Police play role in safety, enforcement, education

Police Chief Ed Denmark talks about his first three years on the job. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)

He has been the chief of police since November 2003, but Edward Denmark says that sometimes he still feels like a “newbie.” He may be relatively new to this position, but not to the area, having grown up next door in Ayer. Prior to taking the job in Harvard, he was chief of police in Sterling, head of a department twice the size of Harvard’s. He liked Sterling, but he wanted to “get back to a more familiar area,” he said, and Harvard was closer to home and a better fit for him.

Sitting back in his chair on a recent slushy Friday, Chief Denmark laughingly frets that he is wearing his Harvard Police Department sweatshirt instead of his uniform for his photo. He laughs a lot and seems at ease in his role here. It is easy to understand his personal and professional interest in creating “happy workers.” It is a phrase he uses several times and it is part of the reason he wanted this job. “Harvard is not so centered on major crime issues, so it gives me the opportunity to focus on other issues, like leadership and how to make people happy. There are so many negative feelings associated with the police and I wanted to better understand why that is and to try to change it.”

Since taking over the police chief role two and a half years ago, the department has changed little in size, but significantly in attitude, he said. Graciously avoiding any negative comments regarding the department prior to his arrival, he allows that there was some dissension and conflict in the department before he joined, that people were used to doing things a certain way and that sometimes people just need some fresh air to enact positive change. “From a public and interdepartmental perspective, it is all about building relationships, kindness, fairness. In a public service job like ours, people can’t treat others well if they aren’t happy.” He notes that his department now works very well together and that some officers have even chosen to stay despite opportunities that have arisen elsewhere.

The department currently comprises nine officers, including Denmark, one sergeant, and seven patrol officers possessing three to 20 years’ experience. He is requesting—and has requested every year since 2003—an additional sergeant to be covered under the original override. Citing the need for more supervision, Denmark notes that currently 67 percent of shifts are not covered by a supervisor. “Looking at it from a town liability perspective, a single unfortunate incident could be very costly. The additional cost for this extra level of security is really pretty small.”

Like everyone else who must work within the town budget, the chief finds his biggest challenge is trying to juggle public safety needs against budget and resource constraints in these tough budget times. One of his primary concerns is that the department still has shifts with single-officer coverage. “Those days are long gone. It goes against pretty much every protocol or training program out there.” Improving the satisfaction and morale in his department is one of his primary concerns, but he is equally passionate about wanting the town to view the police department as a positive force and a community resource. To this end, he and his officers are making their presence felt in the schools, the community, and the sports fields. The chief has been the assistant coach of Bromfield’s varsity baseball team for three years. When he first took the job, he saw this as a way to combine his love of the game and coaching with his desire to reach out to kids and break the ice as the “new guy in town.” Officers are also reestablishing their presence in the schools by collaborating with Bromfield teachers to develop a forensics program, to offer classes on topics such as fingerprinting and witness statements, and to discuss the practical application of constitutional law. Officers also work with the Council on Aging when issues arise, and last fall they presented a disaster preparedness program for seniors.

Denmark works with the Fire Department and the Ambulance Service to discuss issues of mutual concern and meets weekly with Fire Chief Bob Mignard. One of the things they are currently working on is reviewing and upgrading the town’s existing emergency plan.

All work and no play wouldn’t make for a very happy police chief, so Denmark makes time for his other passions, which include his family—wife Kathleen and three boys, ages 8, 5, and 2—and of course, sports. In addition to coaching the varsity baseball team, he supports his two oldest sons in T-ball, gives clinics and provides individualized coaching to student athletes in Littleton, and plays in a softball league himself. He also likes to cook and will even occasionally DJ a function for family or friends using his own equipment.

The bottom line, he says, is that it is all about building relationships and being there. “We want people to know that we are here as a resource. People call when there is a problem, and they should. But there are so many other things we can help with. We can help with animal control, settling disputes among neighbors … we are a community resource. We aren’t just the boogeyman who pulls you over to write tickets! Use us!”