By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — On a glorious blue sky day, the community came together Tuesday morning to honor the nearly 30 years of service Police Chief Michael P. Murphy gave to the North Reading Police Department and the town.
The Changing of the Guard ceremony was held outdoors at the North Reading Police Station, the chief’s home base for the better part of the past three decades. In attendance were members of the police department, his immediate and extended family, town officials and employees, retired members of the force, elected town and state officials, and members of the public.
Serving as emcee for the occasion was Lt. Mark Zimmerman, his successor as chief, who was sworn in the following morning at NRHS.
Zimmerman gave a brief synopsis of Chief Murphy’s rise through the ranks starting when he was appointed to the North Reading Police Force in 1994. He was subsequently assigned to the detective unit in 1998. “During this time he served as task force officer for the DEA,” Zimmerman said.
Eighteen years into his tenure, in January 2012, Murphy was promoted to Police Chief, succeeding retiring Chief Edward J. Nolan.
“In 2018 Chief Murphy became the Town of North Reading Public Safety Director, overseeing the Fire Department, Building and Health Departments,” Zimmerman said, adding, “Chief Murphy led the Police Department’s efforts to become fully accredited in 2011. He initiated the Community Impact Team and developed many policies and programs that will serve the department and community well for many years.” This lasting impact included the addition of specialty positions such as lieutenant detective and school resource officer.
Remarks by SB Chair Liane Gonzalez
North Reading Select Board Chairwoman Liane Gonzalez said when she thinks of Chief Murphy, the words that come to mind are “professionalism, leadership and responsiveness.” She added that any time she had a question or needed to talk to him about a matter he got back to her immediately.
In a nod to his extended family seated together at the ceremony, Gonzalez said that while the chief’s retirement will be “a great loss to our community … some people are going to be very excited to have him around a little more!”
Gonzalez invited fellow Select Board members Rich Wallner and Stephen O’Leary to the podium to help present the chief with a framed plaque from the entire board which included the inscription: “In recognition of 29 years of dedicated service to the town of North Reading, including Police Chief from 2012 to 2023; Director of Public Safety from 2018 to 2023, given by the Select Board on behalf of a grateful community.”
State Rep. Brad Jones’ remarks
State Rep. Brad Jones Jr., the House Minority Leader said he he was honored and privileged, but also a bit sad to bid farewell to Chief Murphy.
“He has been a consummate professional,” Jones said. “He has not been shy about calling, texting or emailing me, but always for the best of reasons and always with a wealth of information to make the department stronger and better for the citizens of North Reading. And he’s achieved that every step of the way.
Jones added, “The highest honor when serving the public is to leave something better than you found it, and you have done that. Even this year the chief was advocating for continued funding for the wellness program for the Fire and Police Departments, and Sen. Tarr and I are please to let you know that there is money in the state budget to continue that program in the town of North Reading and it is on the governor’s desk, for all the men and women out there.” He presented the chief with a citation from the House of Representatives. “Because it’s the government we had to inflate it to 30 years of service,” Jones quipped.
Sen. Bruce Tarr’s remarks
In a reference to the parking space crunch in the town center during the ceremony, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr opened his remarks by stating given that he was probably illegally parked he was grateful that all the officers in the department were at the ceremony.
Tarr offered his gratitude to all the men and women who serve on the Police Department.
“I want to take a moment to express our gratitude to all of you. You operate in a difficult environment,” Tarr said. “When we are out there and you got the badge and the patch, and you’re standing up for all of us, you need to know that while we may not say it enough, we care deeply about you, we respect you, and we honor you for the work that you do. And know, that while it may seem lonely out there some days, we’re always there behind you 100 percent.”
The senator also praised Murphy for spending his law enforcement career in one community. “Being a leader in that community for three decades is a remarkable accomplishment. And to do it all the while earning respect every step of the way…you have given your heart and soul to this community,” said Tarr.
He added, you’ve also paid attention to the details that make a difference for a police department – making sure that training is up to speed, that there is accreditation; that the right equipment is in place. Most of all, making sure that there is good morale among the men and women who stand between us and harm’s way every day. And we know that that isn’t easy. We know that that takes a lot of your personal time and attention to be able to build that morale; to be able to support something when maybe the day hasn’t gone the way that everyone expected. Tarr also noted that Murphy was a “spokesperson and advocate in statewide policy” matters over the years on behalf of the police and the communities they serve.
“You have forged a bond that is so critical to public safety between the community and those in law enforcement, and all the while you’ve done it with a smile, you’ve done it with patience, and you’ve never lost sight of you dedication not only to this family (gesturing to the police officers) but to this family (gesturing to Murphy’s family) and that is truly a balancing act that deserves our credit and our attention,” Tarr said.
Tarr presented Chief Murphy with a citation on behalf of himself and his colleagues in the state Senate. “It’s always a pleasure to be able to give a citation to a police officer. Unlike the ones you give out, this one is not appealable to the district court,” he said.
CIT member Rita Mullin’s remarks
Community Impact Team member Rita Mullin recalled that back in 2012, shortly after Murphy had become chief, she received a phone call from him. After being assured that neither of her kids was under arrest, he asked her to join the newly formed Community Impact Team as the representative from the Recreation Committee.
“At that time, it was brand new and the members were the Chief, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Superintendent of Schools, Director of Youth Services and Recreation,” she said. It soon grew to include the Fire Chief, Director of Elder Affairs and the Board of Health with the Town Administrator serving in an ad hoc advisory role.
She recalled that the chief was elected to chair the CIT due to the sentiment of the members that he was “progressive, proactive, fair and expected the best of himself, the department and Advisory Board…We would use all the collective knowledge and connections that he and his department had made” to tackle the issues facing the specific departments and segments of the population represented on the Advisory Board, and then share that process with the community.
