By LISA CAPOBIANCO
STAFF WRITER
After serving as acting police chief for nearly sixth months, Brian Gould is now officially Bristol’s new police chief.
He was recently appointed by city officials during a special City Council meeting held on April 6. He also was sworn in during a ceremony on Monday.
Gould said it is an honor to serve as chief in a police department that has a wonderful team of people.
“It’s an absolute privilege,” said Gould, who served as captain before taking on the role of acting police chief last Oct. 25. “I thoroughly love this career.”
Gould has served the Bristol Police Department since 1994, taking part in a variety of special assignments and teams, including the Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Central Region Emergency Response Team.
In 1998, he became a field training officer, providing hands-on training to new officers in the department. From 2000 to 2003, he was detective of the Criminal Investigations Division before serving as detective of the Narcotics Enforcement Team from 2003 to 2005. In 2005, Gould became patrol sergeant, and in 2007, became a lieutenant, serving as the “offi-cer in charge” for the patrol division. He moved up the ranks to captain in 2012 after serving as commander for the Professional Standards and Training Division.
“There are so many aspects of the job that I like,” said Gould, adding that his job is a calling. “I love the fact that you’re here to help people. It’s not just about going out there and arresting people. People look to the police department for help in all different kinds of ways.”
In addition, Gould has served on various committees, including the Bristol Police Awards Committee and the Safety Committee, where he serves as co-chairman of both.
Looking back on the beginning years of his career, Gould noted how law enforcement has grown with better training, better education and better equipment.
“We’ve changed in so many ways,” said Gould, adding that officers now have a paperless system when out in the field. “There have been so many advances.”
Last fall, former Police Chief Tom Grimaldi announced he accepted a new job in Port Orange, Fla. Grimaldi served the Bristol Police Department for 27 years, moving up to the rank of chief in 2012.
Noting how Grimaldi began many new initiatives at the police department, Gould said he plans to continue what the former chief began, such as the “community policing” philosophy. One way in which the Bristol Police Department aimed to enhance its relationship with the community under the leadership of Grimaldi took place last July through the motorcycle unit. The motorcycle unit, which the city of Bristol has not seen in over 20 years, is operated out of the department’s traffic division.
“We’re going to keep the walking beats and the bike patrols going,” said Gould. “The motorcycle patrol really got off the ground…and we already have the bikes out on the road this season.”
Gould first had the opportunity to serve as acting chief in January 2015 when Grimaldi was attending a training program at the time.
Gould said it marked the first time he obtained a “solid run” of the police chief position. At the time, Gould gained experience working on the police department’s budget, which gave him an idea of what the job was all about.
Gould said that training period really prepared him to step in as acting police chief last October.
“I enjoyed it thoroughly,” said Gould, adding that he always learns something new on the job. “When this opportunity I came up, I kind of already knew what I was going into.”
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Brian Gould is the new police chief for the city of Bristol.