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Holyoke has a new top cop following former chief David Pratt's retirement at the end of July. City officials organized a search committee that held public forums and conducted interviews with candidates, sending two finalists to the mayor. One dropped out. The remaining candidate, Brian Keenan, was selected by Mayor Joshua Garcia.
Keenan worked at the Springfield police department for 27 years most recently as a captain.
He said public trust in the police is low right now and is hoping to change that.
"As a new police chief coming into town, it's very important that I meet as many leaders and stakeholders and ordinary citizens as I can because a police Department derives its legitimacy from its relationship with the community,” Keenan said. “So we have to really establish a strong bond with the community."
The former Holyoke police chief made a little over $210,000, according to the city's salary report last year. But Keenan said he's still under contract negotiations with the city on how many years he’ll hold the position and salary.
Keenan said he’s thankful to have received this position having grown up in an immigrant household.
“My mother immigrated to the United States as an orphan from Ireland at the age of ten. My dad’s from [the] Dorchester district of Boston. I grew up just south of Boston. I came out to this area to go to Westfield State College,” Keenan said. “I wish that my mom and dad were alive to see their child end up with a job like chief of police.”
Keenan is set to be sworn in as Holyoke's chief of police next month.
