When Todd Fitzgerald first put on his uniform at 20-years old, he was patrolling the town’s beaches. Three decades later, after rising through the ranks to become chief of police in his hometown, Fitzgerald is preparing to hang up his badge for good.
Fitzgerald, 54, who served as police chief for the past six years, will retire this summer. He said he hopes to leave behind a legacy of dedication and service.
“I hope people see someone that was dedicated to the job and always put the community first,” he said.
Fitzgerald began his career as beach patrolman before becoming a reserve patrolman in 1992. He was appointed a full-time officer in 1994 and named chief in November 2019.
Law enforcement runs deep in his family. His grandfather and uncle served as police officers in Manchester-by-the-Sea, and his great-grandfather was a reserve officer in Topsfield.
That family legacy shaped his approach to policing.
“My grandfather always said, ‘you treat people how you want to be treated,’ and that's what I've done my whole entire career, whether we were placing them under arrest or they were having a difficult situation,” said Fitzgerald. “My motto was to treat people with respect and dignity, even in their worst hour.”
Before becoming chief, Fitzgerald served as executive officer and lieutenant. Those leadership roles reinforced a central lesson, he said.
“The buck stops with you once you sit in this seat, and you got to make sure you're making sound and right decisions,” he said.
He said he sought to lead by example and be someone that his fellow officers could rely on.
One of his proudest achievements as chief was establishing a school resource officer program.
Fitzgerald said he felt the relationship between schools and police “had been lacking over the years.
So in collaboration with the Essex Police Department and the Manchester Essex Regional Public School District, the program places officers in schools to provide counseling support and build relationships with students.
“Having that valuable relationship with a police officer in the schools has helped us tremendously with the youth of the town,” he said.
Former Police Chief Ronald Ramos, who retired in 2007 after 35 years with the department – including 24 years as chief, which was the second longest term served in Manchester – said he recognized Fitzgerald’s potential early on.
“I recognized some promise in him,” said Ramos, who appointed Fitzgerald as reserve officer in 1992.
“He didn't go charging into things, and he showed me that he was able to handle most any situation,” said Ramos. “He excelled in almost everything that he was exposed to.”
Lt. Mark McCoy, who has known Fitzgerald since they were children, described him as a strong, community-oriented leader. The two played high school and summer baseball together and later served side by side on the force.
“It helps when you're growing up in the town… and when you have that knowledge of the town and the people in it,” McCoy said. “They trust you and it's easier to serve the people in town when you know who you're serving, and they're people that you talk to every day.”
McCoy said it has been a pleasure to work alongside him all these years and hopes he enjoys retirement while also suggesting he should “play a lot of golf.”
“When you go out the door it’s not long before you become history,” Ramos said, but added that he believes Fitzgerald’s legacy will endure.
“He established a foundation to be built upon, not to change,” said Ramos, “so I think his legacy would be a solid foundation for police services.”
Reflecting back on his career, Fitzgerald acknowledged the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance. He credited his ability to make time for his family, work overtime, and dedicate himself to the community to his wife, Ruth, who herself has served the town for decades, working in the office of the Dept. of Public Works.
“She's been with me this whole ride, and if it wasn't for her, I don't know if I'd be in this position today,” he said.
In retirement, Fitzgerald said he will miss the daily operations and camaraderie of fellow officers and other agencies.
While he expects he may eventually return to some form of public service, for now he is focused on gratitude.
“It's a very rewarding career,” he said. “In the end you've helped a lot of people, you've tried to make a difference, and that's what I feel like I've done.”
Juliana Pinto is a student at Endicott College studying journalism. This story was written in partnership with the Massachusetts News Service.
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