By Robert Mills, rmills@lowellsun.com
LOWELL -- An assessment center has been scheduled for July 11 to help Lowell police determine who the next deputy chief will be. In the meantime, five men have been promoted in the wake of Robert DeMoura becoming chief of police in Fitchburg.
Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee announced this week that James McPadden will become a captain, Timothy Crowley a lieutenant, and David Peaslee a sergeant, in a round of permanent promotions resulting from DeMoura's departure.
Though DeMoura was acting deputy chief when he left, his position as a permanent captain had to be filled.
At the same time, Kelly Richardson will become an acting captain, and Timothy Kilbride an acting lieutenant as a result of other moves and a new round of civil-service test scores.
That means Richardson will leave his position as commander of the detective bureau, where he had served for years. He becomes the supervisor of the department's overnight shift.
Lt. Daniel Larocque will move to the detective bureau from the family-services unit, where he will be replaced by Lt. Paul Laferriere.
Lt. Barry Golner will replace Laferriere as executive officer in the East Sector, which includes the downtown.
Kilbride will replace Golner in the department's detail office, Lavallee said.
Peaslee will take over as commander of the city's gang unit, and Sgt. Michael Kilmartin will swap positions with Peaslee, who was previously a street supervisor in the West Sector, which includes the Acre and Highlands neighborhoods.
Lavallee had high praise for everyone promoted, particularly Richardson and LaRocque.
Kilmartin, too, earned words of praise.
"He really made some inroads into dealing with gang violence in the city," Lavallee said of Kilmartin. "He was very instrumental in keeping much of the gang activity under wraps last summer."
Another round of promotions will likely follow the choice of a deputy chief.
The assessment center, which goes beyond test scores and evaluates candidates in a number of areas, is tentatively scheduled for July 11, Lavallee said.
Lavallee has also contracted with a consultant who will evaluate the Police Department this summer and study the management structure.
This story appeared in the Lowell Sun on Monday, May 12, 2008