Chief Paul Oliveira Announces Retirement

 

To All,

After 32 years of dedicated service to the City of New Bedford’s Police Department, I will be retiring from my position as Chief on May 3, 2025.

Over the past decades, I have had the privilege of serving alongside many great men and women (sworn and professional staff), whom I have gained unwavering respect for. Through these individuals, I have learned so much and have been so proud to have them as colleagues. Out of the academy’s graduating classes of 29 officers in October of 1992, my classmates Lt. Shane Ramos and Ofc. Mike Carrier are the only ones who remain on the job.

I have witnessed firsthand the remarkable support of our department from the community. Every challenge and every milestone we have celebrated has enriched my career and my life. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together – from enhancing community safety to strengthening public trust, especially during the difficult times we faced as a society.

Specifically, I want to acknowledge the efforts and initiatives that have resulted in a consistent and substantial reduction in violent crime. I must recognize the continued efforts of the past and present members of the Narcotics Division, where I spent a significant part of my career and was so proud to have worked with so many brave, deeply committed officers. The officers there have relentlessly taken record numbers of drugs and guns off the streets, helping to make New Bedford a more desirable community to live in.

One of the most rewarding accomplishments I’ve seen during my tenure is the improved trust and respect we have gained in the Central American community. This could not have been done without the help of Lt. Candido Trinidad and Officers Sammy Algarin-Mojica and Hiram Sanchez, who have ensured a more inclusive and supportive environment for the city’s most recent generation of immigrants to call New Bedford home. I am also happy to report that we have more recruits in the academy since the tumultuous times of 2020. With another class starting soon, by the end of the summer, we will have the highest complement of officers in five years. Thank you, Officers Mark Conley and Paul Patota, for your relentless recruitment efforts.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the support from Mayor Jon Mitchell, with whom I’ve worked closely since my days as a Detective, and him as a federal prosecutor.  I also have a deep appreciation for the men and women on the force who have supported me, the professional staff within the department, my mentors, and the countless individuals who made this journey possible. Special thanks to retired Deputy Chief Al Sousa for his unwavering loyalty and dedication. I am also immensely grateful to the New Bedford community for trusting me with the responsibility of leading and serving you, a role that has been the honor of a lifetime.

As I step into this new chapter, I am confident in the future of this department and in the city of New Bedford.  The support and involvement of the community, whether it be from non-profits, businesses, activists, or ordinary citizens, has been critical to the success of the Police Department’s work to keep our citizens safe and make New Bedford a great place to live and work. I will be working closely with the administration team during this time to ensure a smooth transition, and I am excited to see continued success.

Thank you for the memories, the challenges we worked through, and the many victories we have shared. I look forward to witnessing the continued progress and growth of our community, and I remain committed to supporting our collective mission in any way I can.

In a statement, Mayor Jon Mitchell said, “By any objective measure, Paul Oliveira’s career as a New Bedford Police Officer has been successful. During his 32-year tenure, he held virtually every position in the Department, from patrol officer to narcotics detective to head of internal affairs, and distinguished himself in each. In his four years as chief, he presided over a Department whose ranks, like those of most urban departments, abruptly contracted in the wake of the pandemic, and yet he was able to drive double-digit declines in violent and property crime. Not resting on these achievements, Chief Oliveira instituted a suite of reforms, including changes to the department’s organizational structure, the adoption of body-worn cameras and a commitment to data-driven decision making, that together will set up the Department for further success still. As a result of his leadership, New Bedford is a safer city, and the Department has a stronger command of the public’s trust.  On behalf of the City of New Bedford, I thank him for his exemplary career in service to our residents.”