Ex-Cambridge chief reflects on his career

Serghino René

A little more than a decade ago, Chicago native Ronnie Watson had a simple mission: to improve the Cambridge police department.

In his view, he accomplished that mission.

“I think I have left the police department in better shape than I found it,” Watson said.

The statistics bear out Watson’s argument. From 1985 to 1995, before Watson’s arrival, Cambridge had 36 homicides. In the decade from 1996 through the first nine months of 2006 — the most recent crime data made available by the Cambridge Police Department — the city had experienced 23 homicides, a drop of more than a third.

In the category of part I crime — a broad measure which includes murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft — the difference is even more stark. In 1995, the year before Watson came aboard, the city saw 4,824 part I offenses. Through the first nine months of 2006, Cambridge reported 2,789 such crimes, a significantly reduced pace.

But numbers only tell part of the tale.

The 62-year-old Watson was Cambridge’s second African American police commissioner. He followed Perry Anderson, who left the post in 1995. He also holds the distinction of being the longest-serving commissioner in the city’s history. But after 10 years on the job, Watson felt ready to move on.

“It’s time for someone new to come to the department and use their energy to take it to the next level,” said Watson.

Watson officially retired last month. Robert C. Haas, Mitt Romney’s former secretary of public safety, will become the city’s new police commissioner effective April 9.

Watson remembers that he didn’t have plans to chase a career in law enforcement. It happened by accident.
As a teenager, he said, he was great with numbers and planned to become an accountant. A future in business was inevitable — or so he thought.

His path suddenly changed course when O.W. Wilson, an influential leader in policing who served as Superintendent of Police in Chicago from 1960 to 1967, wanted to reform one of the nation’s largest police departments.

Wilson’s reform plan included the establishment of a non-partisan police board to help govern the police force, a vigorous merit system for promotions within the department, an aggressive recruitment for new officers and higher police salaries to attract professionally qualified officers. Wilson also launched a new cadet program.

In July 1963, Wilson appointed Watson as one of the first 63 police cadets.

“That’s what introduced me to law enforcement,” said Watson. “By the time I got my first promotion, I was making more money than a CPA.”

He continued to work for Chicago’s police department for 33 years, successfully rising through the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant and captain. He also commanded the Gambling Unit, Organized Crime Division, Training Academy and the Englewood (007th District) Police District.

Watson came to Cambridge in August of 1996. While he worked to establish and coordinate a system to address communities and their concerns, he has also encouraged the police department to go out and have open communication with the community.

“It’s our hope that through sharing of information, sharing of intelligence about people involved in these communities, we can prevent any violence on our city streets,” said Watson.

Upon his arrival, Watson requested a new police station. It took 10 years to come to fruition, but it’s a proud accomplishment he takes to heart.

“It is a dream that people thought would never come,” said Watson. “By Oct. 2008, we expect to have the most prestigious, modern, and technologically up-to-date police station in Massachusetts, if not in the nation.”

He also formalized community policing in Cambridge by establishing the Neighborhood Sergeants Program, which designates a sergeant to all 13 of the city’s neighborhoods and makes these supervisors the go-to person in each community. This strategy was later supplemented by the Command Community Partnership, which pairs command members of the police department with local community organizations in the city.

“Crime in Cambridge is at 40-year lows, but those are just numbers,” said Watson. “One crime is a crime too many and we take every crime seriously. A lot of credit goes to the community and neighborhood organizations that work daily to keep crime from happening. Cambridge is a community-knit government and we try to work as teams to look at problem in holistic way and be willing to let other organizations in the city take the lead.”

Watson emphasized that he wouldn’t be successful if he didn’t have pride for Cambridge and the sense of community that comes along with it.

“I wouldn’t be able to do my job right if I didn’t appreciate this city, “ said Watson. “We have caring and responsible people in the community and they want the city to remain unaffected by the negativity that goes on around it.”

Noel Johnson, board member of Adaptive Environments and former co-chair of the Area 4 Neighborhood Crime Task Force, has known Watson since his arrival in 1996. She says Watson was very responsive to community needs.

Johnson remembers the day when one of her neighbors asked her how to handle a situation where illegal drugs were being sold in a nearby home. Johnson suggested a one-on-one meeting with Watson. She said Watson was always there and if she wanted to talk, she could talk to him personally.

“When we arrived at the meeting, there were six other officers there,” said Johnson. “He included others in his work too. They talked, came up with a solution and it was wonderful. I hope when they hire someone else, they follow in his footsteps with the same sensitivity and understanding.”

Watson was very visible and worked closely with elected officials like Cambridge Mayor Kenneth Reeves.

“I got a lot of satisfaction from working with elected officials,” said Watson. “I recognize the good work the men and women do. They work 24/7 to see that Cambridge remains a safe and viable city.”

Reeves said their relationship was one of mutual respect.

“We both came from the Midwest, so we always had that in common,” said Reeves. “He reminded me of an outstanding, churchgoing person who had standards.”

Right now, Watson’s main concern is to catch up on time lost. He’s leaving his home in Milton and returning to his family in Chicago. He has a daughter at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., a son and daughter who are both police officers and a host of other relatives with whom he’s determined to spend more time.

“I have plans to go home and relax and will check up on what’s happening in Cambridge — but through the Internet,” he said.