Fiorentini names three Haverhill police chief finalists

Allison Corneau, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·3 min read

Jul. 1—HAVERHILL — The city is one step closer to finding police Chief Alan DeNaro's successor after Mayor James Fiorentini and an interview panel Wednesday chose three finalists for the role of leading the Haverhill Police Department.

Two internal candidates — Deputy Chief Stephen Doherty and Capt. Robert Pistone — along with Lawrence Police Department Executive Capt. Maurice Aguiler rose to the top of a 27-applicant pool after the nationwide search for candidates closed on June 1.

Doherty, Pistone and Aguiler were interviewed Wednesday by a group led by Fiorentini and New Hampshire-based Municipal Resources Inc. and its president Alan Gould, who were hired to help recruit candidates and guide the city's search.

"They're three great guys and each one of them would do a great job," Fiorentini said.

Haverhill's new police chief is expected to be named by mid-July, Fiorentini said. The next leader will take over for interim Chief Anthony Haugh, who retired from his role as deputy chief in January after 33 years of service. Haugh stepped in to oversee the department for a period of seven weeks when DeNaro retired early due to health reasons.

Doherty, 48, holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in police administration, both from Western New England College. He attended the 141st session of the Southern Police Institute's Administrative Officers Course and was designated a dean's scholar.

A Billerica native, Doherty has dedicated his professional life to the Haverhill force, first as an auxiliary officer in 1995. He spent six years as a patrolman before moving up the chain of command to a supervisory and management role, where he most recently served as one of the department's captains since 2016. He was sworn in as deputy chief in mid-May, taking over for the retired Haugh.

Pistone, 51, is a Haverhill native who has served his hometown department for 22 years in roles including patrol commander, detective commander and administrative commander. Since 2015, Pistone has served as a captain, where he oversaw several units and 64 patrolmen.

He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from St. Anselm College and a master's degree in criminal justice administration from Western New England College. Pistone has graduated from the 272nd session of the FBI National Academy.

Aguiler, 53, has 17 years' service with the Lawrence Police Department and currently serves as that agency's equivalent to a deputy chief or second-in-command. Rising through the ranks from patrolman to captain, Aguiler also holds a law degree along with his bachelor's of criminal justice from UMass Lowell.

In fall 2020, Aguiler was named Lawrence's first Latino police captain by then-Mayor Daniel Rivera. Aguiler, a two-time recipient of the Medal of Valor, is bilingual. He has graduated from the Lawrence Partnership's Executive Leadership development program, hosted by Harvard Business School, and received the FBI-LEEDA Executive Leadership Trilogy Award.

According to Fiorentini's office, the trio are undergoing an additional interview this week along with Gould and former Hampton, New Hampshire police Chief William Wrenn, a Haverhill native.

The initial interview committee was comprised of Fiorentini; Gould; Wrenn; Haverhill Inspectional Services Director Richard MacDonald; City Solicitor Bill Cox; community advocates Kalister Green-Byrd and Lynda Brown; Manuel Matias from the Haverhill Latino Coalition; Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce CEO Irene Haley and Assistant School Superintendent Michael Pfifferling.