Article from the Hanover Mariner

 

Hanover -

Walter Sweeney was pinned by his wife, Andrea, in an official promotion ceremony last Tuesday (June 24) at town hall. A crowd filled the room to show its support for Sweeney, including several police officers, family members and town officials.

 Sweeney’s replacing Paul Hayes, who as of this week has retired from police work.

During the interview process leading up to Sweeney’s hire, selectmen chairman Dan Pallotta said not a single person had a negative thing to say about Sweeney, who up until last week served as a lieutenant for the department.

“He deserves the job,” Pallotta said. “He’s going to serve us well. We’re really excited about it. The town of Hanover couldn’t have a better future chief.”

Sweeney, who holds a Masters Degree in criminal justice, has served as the town’s sole lieutenant for 11 years.

He grew up in Hanover and graduated from Hanover High School. Sweeney was the only candidate interviewed for the job. Selectmen made the decision to appoint him on March 18 and he was to become chief of July 1.

“I think the police department is in great hands with the incoming chief,” he said last Wednesday.

After the pinning, Sweeney addressed the crowd, thanking his family and fellow officers for their support over the years, and selectmen for appointing him as chief. He thanked his family for being so supportive of his goal to become chief.

All seats in the room were filled, and attendees were also standing along the walls.

“Overwhelmed is an understatement,” Sweeney said, during the ceremony. “I expected that my immediate family would be here tonight, I expected that some of my friends from law enforcement agencies would be here.”

He said he did his research and believes that he is the seventh appointed chief in the town of Hanover.

“I realize it’s a serious obligation and it’s really an honor for me to be the temporary custodian of that position.”

Sweeney has been a police officer for 26 years, and began working at the department at the age of 21. Before taking a job as a full-time officer, Sweeney served as a call firefighter.

During his interview, Sweeney told selectmen that his well-rounded background in public safety made him a good fit for the job.

There’s also going to be another change at the police department. As chief, Sweeney will have two lieutenants, a change from the past when only one person held that position.

Robert Heywood and Gregory Nihan, were promoted from sergeant’s positions to lieutenants effective this week.