Reading’s new police chief Elias “Eli” Vazquez wants to make the city’s department the best in the country.
“The department is already a great department,” Vazquez said, “so I simply look forward to helping us serve humanity through organizational excellence.”
Vazquez was introduced to the public by Mayor Eddie Moran during an event Tuesday afternoon at City Hall.
To achieve his goal, Vazquez said, he and his staff will implement the best practices for all aspects of the department.
“To get the best department in America ─ and we can achieve that ─ some of the things I’ll be looking at are policies and procedures for deployments, and our recruiting and retention efforts,” he said.
Crime fighting efforts and strategies will be rooted in intelligence with a focus on the small percentage of offenders who commit most of the crime, Vazquez said.
“I believe everyone should be treated with dignity and respect at all times,” he said, “no matter who you are, where you live, who you love and who you worship. I will continue to be transparent, show you respect, engage with you and be accountable to you at all times.”
In shaping the department for the betterment of the city, Vazquez said, he plans to seek public input through town hall meetings and other methods of community engagement.
“I look forward to working partnerships with all governmental and non-governmental organizations, schools, churches and businesses in improving the model of life in the city,” he said.
Addressing those who will be under his command, Vazquez said he will ensure the city’s law enforcement team has the proper training, technology and other equipment to properly do the job. He also pledged to maintain a healthy work ethic and environment in the department.
“I have not forgotten where I came from,” he said.
A Marine Corps veteran, Vazquez has 36 years of law-enforcement experience. He served 26 years with the Tampa, Fla., police department, working his way through the ranks to assistant chief and retiring in January 2020.
After serving one year as chief of the Kenneth City, Fla, police department, Vazquez began a career in corporate security.
He resigned to accept the job in Reading.
“As you know, we looked both internally and externally to find the person who will best meet the needs of our community,” Moran said.
The mayor and William Heim, city managing director and a former police chief, identified and recommended Vazquez for the position in Reading.
He was appointed chief by City Council at a special meeting last month. He will begin Feb. 1 at a yearly salary of $145,000.
Vazquez said he and his wife, Lysa, plan to live in the city.
The couple have a blended family of four adult children.
No stranger to the Mid-Atlantic region, Vazquez was born in New York, grew up in New Jersey and lived in Bethlehem.
Living in Reading, he said, will allow more frequent visits with his widowed father, the Rev. William Vazquez, who lives in Vineland, N.J.
Source: Berkshire mont