while before they would soak up enough water and sink . After the first haul we would take the rocks out , but by the end of the season when We took them out ,they were very heavy ,not like the traps today .
The first fishing I did with Tommy on his new 42’ Bruno and Stillman was tuna fishing up in Ipswich Bay. I remember getting seasick on the way out ha ha I had no business being a commercial fisherman but I tufted out on Dramamine and made a career of it . That day we hooked two tunafish at the same time ,called a double hook up. Back then we use handlines . the fish were balls deep . the Draggers would haul back in the morning and all you do is get along side them as they were pulling in The nets and all the bait in the water would attract the Tuna. you were just about guaranteed to hook up . The fish were big back then too, we had another boat back down and take one of the baskets and go off and fight the fish, while we fought the other one . Both fish were landed , But their fish ended up being bigger than ours and we never saw a dime ha ha I I don’t think Tommy ever got over that he’s not somebody you wanted to cross,
I always used to say, if you told Tommy Burns to take the empire building and move 3 inches to the right and he could figure out a way to do it . Only Gloucester could produce a character like Tom Burns. They broke the mold when he was born. He was an extremely capable person ,he could do anything ,he could fix anything ,or figure anything out .and I don’t think he had much of an education .he was just very clever and intuitive . He was an excellent mechanic . In his younger days he was what they called an Ant-man. Gloucester term. It was said that he could swap out a camshaft in his car to race you if he was challenged in an hour.
later on when I went on my own ,and bought a boat ,he helped me to re-power and rewire . he did an excellent job .he was the whole reason I was able to go fishing . without him I’m lost. I loved the man dearly I didn’t realize how much until his passing he was like a father figure to be I’m going to miss him terribly.
😢

The GMG podcast was recorded this morning at the Rhumb Kine (kudos to Carl for the drinks!). Fred told a number of entertaining stories and let listeners know there’s an event room available upstairs for groups up to about 70 and gave us a tour. Gorgeous room designed to make you feel like you’re aboard a boat! Perfect setting for an event. Thanks Fred!