Reading Police Promote Police Sergeant To Lieutenant Rank

READING, MA — The Reading Police Department has a new lieutenant beginning this week following the promotion of sergeant Patrick Silva to the new rank.

Reading Police Chief David Clark announced the move on Friday. Silva will serve as the department’s day shift patrol division commander, helping oversee patrol personnel and operations with the Reading Police.

Silva will also continue to serve current duties as Reading’s civil rights officer “for the time being,” according to Clark’s promotion announcement.

"Lt. Silva has been an invaluable member of our department for over a decade, making meaningful contributions throughout that time — including most recently in his work to safeguard civil rights in our community," Clark said. "I look forward to his continued positive impact in a position of increased leadership and responsibility."

Silva joined the Reading Police as an officer back in 2009. He was promoted to the role of sergeant in 2014, more recently taking on the extra role of civil rights officer.

That latter job has Silva acting as a liaison between the Reading Police and the community on civil rights matters, as described in the promotion announcement. The liaison work can include awareness, detection, prosecution and proper reporting of hate crimes and other constitutional rights violations, Clark’s announcement said.

Silva has led both civil rights and firearms training for the police, including training on less lethal munitions and “electronic control weapons systems,” such as tasers.

Silva heads up Reading use of force and de-escalation training.

Outside of Reading, he also works as an adjunct professor of criminology and criminal justice at Merrimack College.

Silva began his new role as lieutenant on Monday.