About Chief Hanrahan
Chief Hanrahan grew up in the east end of Watertown and is a graduate of Watertown High School. Chief Hanrahan joined the Watertown Police Department in 1997 after serving in the military and as a police officer in New Hampshire. After spending some time in the Patrol and Traffic Divisions, Chief Hanrahan was promoted to Sergeant in 2000 and later promoted to Lieutenant in 2002 where he oversaw the departments training, policy development, and community policing activities. After serving as a Lieutenant for 21 years, Chief Hanrahan was promoted to Captain on January 2, 2023 where he oversaw the department’s 911 emergency communications operations as well as the department’s Patrol and Traffic divisions. He was promoted to Chief of Police on November 30, 2023. In addition to serving as Chief of Police, Chief Hanrahan is also an attorney who teaches police officers and police supervisors throughout the Commonwealth in the areas of criminal law and criminal procedure, as well as many other topics such as critical incident management and domestic violence. Chief Hanrahan has a Bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement, a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Juris Doctorate Degree in Law.
Message/Safety Tip
Anything is possible if you believe that it is. Never give up and never believe that you are not good enough. Everyone is capable of amazing accomplishments.
Hired
1997
Date of Rank
2023