By Rod Hansen
Staff Writer

It seemed like a who’s who of New Hampshire law enforcement as officials from across the state praised the Goffstown Police Department at a public information session on Monday, April 24.

An on-site assessment team was in town to evaluate Goffstown police for renewed accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc.

Goffstown is one of eight agencies with such accreditation in the state.

A range of officials from neighboring police departments, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and members of Goffstown’s own board of selectmen spoke in support of the police department at the information session.

Selectmen Chairman Barbara Griffin recalled being on the budget committee when former Goffstown Police Chief Steve Monier first approached the committee with an accreditation proposal. Griffin said she has since worked with the police department both as a member of the board of selectmen and in her own practice as a divorce attorney.

She said selectmen often receive positive feedback regarding the police department, including written notes from the public.

“We don’t regularly receive notes of thanks from the community about our employees, except in regards to our police department,” Griffin said.

Selectman Nick Campasano, who began his first term on the board in March, said he had previous experience with the police department as a Goffstown resident and well as in his role as a district fire chief for the city of Manchester.

“We’ve always enjoyed the highest level of cooperation with he Goffstown Police Department,” Campasano said. He also noted that his 16-year-old son had spoken favorably of the police department in relation to their school resource officer program.

Selectman Phil D’Avanza also spoke in support of the department.

New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte called Goffstown an “excellent police department,” and spoke of their professionalism and attention to detail.

Others who spoke at the information session included Goffstown District Court justices Paul Lawrence and Mike Ryan; Bedford Police Chief David Bailey; New Hampshire State Police Troop B Cmndr. John LeLacheur; state Sen. Lou D’Allesandro; state Rep. Larry Emerton, and Hudson Police Chief Richard Gendron, along with several others who filled the Mildred Stark Room at town hall for the information session.

In his remarks to the assessment team, Ryan also praised the department for its attention to detail.

“I see a lot of search warrants on a daily basis,” said Ryan, who has been a special judge in Goffstown District Court for six years; “When I see one of Goffstown’s search warrants, I know everything that needs to be there will be there.”

The on-site assessment team included Police Chief Mark Fleischhauer of Vernon Hills, Ill., Police Chief Daniel Parkinson of Cornwall, Ontario; and Cmndr. Danny Messimer from Marietta, Ga. The team had been in Goffstown since Saturday, April 22, and was scheduled to complete their work on Wednesday, April 26, said Goffstown Police Chief Michael French.

The on-site assessment team will file their final report to the commission within 30 to 45 days, and the commission will announce its decision on Goffstown Police Department reaccredidation at its conference in Lexington, Ky., in July.

The Goffstown Police Department was first accredited in 1992, and has been reaccredited in 1997, 2000 and 2003, French said.