Branville G. Bard Jr. Appointed as Police Commissioner

City Manager Louis A. DePasquale today announced that Branville G. Bard, Jr. has been selected as Cambridge’s Police Commissioner.

“I am pleased to appoint Mr. Bard as our next Police Commissioner. He has a proven track record and will be a strong leader for our 21st-century police department,” City Manager Louis A. DePasquale said. “I am confident that under Mr. Bard’s leadership, the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) will continue growing its commitment to community policing, crime prevention, cultural awareness and sensitivity, department-wide equity and inclusiveness, procedural justice, and visionary, effective, and strong police leadership.”

Bard currently serves as the Chief of Police and the Director of Public Safety for the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Police Department. Prior to this, he served in numerous positions for the Philadelphia Police Department, including Police Inspector, and Police Captain for the 22nd District. Bard holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from Valdosta State University. Bard's contact is for 3 years with a starting salary of $210,125 ( $205,000 base salary with a 2.5% cost of living increase that went into effect July 1). His first official day as Commissioner is August 21.

“It is a tremendous honor to be appointed as the next Commissioner of the Cambridge Police Department,” Bard said. “This is a nationally regarded and accomplished department and I am committed to building on the success of CPD’s talented and established personnel, programs and collaborations.” 

“I am pleased that we were able to involve so many people in the Commissioner search process and tat the public was able to hear directly from Mr. Bard during the process,” City Manager DePasquale said “I hope the entire community will join me in welcoming incoming Commissioner Bard and I look forward to introducing him to the community in the coming months.”

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Timeline for Police Commissioner Search Process

January 2017

• Engaged the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) to assist with the search process.

February/March 2017

• PERF conducted interviews and focus groups with department staff, key stakeholder groups, and the public at large.
• PERF developed recruitment profile and began accepting applications in early March.
  • The Commissioner posting was advertised in PERF, IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police), NOBLE (National Org of Black Law Enforcement Executives), HAPCOA (Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association), NAWLEE (National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives), and the City’s website/job listings.
  • PERF also conducted targeted outreach to individuals based on PERF’s knowledge and based on recommendations from others public safety leaders.

April 2017

• Applications from candidates were accepted until April 7.
• 39 applications were received.
• Initial background screenings were conducted by PERF, and they delivered the results and recommendations to the City.
• After discussion of PERF recommendations, 5 candidates were selected for interview.

May 2017

• Interviews were conducted by City Staff and community stakeholders in early May.
  
  • Participants on the two panels included:
    
    

    Panel A

    Name	Position
    Bishop Brian Greene	Police Chaplain
    Ann Fleck-Henderson	City Manager Advisory Committee member
    Frank Pedro	City Manager Advisory Committee member
    Lisa Peterson	Deputy City Manager
    Joshua A. Reyes	City Manager Advisory Committee member
    Ellen Semonoff	Asst. City Manager/Human Service Programs
    Lisa Thurau	Police Commissioner Advisory Board
    Rev. Ellis Washington	City Manager Advisory Committee member

    Panel B

    Name	Position
    Betsy Allen	Director/Equity and Inclusion
    Andrea Brown	Chief Administrative Officer/Police
    Brian Corr	Peace Commission/Police Review and Advisory Board
    Louis DePasquale	City Manager
    Lee Gianetti	Director/Communications and Community Relations
    Christina Giacobbe	Director/Emergency Communications & 911
    Nancy Glowa	City Solicitor
    Sheila Keady Rawson	Personnel Director
    Brent Larrabee	Acting Police Commissioner
    Robert Wasserman	Public Safety Advisor

• From those five, the City Manager expected to name two candidates as finalists.

June 2017

• One candidate under consideration withdrew from the process, leaving Chief Branville G. Bard Jr. as the sole candidate (NOTE: Because Chief Bard was a highly-qualified candidate, the City Manager decided to keep the process moving forward with only one finalist).
• Chief Bard was brought in for a series of meetings with City Manager, Deputy City Manager, and City Staff. Also, Chief Bard was introduced to and met with Mayor E. Denise Simmons.
• City Manager announced Chief Bard as the finalist on June 16.
• Public Community Forum held in Library Auditorium on June 20. Forum was recorded and rebroadcast on 22-Cityview and available on YouTube.
• Panel meetings with Chief Bard were conducted on 6/21. Each of the panels below were attended by the City Manager, Deputy City Manager and Personnel Director. Panels and participants were:

  Public Safety

  Name	Position
  Joseph Barr	Director/Traffic, Parking & Transportation
  Brian Corr	Director/Police Review & Advisory Board; Peace Commission
  John DiFava	MIT Police Chief
  Christina Giacobbe	Director/Emergency Communications & 911
  Robert Haas	Former Police Commissioner
  Brent Larrabee	Acting Police Commissioner
  Gerard Mahoney	Acting Fire Chief
  James Maloney	Chief of Operations, Cambridge Schools
  Francis Riley	Harvard Police Chief
  Joseph Wilson	Superintendent, Cambridge Police
  Andrea Brown	Chief Administrative Officer, Cambridge Police

  Social Services

  Name	Position
  Mark Albanese	Director, Adult Outpatient Psychiatry & Addictions Cambridge Health Alliance
  Claude Jacob	Chief Public Health Officer
  Mike Johnston	Director/Cambridge Housing Authority
  Mark McGovern	Healthcare for the Homeless
  Risa Mednick	Transition House
  Kenny Salim	Superintendent, Cambridge Public Schools
  Elizabeth Speakman	Coordinator of the Cambridge Initiative on Domestic and Gender Based Violence Prevention
  Carolyn Turk	Asst. Superintendent, Cambridge Public Schools

  Youth Panel

  Name	Position
  Approximately 10 high school students/college students	Mayor Summer Youth Program Councillors
  Ellen Semonoff	Assistant City Manager for Human Services
  Nancy Tauber	Executive Director of the Family Policy Council

• Chief Bard had small group meetings with the following City Councilors: Jan Devereux, Craig Kelley, Dennis Carlone, Leland Cheung, Marc McGovern and Nadeem Mazen.
• Chief Bard toured the Robert W. Healy Public Safety building and informally met numerous police department staff during his building visit.
• Chief Bard had additional interviews with the City Manager and Deputy City Manager.

July 2017

• Additional reference and background checks conducted, including onsite visits in Philadelphia, PA.
• The City Manager extends offer of employment to Chief Bard.