Police Lieutenant Takes Job At Sheriff's Office

Another leader of the New Port Richey Police Department is leaving the agency to join the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Lt. Arthur Madden, who served a brief stint as acting chief recently, is resigning from the police department.  He is joining the Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in the patrol division at the end of April.

Madden joined the police department in 2002. He served as acting chief for a brief stint, succeeding chief James Steffens.  For awhile, Madden has served as  the police department’s lieutenant of operations, in which he supervises the department’s 40 sworn officers.

Madden said that it has long been a personal goal of his to move on to a larger agency and that the time is now right. He tendered his resignation letter March 14.  His resignation is effective April 20. 

The Sheriff’s Office has hired three people who have served as New Port Richey police chief in the last two years.

 In October 2011, Jeffrey Harrington announced he was leaving his job as New Port Richey police chief to accept a job as a major at the Sheriff’s Office.

Steffens was appointed chief in December of 2011.  

In February 2013, Steffens announced that he was resigning from the agency for a job as chief forensic investigator at the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Madden was appointed acting chief last week.

It was a short term.  On Wednesday, interim city manager Susan Dillinger appointed Kim Bogart as interim chef of Police.

Madden said he will be working with Bogart to help with his transition into the role of chief at the police department.

He wanted people to know “Our officers are amazing. It’s family after 11 years.” 

Nocco said Madden is a “proven leader” who has served as a member of the merged SWAT Team that comprises Sheriff’s deputies and New Port Richey Police.  He is also a former Marine.

“To have him join our deputies on patrol, it is a home run for us,” Nocco said. 

Bogart ran for Pasco Sheriff in 2008 but lost to then Sheriff Bob White. He then ran for sheriff in the 2012 election but lost to Chris Nocco.

Bogart said he doesn’t anticipate any awkwardness between him and Nocco.

 “Our objectives are the same, and that is to serve the citizens,” Bogart said to the press after his swearing in. “And because we share the same goals, I don’t anticipate any issues. ...This department has always had a good relationship with the Sheriff's Office, and I plan to continue that.”

Nocco said his agency is going to “extend the olive branch” to Bogart and the police department.  

“This is a professional law enforcement agency,” Nocco said. “We are going to work with all our partners because the safety of our citizens is paramount.”

He said he hopes Bogart continues cooperative operations between the department and Sheriff’s Office, like the merged SWAT team  He also hopes Bogart talks to the county about the department merging dispatches with the county.

Bogart said he thinks the merged SWAT team is “important.”

"We need the Sheriff's office's support," he said.

City Council members have been commenting frequently on the Sheriff’s Office hiring away police department leaders.

“In this case, we appear to be the farm team for the SO,” Deputy Mayor Rob Marlowe said after Steffens announced his departure.

Nocco looks at his recent hires from the department “as a positive." He said, “It’s great to have such talented people wanting to join our Sheriff’s Office.

He said the agency and police department work together and share resources.

“It’s one team," he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re New Port Richey, Zephyrhills, Port Richey… We are one community.”

Asked about how he plans to retain officers ate the department, Bogart says the keys are to treat “them fairly” and “to make sure they have the tools they need to do their job.”

He said he has plans to give officers those tools, but wouldn’t comment on them at this time.