# Newbury police chief to retire next month



## DANIPD (Jun 30, 2003)

Newbury police chief to retire next month 







 
http://www.ecnnews.com/cgi-bin/O5/ntstory.pl?-sec-News+fn-nbmerry-20060414-+page_1
By Priti C. Prabhakar 
_Staff Writer _

NEWBURY - Police Chief Roger Merry will lay to rest a 34-year police career next month.

Merry, a lifelong resident of Rowley, began as an auxiliary officer at the Rowley Police Department in 1972 and became a full-time officer in 1976. In 1986, he was appointed police chief in Newbury. Over the years, he managed a department that has grown to 12 officers.

"It's been a privilege," Merry said. "I have been fortunate to work with a great group of people. The police chief's job is not about authority; it's about responsibility."

"He's done a very good job in our town and leaves big shoes to fill," selectmen Chairman Vincent Russo said. "They are a well-respected police force in the Merrimack Valley, and a lot of it has to do with him. ... His efforts will not be replaced. This is not a situation where we will look for improvement to this department."

Under state law, selectmen are responsible for appointing the new police chief. Russo said the fiscally responsible first step is to look within the department for the next chief.

"I trust we'll be able to hire someone within the department with the talents and competency to fill the job," Russo said.

Deputy Chief Andrew Avelis Jr. will be a strong candidate for the job, Russo said.

Selectmen praised Merry for running the department in tight financial times.

"I think his financial management skills have been underappreciated," Russo said. "There have been several instances over the past few years that set the chief up for failure based on miscommunication of town leaders. Those were out of his control."

Russo said an example was when the Finance Committee gave the chief the directive in 2004 to use all incoming grant money for the department's budget, which meant the following year, the town would need to come up with $150,000 more to keep pace.

The Newbury Police Department operates on a budget of $876,000. It has a chief, deputy chief, lieutenant, detective, seven patrol officers, six reserve officers, a full-time dispatcher and two part-time dispatchers.

Newbury's police spending is on the low end compared to similar-sized police departments. The Rowley Police Department consists of 12 officers and a budget of $1.1 million. Rowley's population is about 5,000 people compared to the 7,000 in Newbury.

Newbury police also have jurisdiction over calls for Triton middle and high schools and Governor Dummer Academy in Byfield.

"They do a great job with what they have to work with," Selectman Joe Story said. "That department has seen tremendous budget constraints over the past few years, and even so, they still smile and do a heck of a job as a police department."

Russo cited Merry as instrumental in overseeing the Merrimack Valley Drug Task Force's coming to Newbury, headed by Lt. Michael Reilly.

One of the first things Russo said he told Merry when he was elected selectman two years ago was that he was "dead against high-speed chases" because of what he had seen in his career as a physician.

Russo said he saw far too many cases in which people were killed or left crippled for life - both officers and innocent bystanders - because of high-speed chases.

Russo gave Merry the advice to curb the highly dangerous form of law enforcement. Merry, after a couple days, bought "Stop Sticks," an extendable mat laced with specialized nails that cause tires to slowly deflate. Police often throw them across roadways to stop speeding criminals.

Several months ago, the department responded to a call when a suspect was escaping from Newbury into Newburyport on High Road. Merry said Newbury police waited at the intersection with Hanover Road and deployed the Stop Sticks. Newburyport police did the same and apprehended the suspect at Port Plaza.

"A police force is not a security force. They should not be reactive but proactive to do things that prevent crime," Russo said. "In this case, the woman ended up stopping with four flat tires, and nobody got hurt."

Future plans for Merry may include spending time in Florida, where he and his wife, Susan, own property. Merry is active in his church, First Congregational in Rowley, where he has served for 32 years as the congregation's sexton.

Merry said he will look for employment after he retires. His wife has entertained the idea of his working at a police department in Florida.

"I have to keep busy," he said. "I can't be a couch potato."


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## j809 (Jul 5, 2002)

> A police force is not a security force. They should not be reactive but proactive to do things that prevent crime," Russo said. "In this case, the woman ended up stopping with four flat tires, and nobody got hurt.


Bravo to that.


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## DANIPD (Jun 30, 2003)

Reilly tabbed as new chief 







 
http://www.ecnnews.com/cgi-bin/O5/ntstory.pl?-sec-News+fn-nbpolice-20060426-+page_1
By Priti C. Prabhakar 
_Staff Writer _

NEWBURY - Lt. Michael Reilly will fill the "big shoes" vacated by Chief Roger Merry's retirement next month, becoming Newbury's next police chief.

In a unanimous vote, the Board of Selectmen last night voted to appoint Reilly, who will manage the growing needs of a growing community, as well as develop the department's budget.

And for the first time in two decades, the chief's and deputy police chief's contracts will not include working traffic detail shifts.

"If you're on full-time salary, you shouldn't be working details," selectmen Chairman Vincent Russo said. "I've put a lot of thought into this. I've been studying the situation for two years."

Russo said Merry, who has been chief since 1986, was kind enough to give more notice than required for his retirement, which is effective May 18.

Reilly will start as chief May 8, giving him 10 days to work with Merry and become familiar with the job.

Russo said town counsel Anthony Penski is writing the new contracts for Reilly and Deputy Chief Andrew Avelis Jr. Under the proposal, Avelis would assume some of Reilly's duties as the department's lieutenant. The lieutenant position would be eliminated. Reilly makes a base pay of $34.56 per hour. Avelis, who is on salary, makes $1,414 per week. Merry is salaried at $1,648 per week.

"This makes for a leaner and more efficient Police Department," Russo said.

Selectmen are responsible for appointing the police chief. Russo had hoped to find that candidate within the department.

Russo held meetings with Reilly and Avelis, the two "candidates" for the job, separately and jointly, he said. It was their idea to eliminate the details from the full-time salaried positions, he said.

"At the end of the meeting, (Reilly) and (Avelis) congratulated and ingratiated each other," Russo said. "(Avelis) was thrilled with the outcome."

Selectman Joe Story said Reilly and Avelis are anxious to work together as chief and deputy, with no arguments and bickering surrounding the proposal.

"I think this is the best thing we could do for the town in regards to this issue," Story said. "We're very fortunate as a town to have a department like the one we've got. If we had a bad department, we would have conducted a nationwide search to find a good candidate."

Russo said that speaks well for the departing chief in his selection of officers.

Reilly started in Newbury in 1987 as a dispatcher. In moving through the ranks, he passed the bar exam. Avelis started in Newbury in 1979 as a reserve officer and was appointed as the deputy chief by then selectmen Chairman Angie Machiros. The contract agreement set forth by Machiros included that the chief and deputy could work traffic details.

Reilly applied two months ago for the chief position in Salisbury. Russo said he wrote a letter of recommendation for Reilly for the Salisbury job.

"I didn't want him to go, but I didn't want to hold him back," Russo said. "I was really surprised when they didn't pick him, but I couldn't be happier. He's really a class act."

Reilly yesterday said he was glad Avelis is in agreement with the proposal, and that the two positions will be absent of working details.

"We have enough of a workload as it is," Reilly said.


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

They make it sound like they are forced to take details? Great idea on their part, take out the details and they can't make any more money. WTF? :shock:


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