- Photo by Andrew Firestone

By George P. Hassett

Clearing poppy fields in Thailand is not the usual experience for new Somerville police officers but Tom Pasquarello is not coming onto the force as the usual officer: he’ll be starting as chief in about three months after Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone selected him last week.

Pasquarello, who has worked with Drug Enforcement Agency for 28 years, has spent the last five years in Bangkok, Thailand leading narcotics enforcement in 34 countries, from China to Austrailia.

In an interview with The Somerville News, however, Pasquarello stressed his experience fighting crime in dense urban communities such as New Haven, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island.

He led DEA operations in those cities from 2000 to 2005.

Former New Haven police chief Francisco Ortiz said, “Tom wasn’t a bureaucrat in New Haven. He chose to roll up his sleeves and get involved with local officers, supervisors and community activists. He made a world of difference.”

At the time, New Haven was dealing with small-time gangsters intent on causing chaos on city streets, particularly in the Hyde Point neighborhood, Ortiz said. “They had access to weapons and were willing to use them indiscriminately.”

Pasquarello not only worked with law enforcement but sought out community and religious leaders for input and solutions, Ortiz said. But when one of the children of a faith leader was revealed to be involved with the gangs, Pasquarello didn’t hesitate to arrest that person, Ortiz said.

“New Haven had many of the same issues Somerville faces,” Pasquarello said. “Gang activity, violent crime and drugs.”

He said he is eager to work with authorities and civilians to address the issues.

“To be effective you need input from the community,” he said. “If you’re not going after what people in the community think is important, you’re wasting your time.”