Michael Peraino Named New Hingham Police Chief

Despite being in Hingham for nearly 53 years, Michael Peraino is still “the new guy.”  

 The new police chief, that is.

 The Board of Selectmen recently unanimously appointed Lt. Peraino as Hingham’s new chief of police.  He will take over the position when Police Chief Taylor Mills retires later this year.

"You will have fine results from your police department without a doubt," Mills said.

Peraino was one of four in-house candidates who applied for the position. The other candidates were Sgt. Richard Corcoran, Lt. John Norkaitis and Lt. Glenn Olsson, each of whom Board of Selectmen chairman Bruce Rabuffo said he could envision as future police chiefs.

 “I’m very excited, it was a tough competition from the other three officers who I’ve worked with for 30 years," Peraino said.  "I look forward to this new chapter in my career.”

 Peraino is a 33-year veteran of the .  After graduating from in 1973, Peraino earned his Associate’s Degree from Massachusetts Community College and his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Curry College. 

 “In 1978, I was hired as a police officer in Hingham,” he said.  “In my second month on the job, I experienced the Blizzard of ’78; I worked for four days straight without a break.  It was definitely an introduction to police work.” 

 Peraino was on duty and stayed at work – “getting some shut eye in a cell” – because the roads were impassable and relief officers could not get to the station. 

“On the third day, I was sent down to help the town of Hull which was devastated by the blizzard,” he recalled.  “It was quite an eye-opener to see the devastation that the storm caused.”

Peraino has always enjoyed community policing.  In 1994, under the direction of then Chief Joachim-Ingo Borowski and superintendent Gary Baker, Peraino helped establish the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. 

 “I was the first officer to do that, and I was actually the DARE officer for 13 years,” recalled Peraino.

Peraino has quickly moved up the ranks in the .  In 2004, he was named Sergeant and in 2006, he was promoted to lieutenant.

 “One of my biggest challenges is to provide the residents of our town with the service that they’re used to,” he said.  “With the economy the way it is, it’s been very tough on budgets. The town has really been expanding and our calls for service have been expanding, too, about 10 percent each year. “

 Peraino is looking forward to providing direction and leadership to the “young” department, noting that 60 percent of the officers have less than 10 years experience on the job.  They also have three new officers attending the Police Academy. 

“We have a very young group of officers so, as a police chief, I am going to have to be very patient and approachable, and the supervisors and I are going to have to be good mentors to these officers,” he said.

 Peraino fondly recalled his mentor, the late Chief Steven Carlson.

 “I was very big in community policing, that’s one of the things I really strived for, and Chief Carlson made it available,”  Peraino said.  “If someone wanted to further their career, he allowed them to attend leadership seminars or management classes.  He definitely prepared me for this and I’m sure he’s looking down with a smile.”

 Peraino also looks forward to providing leadership opportunities for his police officers and continuing to work with the community and the town boards.  “I’m excited about it all.”

 Peraino has been married to his wife Linda for 29 years.  They have two daughters, ages 25 and 23,  and two dogs.  

Hingham Police Chief Mills has not chosen a date for his retirement.