Dooley takes on a new challenge
Chief earns university security job
Terri Miles, Editor May 25, 2006
ORANGE - Police Chief Joseph Dooley was smiling as he looked through a pile of handcrafted cards he'd just received from school children in town.
Dooley had been a guest reader at one of the elementary schools, and the students made individual cards to thank him.

He laughed aloud when he read a sentiment one child wrote on a card: "You have the right to remain thanked."

"Just to read these is cool. This is the best part of my job," he said.
That job is nearing its end. Dooley announced his retirement last week after 25 years in the Orange Police Department. He has been chief for the last four years.

His last day is June 16. Then he'll take some time off before starting a new job as chief of police and director of public safety at Southern Connecticut State University on July 1. The university's department of public safety provides protection to everyone on campus, including students, faculty and staff.

Dooley was chosen for the job over 69 other applicants.

"[The interview process] was very intensive," he said. "I was impressed by it. It was multi-faceted in a sense that after I sent in a resume and information about myself, they narrowed it down to 10 candidates and then three finalists."

Dooley said a cross-section of the university's population participated in the selection - faculty, students, staff and special interest groups all had a chance to grill the candidates.

As one of the finalists, Dooley took part in an all-day interview on campus, answering questions about his management style and his ideas for ensuring campus safety. In the end, he got the job.

'I've been fortunate'

"When you prepare for something like this, you have to ask yourself, 'Am I ready to move on? Am I happy with what I've accomplished?' and I have to say, after 25 years with the Orange PD, yes I am," Dooley said. "I've been fortunate. The town has been good to me and I think I've been good to the town."

Dooley said when people join a law enforcement agency, they do so to help others, but often the populace doesn't view police officers that way.

"When police officers knock on someone's door the initial reaction is, 'What did I do?' or 'What's wrong?' and we could just be coming to them to ask if they'd seen anything suspicious in the neighborhood," he said. "We try to prevent accidents by stopping cars, but people view it as 'they've got nothing better to do.'"

Dooley said he is proud of the Orange Police Department and the men and women who serve on the force. "We have a long tradition of giving good quality service," he said.

He described Orange as unique in that it is a small community with light industrial and commercial businesses that keep the department busy.
"It takes a lot of work to keep this community safe," the police chief said, "but we love doing it and I think we do it well...We work with a team concept and our supervisors, officers and support personnel don't come finer."

Honored for leadership

Yesterday, the Police Commission Association of Connecticut honored Dooley and two other police chiefs with the Distinguished Chief Award, recognizing their leadership skills and hard work.

Dooley said he was pleased with the honor, and then he turned the conversation back to the department and his second-in-command, Robert Gagne.

"I'm leaving this department in very capable hands," he said. "Assistant Chief Gagne - whom the Board of Police Commissioners announced would be the Acting Chief on June 16 - has been wonderful to work with."

He said he has the utmost confidence in Gagne's ability to lead the department, calling him a hard worker, good leader and well prepared for the task.

"The best part about the way we work is that I know what he knows, and we have that concept so that we're both always on the same page," Dooley said. "We've both worked on short-term and long-term goals, capital projects and the budget process. So, it's not like he's walking into something completely new. I feel that I was well prepared when I was trained by my predecessor [Ed Delaney] and if I've done my job right, Bob Gagne will make a great chief."

As far as filling the assistant chief's position, the commission already has begun reviewing personnel files of the four lieutenants and five sergeants to determine the best in-house candidates.
Proud accomplishment

One of Dooley's proudest accomplishments was graduating from the FBI National Academy 19 years ago.

He remembers the experience as if it were yesterday.

"I remember the uniforms we had to wear, and how intensive the courses were," Dooley said. "I was in line at the University of Virginia where we were taking classes to earn our training credits. I remember on the first day, someone asking if I was there with my dad."

Dooley was a 26-year-old sergeant, attending the training academy with deputy chiefs, captains and others who were in their 40s. "I was honored to be there," he said.

Next week: Dooley's views on police training, the benefits of being an FBI National Academy graduate, and the future of the Orange Police Department.

ŠAmity Observer 2006