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Port Arthur City Council hires Timothy Duriso as police chief

Duriso spent 20 years as an investigator with the Drug Enforcement Administration and once worked as a supervisor and a patrolman for the Port Arthur Police Department.

PORT ARTHUR — A unanimous vote by the city council will bring a veteran law enforcement officer back to Port Arthur.

During a meeting Tuesday afternoon, council members voted to hire Timothy Duriso as the new police chief.

Duriso spent 20 years as an investigator with the Drug Enforcement Administration and once worked as a supervisor and a patrolman for the Port Arthur Police Department.

"It was often said in the police department if you worked for Port Arthur you could go anywhere,” said Tim Duriso.

In mid-July, Port Arthur interim city manager Harvey Robinson shortened the list from 39 applicants to four finalists. The other three candidates were Alton Baise, Martin Blitch and John Leger.

During the meeting, each council member had something nice to say about Duriso.

“Trust is evidently at the forefront because I know a lot of the officers know you and have a relationship with you,” said Councilwoman Charlotte Moses.

Duriso said his main focus for the police department is stopping violent crimes.

There have been 11 homicides in the city this year.

"We can get together as a team, meet with the citizens of Port Arthur and go after and try to solve some of these things that are going on,” said Duriso.

He said another goal is to improve relationships between police officers and residents.

"We will get out there, we will explain to them what we would like to see and then we'll get with the citizens also and see what they expect of us,” said Duriso.

When former chief Patrick Melvin resigned on May 29, John Owens stepped in as the interim police chief.

Duriso said he looks forward to working with Owens and the other officers to crack down on crime in Port Arthur.

He said right now he’s still trying to process the news that he is becoming the chief.

"It’s unbelievable, I can’t really express it because I am overwhelmed right now, but on the way here I was saying to myself I can’t believe I’m getting the opportunity to come back to the city of Port Arthur,” said Duriso.

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