THE REVERE ADVOCATE - Friday, June 23, 2017

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REVERE

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ADVOCATE Vol. 27, No. 25

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A day of reflection

Mayor appoints Guido interim police chief

The widow of Saugus Police Officer Harold L. Vitale finds joy in the scholarships given in honor of her late husband

Seeks approval to appoint from outside department

By Mark E. Vogler

By James Mitchell

T

his time of year usually stirs up bad memories and heartache for Eileen Vitale, the widow of the late Saugus Police Officer Harold L. Vitale. Last Sunday – Father’s Day – was especially difficult, as it marked the 32nd-anniversary that Officer Vitale was killed in the line of duty. “June 18 is always a tough day for me, it always has been and always will be,” Mrs. Vitale said last Saturday morning, as she joined a small gathering at the Ballard Street park named in honor of Officer Vitale. But it was evident from the smile that beamed across her face that she enjoyed the occasion – the 23rd annual Vitale Memorial Fund Scholarship Awards Ceremony. Seven students from area communities – three of them the children of police officers – each received a $1,000 scholarship this year. “I love to see the recipients get the rewards for their hard work,” Mrs. Vitale said in an interview after the ceremony. “It’s good for them and it’s good for me. It’s great that we’re

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ON BEHALF OF THEIR SON: Michael and Joanna Hill, of Revere, at last Saturday’s Vitale Memorial Fund Scholarship Award Ceremony, accepting scholarship for their son, Gianni Hill, president of Revere High School Class of 2017. Gianni was one of seven students from area communities receiving scholarships this year in memory of the late Officer Harold L. Vitale, the Saugus police officer who was killed in the line of duty in June of 1985. Presenting the scholarship was Bob Vitale, a brother of the late officer.

able to continue to do this – to honor Harold and to keep his memory alive,” she said. The Vitale Memorial Fund has presented scholarships totaling $120,000 to 120 students over the past two-plus decades, according to Les Vitale, of Pea-

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body, a brother of the late Saugus officer and president of the fund. “Despite the years we enjoy the opportunity to award scholarships to these kids,” Les Vitale said “His premature death meant he missed a lot, like his children’s graduations, their marriages, the birth of grandchildren, but we carry on for him. This year marks 23 consecutive years of granting scholarships, we couldn’t be prouder,” he said. Revere High School student honored All of the recipients are college-bound and each has a special connection to the Vitale family – either through friendships or ties to law enforcement. Each of the recipients must also write an essay. Gianni Hill, president of the Revere High School Class of 2017, made a deep impression on this year’s memorial fund committee. “I especially enjoyed reading Gianni’s story of his upbringing and learning how to overcome some adversity and learn to represent his family at a very

REFLECTION | SEE PAGE 6

n an email sent this past week, Mayor Brian Arrigo has announced that Captain James Guido will be interim police chief of Revere beginning July 1. This decision comes after two months of candidate assessments following the mayor’s decision in January to not renew current Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli’s contract, which expires June 30. In his statement, Arrigo said his organizational review of the police department from top-to-bottom will take several months and had hopes to have a permanent police chief by July 1 but given the time frame, will seek authorization from the City Council and State Legislature to go outside the department for potential applicants. Current city ordinance allows the city to only hire a new police chief from within the department. “Per City Ordinances, as of July 1, at the expiration of the term of the current Chief, the Executive Officer of the department, Captain James Guido, will serve as interim chief,” said the mayor. “The interim chief will be in place to maintain continuity while the organizational review is completed. The recommendations of the review will be used to inform the hiring of a permanent chief.” Guido, who holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, was hired in 1986 and has worked his way up the ranks to captain working on an administrative level within the department, including holding a post in Emergency

Capt. Jim Guido Management and as chairman of the Insurance Advisory Committee, as well as being a police union official. “I’ve always been involved with the ‘nuts and bolts’ in the department – whether it’s the payroll or the budget,” said Guido, when reached by telephone this past week. “I’ve worked with three police chiefs over the past 15 years in an administrative capacity.” One of his biggest achieve-

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