Capt. Daniel Hanafin stands with the Select Board after a 5-0 vote in favor of naming Hanafin as Deputy Chief of Police. From left: Select Board Chair James Tigges, Chief Thomas Browne, Michael Espejo, Hanafin, Nicholas Priest, Sarah Cawley, Vice Chair, and Joseph Morandi. (Photo Courtesy Burlington Police Department) 
Deputy Chief Hanafin and Chief Browne with Hanafin’s family: his wife Angela and sons Shane, Daniel and Eli. Not pictured are the Deputy’s two other sons, Ronan and Charlie, who are away at college finishing their semester. (Photo Courtesy Burlington Police Department) 
Deputy Chief Daniel Hanafin with his colleagues on the NEMLEC SWAT Team, where he is a Team Leader, assisting in managing critical incidents through de-escalation, training, negotiation and more. (Photo Courtesy Burlington Police Department) 
Deputy Chief Daniel Hanafin with the Burlington Police Department. Hanafin was promoted during a ceremony at Town Hall on Monday, May 4. He will assume his title on Tuesday, May 5. (Photo Courtesy Burlington Police Department) 
Deputy Hanafin with his brothers and sisters. (Photo Courtesy Burlington Police Department)
BURLINGTON — Capt. Daniel Hanafin was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police during a ceremony on Monday, May 4.
The Burlington Select Board voted 5-0 on Monday evening in favor of naming Hanafin as the next Deputy Chief of Police. Hanafin will officially assume the position of Deputy Chief on Tuesday, May 5.
The Town Hall meeting room was filled for Hanafin’s promotion, as he was surrounded by many colleagues, family members, and friends. “His integrity, his moral compass, his intelligence, his level-headedness, his ability to remain calm in the worst situations — I’ve seen it and I think that the town is lucky to have you,” said Select Board Chair James Tigges during the meeting.
Deputy Chief Hanafin has been a leader within the Burlington Police Department for 21 years, joining the force in 2005. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2011; to lieutenant in 2018; and to Operations Captain in 2022 where he was responsible for managing the patrol division, the detective bureau, the traffic unit, and all physical and tactical training.
Since 2011, Hanafin has also served as a member of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) SWAT Unit, which manages highly volatile critical incidents to peaceful outcomes through superior tactics, training, de-escalation and restraint, and negotiation. Hanafin had risen to the position of team-leader before stepping away from the unit to take on the role of Deputy Chief.
After the meeting, Deputy Chief Hanafin addressed a full crowd of his colleagues from the Burlington Police Department and the NEMLEC SWAT Team, his family, and friends. “I appreciate your leadership, Chief Browne. You create a balance so that no matter what’s going on out there, it’s steady on the inside for all of us. I promise all of you that I will do my best to strengthen that balance,” he said. “You will always have myself and the Chief standing over each shoulder, not watching and critiquing everything you’re doing, but supporting you, no matter what – provided that you bring two things to your work. One is that you have the proper mindset to do this job, and second, that you operate in good faith always. I’m proud to be a part of this department and all of you.”
In his previous position, then Capt. Hanafin led the Department to successful resolutions in several major high-risk events as Incident Commander. He has played and instrumental role in budgeting operations, negotiating large capital budget expenditures and reducing departmental operating costs for essential policing materials and equipment while working with leadership to manage budget concerns and reduce costs.
Deputy Chief Hanafin as guided the department through ongoing, complex First Amendment protests and demonstrations, which occur in Burlington almost daily. He has established a framework for crowd management operations that has become the gold standard in the region. His operational protocols employed for conflict mitigation and resolution have resulted in relatively few arrests while maintaining peace and public order outside of the U.S. Immigrations and customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Burlington over the past year.
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