Thomas Martini, who has served in the Malverne Police Department for nearly 30 years, was recently named its new chief of police, replacing John Aresta, who retired in December after 18 years in that position.
Since January, Martini, 50, has served as the department’s probationary chief and was officially sworn in as police chief on Aug. 25, with additional swearing-in ceremonies taking place at the village board meeting last Wednesday.
“If you don’t know Tom,” State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said, “he is not only very bright, very professional, he’s one of the nicest, most compassionate people you will ever find. And that is a beautiful combination for a chief to lead us.”
Martini, a Malverne native, was 21 when he joined the department in 1997 after passing the civil service exam. He was inspired to join the force after seeing the impact local officers had on the village, including his uncle, retired Sgt. Vin Morris.
Following in his uncle’s footsteps, Martini was promoted to sergeant in June of 2012, and later to lieutenant in May of 2018.
“Every day brings something different,” Martini said about his career on the force. “Some days you’re responding to a call with people that are on a bad end of things, and other days you’re dealing with people having good experiences.
“You have to think on your feet, be flexible,” he continued. “In law enforcement, in general, you have to be able to assess situations and react properly in a short amount of time. There are a lot of aspects that go into making a good police officer, and there is no real road map to it. Every situation is different.”
Martini will oversee the force’s 23 police officers, handle administrative work, craft policies and form procedures for the department. The village’s police officers mostly respond to quality of life concerns, but are prepared for all situations, working with local schools, religious centers and community groups to keep the village safe.
“We’re more of a community-oriented police department — just keeping Malverne safe,” he said.
Martini noted that the entire police force consists of current or former residents of the village, creating a unit uniquely invested in protecting the local community.
“I’m fortunate enough to grow up in this village and be awarded the safety to be a kid in this village,” Martini said. “To give that back to the younger generation, to keep this place safe, so they can enjoy the same kind of childhood, is important.”
As chief, Martini aims to continue Malverne’s reputation as a safe community for residents. “Priority one is maintaining that,” he said. “Then I’m always looking to explore any cutting-edge ways to continue promoting safety.”
Becoming chief was never a goal for Martini. “Getting promoted in small village police departments is very difficult,” he said. “We have a limited number of supervisory roles and when people get promoted, they tend to stay in those spots. So it’s not something I thought would happen, but I’m fortunate enough to get promoted.”
However, Martini is determined to do his job well, with an unwavering dedication to serving the village. “If I can’t put in everything necessary in order to do this job properly, to the best of my ability, I wouldn’t just sit in this position,” he said.
Scott Edwards, deputy mayor and police commissioner, gave Martini high marks. “I’ve known Tom for quite some time,” Edwards said at the Sept. 3 swearing-in ceremony, “and I can tell you that he’s a professional, he’s approachable, and he is an excellent candidate for this position.
“I have no doubt he’ll do a tremendous job for the village and the residents,” Edwards continued.
