By Marley Seaman
John Aresta, a member of the village police department for 16 years, was sworn in as chief on Wednesday, Oct. 11. He succeeds Glen Jacobsen, who retired on Sept. 30 due to health concerns.
"He's really, I feel, the ideal candidate," Malverne Mayor Tony Panzarella said of Aresta, 42. "He has done a fantastic job since he's been in charge, since June. He's no-nonsense, he's bright, he's young, he has the best interests of the community at heart."
In June, Jacobsen went on leave, and Aresta became the department's commanding officer ‹ in effect, the acting chief.
Aresta is now responsible for 21 officers: One Lieutenant, three Sergeants, and 17 officers. He handles the department's schedule, budget, rules, and day-to-day operations, and will be a presence at local meetings. One of his first priorities will be installing a computer system in Malverne's three police cars. The computers have been in the stationhouse for several years.
He sees quality of life as the biggest issue he will have to deal with.
"Our crime rate has gone down drastically in the past year," he said. However, he acknowledged that the village is concerned that local teens have little to do in Malverne.
Aresta considers it an advantage that he has spent his life in Malverne.
"Everybody says, 'I would never want to live where I work,'" he said. "I've never had a problem. If anything, by growing up and living here, I'm more in touch with what¹s happening in the community."
After high school, Aresta became an Emergency Medical Technician in New York City, working in Coney Island.
"Everybody called it 'the pit,'" he said, meaning the armpit of the city.
He loved the work, but because there were no pay increases or retirement benefits, decided he could not make a career of it. His work had allowed him to meet many police officers, so he decided to become one.
"At the time, I didn't know how much I was going to love it," he said.
Aresta spent five years with the 71st Precinct of the NYPD, working in Crown Heights. He was a uniformed officer for two years, and then joined the anti-crime unit. Then, over Memorial Day weekend in 1989, everything changed.
Although he wasn't scheduled to work, Aresta's partner, Jeff Herman, decided to go in. He answered a call regarding a family dispute, and was shot to death.
"It took a lot out of me," Aresta remembered. Although he was close to becoming a Detective, he decided he wanted to work somewhere else. Malverne made him an offer in Oct., 1990, and he accepted.
"It was very satisfying, being able to patrol [my] own community and friends and family,² he said. Police work in Malverne, he added, is very different: In New York, he had to hurry from call to call. In Malverne, he is able to take the time and solve people¹s problems.
Aresta has been a Malverne volunteer firefighter for 24 years, and many of his family members are also involved in the fire department.
Jacobsen retires
Jacobsen did not return requests for comment on this article. However, Panzarella said health problems related to gastric bypass surgery were the reason for his retirement.
"It got to the point where he really couldn't continue," Panzarella said. "It was affecting him, and he decided for the good of the village that he would retire because he felt he couldn¹t properly perform his duties."
"I feel really sorry for him,² he added. "I wish him every success in the future. He's a wonderful guy, he was my choice for Chief, and I'm sincerely sorry he had to retire."
Comments? MSeaman@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 205.
