Column by Norma Higgs — When Niagara Falls Police Superintendent John Chella called me a few weeks ago to tell me he was retiring at the end of the year, my reaction was “why does this not surprise me.”

There were rumors and we had discussed it once or twice. I recall the days during Mayor Irene Elia’s term, when he was in Narcotics and I worked at Supreme Court, there was a rash of prostitutes doing business on the corner of Pine and Seventh during the day. The mayor was quite upset about this happening during broad daylight so I would call him when I passed them on the corner on my way to work and he would chase them down.

When Mayor Vince Anello was elected mayor, he appointed Chella as his superintendent and my first thought was “he is a street cop — not an administrator,” and I hoped he was up to that part of the position.  He sure was, and turned out to be more than I ever expected. Roger Spurback and I went to visit him shortly after and he assured us that our voices would be heard, our ideas would be considered and we would be welcome anytime on a personal basis. He has kept that promise during the past eight years he has served our city. When Mayor Paul Dyster took over as mayor, I had some trepidation that he would replace him as it was his right and privilege to do so. I am sure many of us spoke on his behalf and were relieved he was continued.

His skill in dealing with Operation Impact brought him the praise he deserves from the partners. We noticed a team effort between the Niagara Falls Fire Department and the police as he and former Fire Chief Bill MacKay formed a partnership and alliance not obvious before. Many challenges have come his way during his tenure and he has met them head on. I do not pretend to know all the inside information that has occurred within the department, but I do know of his work with the community.

During the Niagara Beautification Commission’s Beautify Niagara clean up each year since 2006, he and a NFPD crew “get down and dirty” usually in our worst section of town on a Saturday in April. He has attended first-time block club meetings to offer his personal assistance and that of his Department to solve their neighborhood issues. When I worked with John Caso at the DPW to institute the ZOOM Initiative, he offered his Department’s assistance immediately and they have become an important part of our weekly neighborhood visits.  Supt. Chella has used the grants his Department has been able to secure in the most effective ways.  Working with Niagara University, he has crime statistics at his fingertips and shares them with the public and at our Block Club Council meetings. Who would have believed this ‘street cop’ would be a “numbers cruncher”?

Chella always supports our annual “Crime Night Out effort and has provided his ideas and approval when we discuss the selection of the neighborhood, the program speaker and other important details.  Our members appreciate his appearance and that of his Officers at all of our events as he knows how much we care about crime prevention and the education that goes along with it.

He believes in the “quality of life” issues we face on a day to day basis and instituted the Community Relations Unit we have today. He has moved some of his officers in and out of this unit to give them an opportunity to work with citizens. I recall walking along Pine Avenue with Chella and these officers and he would stop and greet each business owner, and those on the street, many by their first name. He was certainly a “hands-on” leader. I doubt he would ask his men to do anything that he would not do himself.

Crime has affected our city in many ways and it moves throughout the neighborhoods so quickly that it is hard to keep up with. We urge our block clubs to keep watch for suspicious activity and to report it in the safest possible way. Roger reminded us recently that in this instance we are the 99 percent reporting on the 1 percent. The arrest of “Doctor Feelgood” has caused an increase in the quest for legal drugs that has expanded through the entire county and it has certainly taxed Chella’s department manpower. To be a police officer in Niagara Falls is to be a “real” police officer as they experience every type of situation possible.

Part of his legacy will be the fact that he kept up with every new idea the 1 percent was able to throw at him and bring a lot of it under control. There is more to do and he readily admits that, but he will be leaving his department with the new headquarters, the technology, training, equipment and the desire to finish the job.

Chella presented me with the department’s first Citizen Partner Award in February and it is my most cherished recognition. Can he be replaced? Of course. Someone will be the new police superintendent of Niagara Falls. Will it be the same? Of course not. Everyone brings their own personality, vigor, style and ability to the job. Will he be missed? Of course he will. I will definitely miss his telephone calls — “John Chella — how are you Norma?”

Enjoy your retirement chief! All the best to you and your family.

Norma Higgs serves with the Niagara Beautification Commission and Niagara Falls Block Club Council. Her columns appear Mondays in the Gazette.