The Latino police chief championing inclusion in Massachusetts
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For Quesada, a fourth-generation Mexican American who spent most of his career in Arizona, arriving in Massachusetts was like a literal cold plunge. The frigid weather was one thing, but realizing that the blue state doesn't necessarily live up to its national reputation as a progressive bastion was something else entirely. Prior to his Swampscott appointment, Quesada was the deputy chief of police at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, the job for which he moved to Massachusetts in the first place in 2020.
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When he first arrived in the area, 'I remember seeing very few women in policing,' Quesada told me. And he remembers noticing that some departments still used 'policemen' instead of 'officers' or a more inclusive label. Last year, Quesada noted proudly, the Swampscott police had its first all-female patrol shift in the history of the department.
Inclusivity shows up in other ways, too. 'We celebrate almost everything in this department,' Quesada said. 'St. Patrick's Day, Pride, Armed Forces. So I said, 'Let's have a Black History Month patch, too.' ' The latter one is a commemorative patch to be worn by officers on their uniforms and features a prominent, embroidered portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. framed by the red, yellow, and green colors that symbolize Pan-African unity.
The patch also displays the date 'June 19th, 1865,' or Juneteenth, the holiday marking the emancipation of some of the last enslaved African Americans in the United States.
'That patch was designed by a local Black Metco student,' Quesada said.
Quesada also brings a critical perspective to the fraught intersection of immigration and policing: He understands what it means to be seen as 'other' in his own country, even while serving it and even as someone whose Mexican American family has had roots for generations in Arizona. He's worn the uniform, navigated the tension between law enforcement and immigrant communities, and witnessed firsthand how policy decisions play out on the ground — especially during
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Amid increased activity from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in Massachusetts, Quesada is quick to point out that local police departments are not responsible for federal immigration enforcement.
'Local law enforcement and municipalities are already strained in personnel and resources simply trying to meet current public safety needs. … If we local law enforcement were to 'target' undocumented immigrants, whose interests and power are we serving to protect? It would run counter to any mission statement, values, and ideals of any PD in the country.'
But he also points out that 'We cannot obstruct, hinder, or impede other law enforcement operations' — meaning that when ICE comes into communities, the police can't stop them.
The national task force, which includes law enforcement leaders from across the country,
In today's political climate, when immigrant communities are living in fear, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are under attack from the highest levels of government, Quesada's presence in law enforcement is more than symbolic. It's a powerful statement. His unapologetic embrace of DEI principles, rooted in personal experience and professional conviction, is both bold and necessary.
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Two Swampscott Police Department commemorative patches honoring Pride month and Black History Month and Juneteenth.
MARCELA GARCÍA/GLOBE STAFF
Marcela García is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
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