THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 15, 1995 TAG: 9507150333
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
Chief of Police William F. Corvello announced Friday that he would shelve previously announced retirement plans.
Through a spokeswoman, Corvello said that an outpouring of public support made him change his mind. He had planned to retire Oct. 1.
Police spokeswoman Patty Mahaffy said Corvello was not offered any incentives to reverse his decision. Mahaffy said Corvello will continue to head the department under the conditions of his current contract.
``Every day, he would run into citizens who asked him to stay,'' Mahaffy said.
Corvello came to Newport News in May 1994 to stabilize a police department in turmoil.
The turmoil began in January 1994 with the death of officer Steven R. Rutherford during a botched undercover investigation into a series of pizza-delivery robberies.
In May 1994, another officer, Larry D. Bland, was shot by an ex-convict Bland had stopped for a traffic violation.
Rutherford's death prompted two detailed investigations into the pizza-delivery sting. Both investigations resulted in highly critical evaluations of then-Chief of Police Jay A. Carey Jr.
Carey resigned last May and was replaced by Corvello on an interim basis. Corvello resigned from the state police's top spot to accept the Newport News assignment.
In August, Corvello accepted an invitation to head the department permanently, but he announced retirement plans nine months later.
Corvello's decision to stay ends a nationwide search for a successor. by CNB