By Michael Lafleur, mlafleur@lowellsun.com
Kenneth Lavallee, center, is congratulated by City Councilors Edward "Bud" Caulfield, left, and Eileen Donoghue last night after being appointed superintendent of the Lowell Police Department. SUN/BOB WHITAKER
LOWELL -- A dream come true.
That's how Kenneth Lavallee described his feelings about being tapped for the top job in the Lowell Police Department after City Manager Bernie Lynch announced his selection of Lavallee as the next police superintendent at last night's City Council meeting.
"I'm honored to be selected as the superintendent here," Lavallee told councilors. "This truly is a dream come true for me. I believe I'm up to the task. I want to make this city better. We have a great Police Department. We have a lot of work ahead of us, many challenges, but we can meet those challenges."
The 23-year veteran of the Lowell force has been the acting superintendent since Dec. 1, when former Superintendent Edward Davis left to become Boston's police commissioner.
New Lowell Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee, left, is congratulated by City Manager Bernie Lynch after his appointment last night at City Hall. SUN/BOB WHITAKER
Lynch told councilors he expects to schedule an official swearing-in ceremony for Lavallee by early November.
"He has shown leadership and creativity in managing the internal workings of the department and in tackling the law-enforcement issues facing the city," Lynch said, reading from a letter he wrote the council. "He also has become a key member of my administration's management team by contributing very positively to addressing a myriad of issues facing the city and its government."
Lavallee will be paid $132,896 this fiscal year, which began July 1. He and Lynch still are in contract talks, though both said the basic framework of a deal is in place: a three-year pact with a clause that would allow Lavallee to return to his previous job as a deputy superintendent should he ever step down or be removed from the department's top post.
"You've earned our confidence in your services, and we have great hope for the future and what you're going to do with the Police Department," Mayor Bill Martin told Lavallee.
Known for his dry sense of humor and by-the-book demeanor, Lavallee is a devoted fan of the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. He and his family attend at least one Red Sox away game nearly every year.
Among Lavallee's accomplishments in his first 10 months are collaborations with such law-enforcement agencies as the State Police; Middlesex Sheriff James DiPaola's office, which now has a joint warrant apprehension unit with Lowell; the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Lavallee said the ATF now has an agent permanently assigned to Lowell, a partnership that has helped take about 45 guns off the Mill City's streets since January.
He noted that Lowell has had only two murders this year -- down from 13 last year -- and said those partnerships, as well as the work of Lowell police officers have been "instrumental in keeping things quiet."
"They're the ones who do all the work," he said. "I give them all the credit in the world. I'm just on the sidelines."
But he also said that he "took it personally" last Friday night when the Olympia Restaurant was the victim of a brazen armed robbery that police still are investigating.
Lavallee also has instituted a policy of holding off-site command staff meetings at the headquarters of various other agencies, businesses and institutions in Lowell. To date, 18 such meetings have been held.
Lavallee said his top priority is to get his police force, which now stands at about 230 officers, up to the approved complement of 245. Lavallee and Fire Chief Edward Pitta also will be charged with overseeing the construction of a new, $2.2 million emergency communications center.
"This is a work in progress," Lavallee said. "There's plenty of work to be done. But our main focus is the protection of this community."
This article appeared in the Lowell Sun on Wednesday, September 26, 2007