Mullin stated that it was very important to the chief that CIT members “check our egos at the door, and whether we realized it or not, it was the start of a cultural change in the best way possible… At each meeting, he asked what we needed and he listened. He led by example. We all needed to be part of the solution. Speak up if you think you have a better idea. Bring positive change to the meetings, and no drama allowed!”
From the humble beginnings of creating a Community Resource Guide followed by a website and an anonymous police tip line, Mullin said they have expanded their reach to creating programs for all ages, from K-12 to the elderly, with specialty programs provided for parents, coaches, town employees, and the community at large.
“After 11 years of running the Community Impact Team with us, what do we have to show for it? Well over 200 to 300 volunteers that are part of this ‘scheme’ you proposed that would work only one hour a month – and we all work 10, 20, 30 hours a month on these action committees – and the grants we have received have totaled over $1.3 million and over 20,000 hours of programming,” Mullin said, all of which improve the quality of life for North Reading residents.
The short list includes the Drug Free Communities Grant, Winchester Hospital grants, Drug Take Back grants and the initial addition of a licensed mental health clinician on staff.
“North Reading is a model in the state of what a small town with big ideas and creative thinking can do with a professional, progressive police force and the intervention/prevention aspect to help with enforcement together with all town departments and schools working together for the benefit of the whole community,” Mullin said. On behalf of the CIT, she thanked the NRPD for “sharing your chief with the town for the last 11 years and making him a better chief with your support.”
“Chief Murphy, you know you are loved and honored and have more than earned your retirement. You have earned our trust and respect,” Mullin said.
T.A. Michael Gilleberto’s remarks
Town Administrator Michael Gilleberto recalled that when he was hired back in 2014 there had been a two-month gap between his date of hire and his first day on the job. In the interim, Chief Murphy had served as Acting Town Administrator for most of that time and was his primary point of contact.
“It was a natural beginning to a professional relationship where I’ve grown to depend on him for advice on matters beyond the Police Department. I look to him for advice and counsel, but I’m not alone. We all look to him for leadership. It goes beyond the respect associated with carrying a badge and a gun; it’s the way that you carry yourself and treat people that makes you a trusted leader, and for me, a confidante,” Gilleberto said.
“You’re the first to tell me when I need to be tough or proceed cautiously on and issue, but you’re also the first to tell me I’m being too tough, too strict or too harsh,” he added.
Gilleberto has observed that when the Chief was required to enforce the law he would do so “as Mike Murphy, the person who knew right from wrong.” The T.A. said that he knows much of the Chief’s strong moral compass came from the influence of his parents, and although they have both since passed, “I can’t help but look to the Chief’s family here today and congratulate you. We all know that you mean so much to him, and you have accepted the burden of supporting a police officer for nearly three decades. Thank you!”
Gilleberto added that although Murphy is known not to want to take credit for the initiatives that he has led he felt it was important to state, “Chief Murphy initiated community policing and problem solving-based policing well before it was politically popular. Programs such as our Community Impact Team, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Clinician, his willingness to house our Youth Substance Abuse Coalition at the Police Station, and regular public safety department meetings established an approach that was results-oriented.”
“While we’ll never truly know how many lives have been improved or saved because of his leadership or his insistence on accountability, I think we all know this: North Reading, the place that so many of us call home, is a better place because of Mike Murphy,” Gilleberto said. “Thank you for being there for me so that I could be there to support and service others.”
Fire, Police presentations
North Reading Fire Chief Don Stats presented Chief Murphy with shadow box from the members of his department featuring a NRFD patch and shields, a photo of the chief and an inscription from the NRFD members in his honor.
Lt. Mark Zimmerman also presented the chief with a shadow box from the members of the department that was made by retired Lt. Detective Tom Romeo.
“We knew we had to hide it,” Zimmerman said after he retrieved the gift from the front seat of a police cruiser parked behind the podium.
It features several North Reading Police Department badges, an honorary NRPD Massachusetts “license plate,” and an inscription that reads: “The officers of the North Reading Police Department wish to congratulate you for your 29 years of service to this community. You exemplify the true meaning of integrity, commitment, trust and honor. Your leadership and dedication has made this organization a model for others to follow. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement.”
Chief Michael Murphy’s remarks
Prior to delivering his retirement message (which is reprinted in full in today’s letters to the editor), Chief Murphy said, “I’m not really good at goodbyes nor am I good at being the center of attention. I do appreciate everybody being here today. To the officers who put this together it was more than I wanted and more than I expected.”
“During my last week here, I never really thought about this particular moment, but I was reminded for the last seven days that they were my last days here at the North Reading Police Department. See, my mental health clinician has a talent I didn’t discover until this week. She has a real ability to mess with your head and she came into my office last Tuesday, she stopped and with her bright eyes, she said ‘Can you believe it… this is your last week working for the North Reading Police Department. It is so exciting!”
“I looked at her like is she excited I am leaving or is she just excited?”
“Then the next day she said, “It’s your last Wednesday that you will be sitting in this office!” So this continued all week, every day until Friday when she said, ‘How are you going to sum up your 29 years in five minutes? I would be sick to my stomach!’”
“Sure enough, we get to today and I am making myself a cup of coffee this morning and I’m looking at the coffeepot and I’m talking to the coffeepot saying: “This is the last time you are going to make me coffee,” and I thought, ‘You know what, it’s time to go. Mission accomplished Laura.’”
In his retirement message, Chief Murphy stated in part: “It’s been an honor to have served alongside the brave members of the North Reading Police Department. I’m grateful to the past members of the department, who established the foundation for us to build upon, and am looking forward to watching the current members of the department develop the future.”
See more photos from Police Chief Michael P. Murphy’s retirement ceremony here.