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New Police Chief sworn in
Created by Cohasset Mariner on 18th February 2010, 6:35 amCohasset - Mark DeLuca officially took his place as chief of the Cohasset Police Department on Monday night.
Town Clerk Marion Douglas swore in DeLuca in front of a large crowd of supporters in the Selectmen’s Office at Town Hall.
About 20 of Cohasset’s finest turned out to support their new Chief. More than 30 family, friends, and former colleagues sat, or stood, in the crowded room. DeLuca said he was “floored” by the crowd.
“We’re going to have a lot of fun, we’re going to enjoy the job,” DeLuca told the audience.
DeLuca, who started working last week, has wasted no time getting acquainted with the department, the town and getting moving on several initiatives.
“We have hit the ground running,” DeLuca said. He has started the process to get the department accredited by the state. He has assigned different officers to be liaisons to key groups in town. He’s looking to find funding for a school resource officer. Research has begun on a Homeland Security grant to revamp the police station.
Selectmen vice chair Karen Quigley said she had the opportunity to sit down with DeLuca earlier in the day.
“I really think we hired the energizer bunny. Saying you hit the ground running is a gross understatement,” Quigley said. “We have energized new leadership in the town and it’s an exciting time for the department and the town.”
DeLuca said everything he has done so far has been a team effort, “everyone I’ve approached has jumped on (what I asked of them) with open arms.”
The Board of Selectmen thanked retired Chief Brian Noonan, who served as the town’s interim police chief for the past few months. He received a standing round of applause for his service.
“You’ve done a great job running the department the past few months and keeping things afloat,” Selectmen chair Paul Carlson said. “You once told me you loved this department and it certainly shows.”
Noonan, who had to quiet the applause, said it was “an honor and a pleasure to serve the department again.”
DeLuca replaces Chief James Hussey, who served the town of Cohasset for the last five years and resigned in September to return to the Boston police force. Cohasset received over 80 resumes for the position.
A resident of Whitman, DeLuca recently served 10 years as Chief of Police for the Town of Duxbury. He also served as a Patrolman and Sergeant in the Boston Police Department for 12 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services – Criminal Justice from Springfield College.
