I look forward to working more with Chief Centanni in Watervliet
After reporting on the announcement that Watervliet hired Joe Centanni as its next police chief, I was going to write a column on that decision, however, not really knowing Centanni I held off on writing a column about that hire for Watervliet.
I did not want to write an opinion piece about someone that I never really had any contact with before.
Although Centanni did work with the Troy Police Department for 25 years, as a reporter I never interacted with him and another reporter covered his retirement ceremony last year.
As I wrote about last week, I was looking forward to getting out again to cover Centanni’s swearing-in ceremony on Friday. I was not only eager to see sources that I’ve built connections with over the years but was also eager to meet Centanni.
Knowing that Watervliet is a small police force and from dealing with previous police chiefs there, I knew that I would have the opportunity to connect more often with Centanni in the future.
After introducing myself to Centanni before his ceremony, my first impression of him was that he was polite and friendly.
I was interested to see what he would say during his speech
after being sworn in. He answered a question that I was wondering and apparently many others were wondering. I was curious why he would want to take a law enforcement job after retiring only a year ago.
Everyone also knows what the past year has been like, especially for law enforcement. Between working through the pandemic, national civil unrest after the George Floyd killing as well as the state making a mandate for all police departments to come up with police reform plans, so why would someone want to re-enter this field?
His answer was simple and brief. His response to everyone
who asks that question is because he “loves this job.” He went on to say that he understands policing as well as the challenges and that he is 100 percent committed to the profession and his new role.
Another part of his speech that stood out to me was when he began talking about his family and watching him get emotional showed that he really cares for his family, and is thankful for their support. He also thanked other law enforcement officials that played a role in helping him grow in the profession.
After his speech, I was able to ask him a few follow-up questions, and I was really curious how he would answer my one question. That question was what would he say to community members who may be skeptical about seeing another new police chief in the city after having as many as three chiefs in recent years.
Although I used his full response in my swearing-in story, I think it was a good answer so I am going to quote him here again.
He said, “What I would say to [the community] is that they should be skeptical; words on paper are only one thing, my actions are going to matter. “I recognize that stripes, stars, and bars do not earn me trust and credibility in the community, that is something that I have to earn.
“I have worked tirelessly to do that throughout my career, and today is my very first day to begin doing that in the city of Watervliet and that’s exactly what I’m going to do and the police department is going to do.”
I enjoyed working with all the recent past police chiefs in Watervliet including Lt. Brian Strock, who was acting police chief, and I look forward to working with and getting to build a working relationship with Centanni as well.