Local Police Officer Slated as New Prospect for Norwood Police Chief After New York Captain Withraws-September 10, 1981

Following the unexpected withdrawal of New York City Police Captain Arthur V. Deutsch, Town Manager John J. Carroll announced that a high-ranking local police officer from the region is the primary prospect to step in as the new chief of the Norwood Police Department.

Search Restarted After Housing Market Derails Captain Deutsch’s Appointment

Town Manager Carroll informed the Board of Selectmen that his new choice—whose identity was kept under wraps—did not hold a chief’s title elsewhere but scored near the top of the initial list of 138 candidates from which Captain Deutsch was appointed last April. Carroll stated he conferred with the prospective candidate and expects a final decision by Monday, after which the candidate would meet with selectmen. Unanimously endorsing the move, Carroll noted he specifically focused his search nearby to avoid the pitfalls of the tight home-buying market: “I don’t want to get into it again and I’m trying to avoid it.”

Captain Deutsch, 49, who was named police chief on April 14 at a salary of $33,500, ultimately declined the position due to insurmountable housing and mortgage market hurdles that prevented him from selling his Brooklyn home or securing a suitable residence in or around Norwood. The breakdown culminated during a telephone conversation when Carroll prepared to set an October 1 deadline. After Carroll raised reports regarding Deutsch’s candidacy for a police chief position in Birmingham, Alabama, Deutsch stated, “I don’t want to come to Norwood.”

Board Friction Over Correspondence and Harassment Allegations

The fallout sparked friction among the selectmen during a board meeting following a taped radio interview on WJMQ where Selectman William F. Butters questioned Deutsch’s sincerity and raised the Birmingham candidacy issue. Selectmen Chairman John F. Kinnaly sharply criticized Butters for sending letters and making phone calls to Deutsch, labeling the actions “harassment” and a contributing factor in losing the incoming chief.

While Carroll defended Deutsch’s professional credentials—noting Deutsch had turned down posts in St. Charles, Missouri, and Glynn County, Georgia—Butters argued that Deutsch created a credibility gap by delaying his Norwood start date while maintaining active interest in Birmingham.

As Kinnaly urged the board to move on, asking, “Aren’t we beating a dead horse?”, the board rejected Butters’ assertion that Carroll’s independent hiring approach had “failed completely.” In a related 3-2 vote, Selectman William J. Plasko successfully introduced a restriction barring selectmen from using official municipal stationery for individual correspondence, with Selectman Thomas A. Riolo siding with Butters in defense of personal stationery use.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger