LAWRENCE — Mayor Brian DePena says he is kicking off a “transparent” and “public” national search for the next police chief, something he has said before as the city experienced a revolving door of acting chiefs in the past year.
DePena has referenced a national police chief search since Chief Roy Vasque, the city’s last permanent police chief, retired effective June 30, 2023, and reached a $780,000 settlement with the city.
In his absence, Lawrence has had three temporary police chiefs — Captain Michael McCarthy, William Castro and current leader Lt. Melix Bonilla.
In the fiscal year 2025 budget, which starts July 1, $245,235 is allocated for the police chief’s salary.
Another $125,000 for a new deputy police chief position is also included in the mayor’s budget as reviewed by city councilors.
DePena this week announced he has authorized Personnel Director Michael Owens to begin the chief recruitment process.
“This process will include the creation of a city search committee comprised of community members and stakeholders who will be assisted by a professional talent acquisition consulting firm and the Personnel Department,” according to an announcement released by Nestor Castillo, DePena’s spokesperson.
The mayor did not specify how much a consulting firm will cost. He said the process will be transparent, community-centered, involve community participation, and follow best practices. Recruiting and search committee meetings will be conducted in public.
“The search committee will be made up of constituents, subject matter experts, local elected officials, and city staff with the goal of meeting the needs of the community and the Police Department,” said DePena, adding more details would be released soon.
Reached late Wednesday afternoon, union leadership within the LPD said they had not recently been contacted about a search nor have they been asked to be part of a search committee.
Sgt. Michael Simard, president of the superior officers’ union, and Officer Paul MacMillan, president of the patrol officers’ union, both said they feel the next police chief can be hired from within their ranks. Both agreed there are bilingual candidates with experience and institutional knowledge in the department who would be exceptional in the post.
Policing credentials in question
Castro previously confirmed to the Eagle-Tribune that he applied to be permanent chief. However, in March, while Castro was provisional Lawrence police chief, he was placed on administrative leave.
At that time, Castro’s credentials to serve as a police officer were suspended by a state commission for being “untruthful” in a report about a motor vehicle pursuit.
Also, Castro’s “hiring and certification practices” for certain police officers were called into question, according to the March 21 suspension notice from the state’s Peace Officer Standard and Training Commission.
The POST commission found by a “preponderance of evidence” the suspension was warranted and “is in the best interest of the safety and welfare of the public.”
The letter stated as a result of the suspension Castro cannot make any arrests “or otherwise perform police duties or functions.”
Bonilla, another of DePena’s political allies, was named provisional police chief at that time.
Castro had been named acting police chief in October 2023, succeeding Police Capt. Michael McCarthy, who had been acting chief since January 2023.
At that time, DePena described Castro as “an accomplished public safety professional with over 25 years of law enforcement experience.”
In February 2023, Castro resigned from his job as an Essex County correctional officer and went to work as DePena’s chief of staff at City Hall.
Police said on the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 2, Castro was involved in the pursuit of a car driven by an individual who attempted to cash a bad check at a local credit union.
In a city-issued, black, full-size Chevy Tahoe, Castro pursued a Mercedes sedan during the chase, police said. According to video of the chase viewed by The Eagle-Tribune, Castro drove, in the opposite direction, up on a city sidewalk near the central bridge in pursuit of the Mercedes.
The POST commission wrote in Castro’s suspension letter they “received sufficient evidence that the respondent engaged in a motor-vehicle pursuit in violation of the policies of the Lawrence Police Department, that he was untruthful in his subsequent written report regarding that pursuit, and that he and/or his appointing authority failed to independently investigate whether there was a policy violation or report the same to the commission.”
“Also, credible reports to the commission have called into question the respondent’s hiring and certification practices concerning certain candidates for employment as law enforcement officers for the Lawrence Police Department,” according to the letter.
Simard, the superior officers’ union president, previously said they support Bonilla.
Now an ally to DePena, Bonilla was a previous supporter and campaign manager for Mayor William Lantigua.
On Sept. 30, 2014, Bonilla was acquitted of felony charges associated with his involvement in the swap of a dozen city owned cars in 2010.
Bonilla was found not guilty of extortion, fraud and violation of the state’s procurement law after an Essex County jury deliberated for a little over six hours. The trial in Salem Superior Court spanned three days.
The not guilty verdicts cleared Bonilla of any wrongdoing in the swap of 12 vehicles seized in police investigations for four Chevrolet Impalas with Bernardo Pena, the owner of Santo Domingo Motors in Lawrence.
Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.
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