Paul Payne was sworn in as Bridgewater Police Department’s seventh chief of police on July 8, after first coming on the job in Bridgewater in 1997. He was accompanied by his two daughters and his wife, who lovingly pinned his new badge at the swearing-in ceremony.
Payne worked patrol for seven years in Bridgewater before moving into the traffic safety bureau, where he investigated accidents, worked on grants and assisted the County Prosecutors Office by diagramming crash scenes.
Following his tenure in the bureau, he was promoted to sergeant overseeing patrol and traffic. After that, he was promoted to watch commander and then captain of operations, overseeing the patrol division and training for the department. The new chief is dedicated to bringing new life to the position.
“We’re constantly changing with the environment in law enforcement,” Payne shared in a video the day after his promotion. “So one of my things is to make sure that officers are well-trained and have the training they need to go on calls.”
