PARSIPPANY — Mayor James R. Barberio held a small promotional ceremony on Tuesday, December 27, where he promoted Deputy Chief Richard Pantina to the rank of Chief. Pantina is the ninth chief in the history of Parsippany.
Chief Pantina was hired in July of 1989 after previously serving as a police officer in Elizabeth.
Over his 36 years in law enforcement, he has held numerous positions within the police department which, include Commander of the Investigative Division, which oversees Internal Affairs, along with the Adult and Juvenile Detective Sections, Lieutenant in the Patrol Division, where he oversaw the day to day operations of his Patrol Section, and as a Community Relations Officer while assigned to the Support Services Division.
He is pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Public and Emergency Services at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is also a graduate of the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police Command and Leadership Program.
Throughout his career, Chief Pantina has been recognized for his performance and dedication to law enforcement through awards for Exceptional Police Service and numerous Command and Unit Citations.
Pantina was appointed Deputy Chief in 2013 by Mayor James Barberio. Pantina was hired in July 1989 and assigned to the Patrol Division. Before he came to Parsippany, Pantina served as a Police Officer in Elizabeth for about three years. He lives in Berkeley Heights with his wife and two children.
Mayor Barberio stated, “I believe he will continue to guide the police department in a positive direction, as he has already done so over the last year and a half as the Acting Chief of Police. His knowledge, experience, and professionalism are a few of the many reasons I decided he would be the perfect fit for the position. I would like to personally congratulate the Chief and I look forward to working with you in the future.”
