Credit:LevittownNow.com
Bristol Borough Council voted to hire a new police chief on Monday night.
The offer of probationary employment has been extended to Steven Henry, of Tom’s River, New Jersey. The offer is dependent upon the completion of mandatory medical, drug and psychological testing. The testing cannot be started until an applicant is officially offered the job, according to Louis Quattrocchi, the councilman from the South Ward.
Advertisements
According to Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe, Henry is relocating from New Jersey to Bucks County for the job and appears to be very committed to working with the borough. He will bring his wife and three children with him.
The new chief is not expected to become a part of the department until May.
Henry holds a bachelors degree in Human Services and a masters degree in Administration from Seton Hall University. He also graduated from the FBI’s National Academy in Virginia and the New Jersey Police Executive Institute.
Advertisements
Henry has worked in law enforcement for 31 years and has been in Tom’s River for 29 years where he rose through the ranks from patrolman to captain before retiring in 2014. The department has 160 sworn officers who protected more than 90,000 residents, while Bristol has under 20 officers and just under 10,000 residents.
“I think he is a good fit for Bristol,” DiGuiseppe said. The sentiment was shared throughout the meeting by all members of the council, who voted unanimously to hire him. “I think all of the council agrees that this is going towards the good of Bristol,” DiGuiseppe continued.
Advertisements
Henry was a finalist for the position. His hiring came through Lower Makefield firm CityBurbs, which helps municipalities find new police chiefs. The company is run by Lower Makefield Chief of Police Ken Coluzzi and was paid $15,000.
Former Chief Arnold Porter retired last month after 37 yeas of service. Sgt. Joe Moors is currently the officer in charge and overseeing the department.
In addition to voting to hiring Henry, the council voted to move Officer Kevin DiPaolo, a current part-time officer, to a full time position after seven years of service in the borough. DiPaolo’s transition was approved on a 5-3 vote.
