He is with his wife, Lori, and sons Noah and Drake. North Country This Week photo by Andy Gardner.

By ANDY GARDNER

Updated June 22 10:55 a.m.

MASSENA -- Massena’s police chief, who had been serving on an interim basis, was appointed to the post permanently at Tuesday’s village board meeting.

Chief Adam Love has 16 years’ experience with the department.

“It’s something that was my goal when I first started,” he said. “My goal was … to move up. To be able to accomplish that, to me is rewarding.”

He recently passed the civil service test, making him eligible for the permanent post.

He says his immediate goals include tackling the town’s drug problem and improving community relations.

"I want to maintain proactive crime fighting to improve the utilization of patrol and investigative resources in the identification, arrest and conviction of individuals committing criminal activity within the Village of Massena," Love said. "We are committed to continue to fight this uphill drug epidemic. I will support my staff as they proactively enforce the laws making Massena a safer place to live."

Former Chief Mark LaBrake said prior to his retirement that he was ordering officers to make more traffic stops in areas police believe drugs are sold, and Love says he plans on continuing that.

On the community relations front, Love says he wants to bring back neighborhood watch and continue LaBrake's Operation True Blue, where officers would take a small amount of time each to interact with Massena youth, including playing sports like pickup hockey or casting for fish in one of the rivers in the village.

"I need to maintain and encourage community support, cooperation and confidence including building and keeping the trust between police and the public," Love said. Our agency has been fortunate to have the backing of the public and I want that to continue. I want to get the Neighborhood Watch program up and running again.

"I will be continuing the True Blue program and continued the program during the winter as the officers were involved with the kids in the schools this winter."

A former sergeant, Love was promoted to acting chief following LaBrake’s resignation in December.

LaBrake had been promoted from lieutenant in November of the previous year as former Chief Tim Currier’s replacement.

Currier, a 27-year chief, had retired to undertake what turned into a successful campaign run for the mayor’s office.