Verona Council hires new police chief

Thomas Dessell wears multiple hats in the Verona community.

A Verona native, Dessell has been a borough police officer and president of the Verona Chamber of Commerce.

But council promoted him to police chief on Tuesday night.

The hiring comes on the heels of previous chief Ron McLemore’s honorable discharge in April.

McLemore was assaulted during a domestic violence call in November 2023, leaving him unable to work. He was on workers’ compensation until he was discharged due to a permanent disability, according to the borough’s April meeting agenda.

Verona Mayor David Ricupero said three Verona officers applied for the chief’s position and were taken through a multi-step interview process. He said two police chiefs from nearby communities were brought in to help interview the candidates.

“All three candidates were in the running. They all spoke very well, interviewed well and the decision came down to who scored the highest,” the mayor said.

Candidates were scored based on their interview answers, experience and how well spoken they were during the process, among other factors.

Dessell has been an officer with the town since February 2023 and has almost 20 years of law enforcement experience.

“Given my background and ties to the community, I felt I would be able to lead this department to the next chapter,” Dessell said.

Dessell, 41, wants to “go back to the basics” by emphasizing community-oriented policing and focusing on improving the department’s hiring and retention rate.

“We always are so grateful for the service of all of our officers, current and past,” said council Vice President Trish Hredzak.

She acknowledged residents’ past support of Dessell and said their decision to vote him in as chief was not one that council members made lightly.

Dessell was voted in as chief unanimously. He said Wednesday he is still negotiating his contract and will be paid retroactively once an agreement is reached.

“Verona has a bright future, and I look forward to seeing what happens,” Dessell said. “The possibilities are endless.”