Neiswanger, 48, a former Manchester, Conn. captain, takes over from former chief Anthony R. Scott, who retired April 30 after 10 years.
New Holyoke Police Chief James M. NeiswangerHOLYOKE – Police Chief James M. Neiswanger Tuesday marked his first day on the job by attending roll calls at the Police Station and fielding appearance requests from local groups, delivering a common message: He’s available.
“I’m going to be communicating a community policing policy and ... I have an open-door policy: If they have anything to discuss, I’m willing to listen,” Neiswanger said.
Neiswanger, 48, takes over the Holyoke Police Department after having been a police captain in Manchester, Conn. for 25 years.
His exact yearly salary was unclear, but the job’s advertised range was $120,000 to $135,000.
Neiswanger spoke after 4 p.m. in his upstairs office at the Police Station on Appleton Street.
That office was headquarters for the past 10 years of former Police Chief Anthony R. Scott.
Scott was a media-wooing character whose self-described only interest was fighting crime. He retired April 30.
Neiswanger said that in replacing such a large personality as Scott, he must establish his own identify, in the department and the community.
Officers at the morning and afternoon roll calls welcomed him, he said.
“As a matter of fact, all the officers I’ve met have been very receptive,” Neiswanger said.
His message to them: “I’m excited to be here. I see my job to get them the tools they need to do their jobs out on the street.”
He will emphasize to officers that community policing is the daily philosophy, he said, but obviously after only one day he was unable to be specific about how the department currently fits his plan.
He met last week with Nueva Esperanza Inc., a local social services group, he said. He held up paper phone messages that he said were meeting requests from other groups.
What he wants the public to know, he said, is “They’re going to see me.”
A ceremonial swearing-in of Neiswanger is set for July 29 at 5 p.m. at Holyoke Heritage State Park, he said.
Neiswanger is commuting from his home in South Windsor, Conn., a 48-minute drive to the Police Station at 138 Appleton St. as he sells his home there and looks for one here, he said.
Neiswanger and his wife Carla, a paraprofessional in the South Windsor schools, have three daughters, two of whom are in college and one in high school.
The search for a new police chief began with Mayor Elaine A. Pluta’s appointment of a search committee in late November. A total of 39 candidates applied, with most from New England and New York.
Pluta said she chose Neiswanger because it was obvious that he out-peformed the other finalist for the job during an evaluation that involved role-playing, tests, questioning and other exercises June 18.
She also liked that while Neiswanger pledged to be tough on crime, he also outlined plans to reach out to young people and other parts of the community, she said.
The other finalist was Pedro J. Perez, 58, of Albany, N.Y., a retired, 29-year veteran official of the New York State Police.