Chief brings wealth of experience
Mulligan focuses department's attention on community spirit
By Matt Phillion
Chief James Mulligan always knew he wanted to be a police officer.
His father, the first in the Mulligan family to work in law enforcement, played a pivotal role in Mulligan's career decision.
"He always spoke highly of his profession. Other kids' fathers didn't seem to enjoy work as much as my father," said Mulligan. "It seemed to me at a very young age that this was bet best job in the world. I still feel that way."
His father's love for his work rubbed off on both of his sons: Mulligan's twin brother William is the Chief of Police in Merrimack, N.H., and the two consider each other tremendous resources, consulting on such things as working with their departments and running budgets.
Mulligan attended the police academy, graduating in 1973, and spent some 30 years with the Nashua, N.H. Police Department, where he "held every job an officer can have," ranging from patrolman to lieutenant in charge of the Criminal Investigations Division and everything in between. This last role stands out as a particularly successful run.
"I was in charge of the detectives division for eight years. During that time we had 10 to 15 homicides, and every case was cleared," said Mulligan.
He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's in criminal justice administration, and has even attended the prestigious FBI National Academy in Virginia.
As he was nearing retirement in Nashua, Mulligan was contacted by a recruiter about an opening for a new chief in Georgetown. Interested, Mulligan went on his first job interview in three decades. Not long after, he and his wife packed up and moved to Massachusetts.
"I've changed more this year than I have in 30 years," said Mulligan.
The change of location has been pleasant, however, as has working with his new department.
"I've inherited an excellent group of well-trained, highly motivated officers," said Mulligan.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of his job so far has been meeting with the citizens of Georgetown ("I've learned this place is a real gem," said Mulligan) and doing so has allowed him to get a better understanding of what troubles the people he works to protect here.
"If you talk with the residents, they'll tell you what the problem areas are," said Mulligan.
Among those problem areas: traffic enforcement.
Keeping up with this top complaint from residents is an uphill battle, given tight budgeting issues faced by police departments across the state. Nevertheless, in order to try to resolve this, Mulligan hopes to propose an additional full-time officer in the fiscal year 2004 budget, which would allow for an officer on duty at all times dedicated to traffic enforcement issues.
This will free up the other on-duty officers to handle the wide range of calls that come in during a given shift while allowing the department to better handle traffic issues in town.
What it all boils down to, said Mulligan, is keeping the residents safe and happy.
"That's what this job is about. How many people you help," he said.
 
This article originally appeared in the Georgetown Record , by Matt Phillion/ Mphillio@Cnc.Com
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