Jennifer Paster Sworn In As Brookline Police Chief

BROOKLINE, MA – Jennifer Paster was sworn in as chief of police for the Brookline Police Department on Wednesday morning.

In a public ceremony at the Brookline Public Library’s Hunneman Hall, Paster became the first female police chief in the town’s history.

"It is truly an honor for me to step into the role of chief," Paster said in a news release. "I am grateful for the overwhelming support from my department and the Brookline community."

Paster began her career with the Brookline Police Department as a patrol officer in 2000, and later worked in the detective division starting in 2005 as an intelligence investigator. During this time, she served as the department’s liaison to multiple agencies including Boston Regional Intelligence Center, Commonwealth Fusion Center, New England State Police Information Network, FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program.

In 2011, she was promoted to patrol sergeant where she supervised officers in the patrol division, assisted with performance and professional development and acted as the shift’s commanding officer. She later took on the role of administrative sergeant, where she served for four years.

Paster was appointed to the role of lieutenant in 2017, where she coordinated crisis intervention team (CIT) efforts across all department shifts/divisions. She also served as assistant court prosecutor for the Brookline District Court in the absence of a full‐time prosecutor.

While serving the role of deputy superintendent in 2021, she oversaw operations of the Community Service Division, the Emergency Management Coordinator, Youth and Family Resource Officers, Elder Affairs Officers, and the Crime Analysis Unit.

Since last summer, she has served as the department's acting chief. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing command staff and all levels of the department to ensure sustained day-to-day operations and deliver efficient public safety services to the community.

"Chief Paster has been a stalwart member of the Brookline Police Department for over two decades, and has had a hand in nearly all of the agency's work on behalf of our community during that time," Town Administrator Charles Carey said in the news release. "She's a proven leader who has built strong relationships with countless stakeholders, and I am confident that she is the ideal person to serve as Brookline's chief of police."

Paster is a member of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Women Thriving Inc, and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). She is also a member of the Brookline Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and a board member of the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement (MAWLE).

She holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Union College, a master's degree in criminal justice from Western New England College, and is currently working towards a master's degree in social work from Boston College.