HOLYOKE — After returning from a recent trip to Israel, state Sen. John Velis found himself unable to sleep. So to burn off some energy he headed to what he expected would be an empty gym at 4 a.m.

“What do I see? The good captain, benching,” recalled Velis, referring to Brian Keenan, then a captain in the Springfield Police Department, who on Tuesday was sworn in as Holyoke’s new police chief.

Like many who spoke at Keenan’s swearing-in ceremony, Velis kept alive a rumor that Holyoke’s new police chief doesn’t sleep.

“A lot of people come forward and say, you know, they do the job 24/7. That they’re constantly available ... That’s quite literally the truth about this man,” Velis said.

Keenan was introduced to the community as a cornerstone both professionally and personally. Holyoke officials and Hampden County dignitaries touted Keenan — a veteran officer of almost 30 years, including eight as captain with Springfield police — as someone who will serve as a tireless watchdog for the city of 48,000 and a department that includes 124 officers.

Speaking to 300 people in attendance in the ballroom of City Hall on Tuesday, Mayor Joshua Garcia didn’t downplay the challenges that lie ahead in Holyoke — a city with one of the highest crime rates in the state. He called the position “one of the hardest jobs there is, but also the most rewarding,” and assured the community of his confidence in the new chief. Keenan is succeeding David Pratt, who was appointed in 2021 and retired last summer.

“Brian Keenan embodies a deep respect for the community — a quality I hope to see in every member of the Holyoke Police Department in a city like ours, where challenges such as homelessness, poverty, untreated mental health issues and addiction are part of the fabric of our daily lives,” the mayor said.

Garcia continued: “Citizens want to be proud of their police department ... Chief Keenan, I believe you can lead the department in earning that trust. I have no doubt that you’ll do it with integrity and vision. And I am not just telling you that as mayor of the city, but as a citizen whose children attend the Holyoke Public Schools, and who is friends with many people who live here just trying to get by and live a good quality life.”

During his remarks, Keenan said he felt blessed. “I thank all of you for your faith in me,” he said.

The swearing-in was conducted by Judge Tina Westcott Cafaro, associate justice of the Massachusetts District Court and Western New England University law professor. Among the officials and dignitaries present, in addition to Velis, were members of the Holyoke City Council, Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, and state Rep. Patricia Duffy, D-Holyoke. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno also wrote a letter congratulating Holyoke on the selection of their new chief, and in the ballroom were dozens of uniformed Springfield law enforcement officials, Keenan’s former colleagues.

Keenan’s ‘guidebook’

Keenan’s “guidebook” over his tenure as chief will be the implementation of an audit completed on the Police Department, “which I heard sits on his bedside table,” joked Garcia, who spearheaded the audit in 2022. The comprehensive audit identifies outdated policies, as well as citing instances of excessive overtime, employee burnout and officer turnover, among other issues.

Keenan expressed gratitude to his family, colleagues and community members for their support and said his main priorities will start with attention to small crimes, which he said in his experience often help address larger issues. These include a crackdown on speeding and noise violations.

He also said the department’s “legitimacy comes from the community,” and that he will institute community meetings in each of Holyoke’s neighborhoods.

“We can’t arrest our way out of deeper social problems,” he said, adding that social service agencies also have a key role in alleviating the city’s crime.

He also intends to maximize partnerships with federal partners; and within his own force, he looks to provide the best training possible, and to “work in partnership with great organizational policies.”

He also told Holyoke’s officers, many of whom were present, that he expects both compassion and responsibility from them — and that they love being a cop, love the city, and love being a cop in the city of Holyoke.

While Keenan is originally from eastern Massachusetts, he quoted “the great Bruce Springsteen” to describe his love for Holyoke, who in his song “Long Walk Home” sings: “It just wraps its arms around you, nobody crowds you, nobody goes it alone.”

In his remarks, Velis shared the story of his friendship with Keenan that began in 2017. On St. Patrick’s Day that year, Velis was at an after party, which is “not a great place to be,” he said, for someone like himself struggling with addiction. Velis related how Keenan talked him through the afternoon and gave him his number, and asked him to reach out anytime.

Keenan would go on to call Velis daily during Velis’ deployment to Afghanistan and said that over the years, Keenan has proved to be an “unwavering” and “selfless” friend who saved his life.

“There are countless people in this room from law enforcement to beyond who have stories just like that,” said Velis.

DA Gulluni said Keenan is “going to bring energy, focus — a spirit to the city and to this department that I think is going to make a great difference, not only for the Police Department and its women and men, but most importantly, quite frankly, for the people of the city.” He expressed excitement over being able to be a colleague of Keenan, whom he also considers a friend.

Isaias Cruz served as interim chief as the hiring process has taken place over the past six months. That search culminated when Keenan was given the nod by the mayor for the position in early December after an extensive hiring process that had included review by a special counsel of city officials and community forums, as well as an essay submission. The process was facilitated by Public Safety Consultants LLC and overseen by Holyoke’s Personnel Director Kelly Curran. Keenan was the last remaining of four candidates after this process.

Samuel Gelinas can be reached at sgelinas@gazettenet.com.