'Perfect for this town': Hampton Falls Police Chief Robbie Dirsa retiring after 26 years
HAMPTON FALLS — Police Chief Robbie Dirsa is retiring in April, saying goodbye to the department he has been proud to serve for more than two decades.
“I think Chief Dirsa has done a spectacular job over the past 26 years,” said Hampton Falls Selectman Lou Gargiulo. “He is a dedicated public servant and he’s going to be missed by the Board of Selectmen and all the people of Hampton Falls.”
Dirsa, 57, has worked in law enforcement for almost 37 years. Raised in nearby Eliot, Maine, he graduated from Marshwood High School, then earned his bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of Southern Maine. His first job in law enforcement was in Machias, Maine, where he met his wife, Darlene, an EMT at the time.
With family along the New Hampshire Seacoast, Dirsa applied and was hired for a patrolman’s position in Hampton Falls 26 years ago. Within five years, he was chief of police, a position he has held for 21 years.
Former town selectman Larry Smith worked with Dirsa for almost a decade, finding him unfailingly courteous and helpful, even under difficult circumstances.
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“Chief Dirsa is the consummate professional: his leadership of the Hampton Falls Police Department has been characterized not only by his excellent administrative skills, but by his quiet and calm demeanor,” Smith said. “During my tenure as a selectman, I often thought about how Chief Dirsa represents the highest standard of community policing, He will be missed.”
Changing with the times
Dirsa watched Hampton Falls grow, law enforcement change and critical problems, like the opioids crisis, rise up to challenge society and police work.
“We’re still a small town, but there are a lot of fields and woods in Hampton Falls that are cul-de-sacs with houses in them today,” Dirsa said. “At the Police Department, we’ve tried to keep up but keep the small-town feel.”
When Dirsa started, Hampton Falls had three full-time officers in a community that ran on an annual operating budget considerably under $3 million. And it was a different era of policing.
“There’s been so many changes in equipment,” he said. “Now we are heavily reliant on computers. When I started, we basically had a notebook and pen.”
While trying to make the most of every dollar allotted to the department, he’s brought in new law enforcement methodologies, computers not only at the station but in each cruiser.
He started training programs, standardized firearms and contracted with a lawyer to handle criminal prosecutions.
The department also grew. Recently, Dirsa won approval and funding from voters to hire a fifth police officer, which he said, “made a huge difference” when it comes to protecting the public.
In addition, in the late 1990s, Hampton Falls made arrangements with Troop A of the New Hampshire State Police to provide coverage after hours.
“I have to thank the State Police for letting me sleep through the night,” Dirsa joked. “Before that, if a call came in at night, I’d have to get up to answer the call.”
‘A friend and a trusted colleague’
A 23-year veteran of New Hampshire State Police Troop A in Epping, and its current commander, Lt. Keith Walker said the relationship between the two law enforcement agencies is solid, and a lot of that is due to Dirsa.
“Hampton Falls and the State Police have always had a great working relationship, which is a testament to Chief Dirsa, his personality and leadership style,” Lt. Keith Walker said. “He’s great, and it says a lot about him that he’s had that kind of longevity in Hampton Falls.”
Former Troop A Commander, Capt. Christopher Vetter, said Dirsa was a chief who always called to thank troopers when they responded to Hampton Falls’ needs. That courtesy is sometimes forgotten by others, he said.
“He was always very appreciative of our help; that means a lot,” Vetter said. “Robbie Dirsa is the consummate gentleman.”
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Another relationship is that of Hampton Falls Police Department and Seabrook PD, whose chief, Brett Walker, considers Dirsa “a friend and a trusted colleague.”
“The partnership between Seabrook and Hampton Falls police departments has remained strong during Chief Dirsa’s tenure and our officers work together regularly,” Walker said. “He continued to move the Hampton Falls Police Department forward and has certainly had a great impact on the safety of the Seacoast community.”
Seabrook’s Deputy Police Chief Kevin Gelineau added Dirsa is a “kind and caring man who carried himself that way both on the job and off.”
Sitting across the hall from Dirsa in Hampton Falls Safety Building for 18 years, Fire Chief Jay Lord said he and Dirsa work together well because they “see things similarly.” As a result, Hampton Falls didn’t have to endure the animosity that sometimes rises between fire and police departments in other places.
“We both realized that working together we can make things happen,” Lord said. “It’s really going to be something to see him leave because Robbie Dirsa was perfect for this town. He has the demeanor for it, and he really understands it.”
Ready for the next phase of life
Dirsa doesn’t have firm plans for his retirement, other than taking the summer off, doing some fishing and spending time with his wife. After that, he said, he’s open to the next phase of his life.
As members of the police, Seacoast and Hampton Falls communities come forward to wish Dirsa well, he offered his thanks to those he’s worked for and with over his career in town. That includes 35 different selectmen, multiple town administrators and officials, and the men and women of HFPD with whom he served. And he offered another big thank you.
“I want to thank the townspeople for supporting me and the department over the years,” Dirsa said. “That meant a lot.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Hampton Falls NH Police Chief Robbie Dirsa retiring after 26 years
