DWC names Nashua Police Sergeant as Safety Director

 

(Nashua, NH) — With the appointment of retired Nashua Police Sergeant Jamie Provencher as Daniel Webster College’s director of campus safety, a new tradition was created when he took over the administration of another Nashua Police Department retiree, Bob Ravenelle, who retired this fall from Daniel Webster following 20 years of service to the college.

 

“It was a great opportunity for me,” said Provencher. “Bob and I had joked a lot over the years about my taking his position when he retired. Knowing our age difference, however, I thought it wouldn’t be a possibility, but who knew Bob was going to stay at DWC for 20 years, which gave me time to become eligible for retirement from the department. I think it’s great that another Nashua Police Supervisor was hired to follow Bob and keep a good tradition going.”

 

Provencher, who resides in Merrimack with wife Debra and their “two super children,” Kayla, 17, and Jillian, 13, has a professional background that makes him a “good fit” for director of campus safety at DWC: 22 years at the Nashua Police Department wearing a variety of “hats,” and eight years of supervisory experience in different bureaus, including detectives, patrol, and the undercover unit. “I knew I would work well at Daniel Webster,” he said.

 

Those past 22 years included letters of recognition from the Chiefs’ level, as well as the Medal of Valor for a dangerous situation. Provencher also received the Unit Action Award for a successful homicide investigation he had managed and supervised. What he most enjoyed working with the Nashua Police, he explained, was as simple as “just being a cop.” “It’s all about being there for someone else, seeing the face of a victim whom you helped by arresting their violator and bringing closure to their ordeal. It’s about solving a murder for remaining family members. It’s about stopping and assisting a motorist who then takes the time to say “thank you” in a letter. It’s about looking back on a career and seeing the good that you did for so many people and having been appreciated for it.”

 

In the short time that he’s been at DWC, Provencher, in addition to changing the look of the office, has instituted a change in patrols, a change in what the department reports on, and soon to come, a change in uniforms. His department is also planning training sessions for the DWC community including a Health and Safety Fair, Rape and Assault Lecture, and Disaster Seminar. Additionally, he plans on meeting with RAs and the Student Senate at their meetings and also wants to implement an open forum for the campus community so they have the opportunity to ask him questions. And there is more to come.

 

High on his priorities is changing the campus environment to a “community” campus safety environment, where the entire community works collaboratively with the safety department to solve or deter safety issues. Many may recall that when Provencher came aboard, his first big undertaking was his department’s involvement in the Aviation Heritage Festival, always a monumental task for all DWC departments. “I found it no problem jumping into the work load and learning right away,” he said.

 

So what does a former police sergeant do for relaxation? “I enjoy carpentry, a good cigar, and working around the yard. We usually take two trips a year, one in the winter to the islands and one in the summer, wherever it takes us.”