Westwood Police Lt. George DiBlasi has been selected as Norwood’s new police chief, succeeding retired Chief James F. Curran.
Selectmen Chairman John Kinnaly confirmed the appointment today, describing the 40-year-old Westwood lieutenant as “an excellent candidate, and a good cop with an excellent reputation.” DiBlasi was chosen by Town Manager John J. Carroll, subject to formal confirmation by the Board of Selectmen.
The appointment follows the abrupt withdrawal earlier in the week of New York Police Captain Arthur V. Deutsch, who had originally been tapped to replace Chief Curran but declined the position amid administrative and housing hurdles. DiBlasi, one of two lieutenants on the Westwood police force, was not immediately available for comment.
Selectman William F. Butters Objects to Selection Process
Selectman William F. Butters announced yesterday that he will refuse to vote for confirmation if Town Manager John J. Carroll presents a second candidate for police chief during Tuesday night’s board meeting.
Dispute Over Executive Appointment Authority
“I will not support anybody he brings in under this system,” Butters declared, expressing strong opposition to Carroll’s independent procedure for vetting and selecting a chief.
The controversy follows the recent breakdown of negotiations with Arthur V. Deutsch, the New York City police captain originally selected by Carroll and unanimously confirmed by the selectmen on April 14. Deutsch ultimately withdrew from the post after struggling to secure affordable housing for his large family in the local real estate market.
Ironically, Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) police officer Robert F. Tierney of Dedham revealed that Deutsch had contacted him last week regarding a potential housing lead: a five-bedroom home with an in-ground swimming pool on a half-acre corner lot at 91 Colburn St. in East Dedham, priced in the “low $100,000’s.” However, time ran out before the arrangement could materialize.
Despite selectmen appearing to grant Carroll a unanimous vote of confidence earlier in the week to pursue a new regional candidate—with Carroll indicating he had already interviewed a high-ranking officer outside of Norwood—Butters maintained he dissented from the motion. Butters argued that the fundamental issue centers on executive authority. He contends that selectmen, bearing ultimate statutory responsibility for the police department, must be directly involved in the selection process rather than being relegated solely to a rubber-stamp confirmation or rejection role, asserting that “it didn’t work.”
Furthermore, Butters voiced support for promoting qualified officers from within the local ranks, specifically naming acting chief John J. Wall, Lieutenant Joseph N. Giampa, and detectives whom he deemed fully capable of leading the department.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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