Red Sox Director Of Security Prepares To Retire After 16 Years At Fenway Park
BOSTON (CBS) - Charlie Cellucci wasn't looking for a job in 2004 when a retired police officer called him with a question. But in the course of their conversation, Cellucci—a Boston Police Commander—learned about an opening with the Red Sox. Director of Security and Emergency Services. Cellucci says it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and he jumped. "I've gotta get on this bus," he thought.
He started at Fenway Park on the same day he turned in his notice at City Hall. "It just kinda fell into my lap. Right place at the right time…I'm glad to be here," he said. "It's been an interesting 16 years. It's hard to walk away."
The final Sox home stand of the 2019 season will be Cellucci's last in his full-time role. Since he arrived in 2004, the Red Sox have won four World Series Championships. Security has increased dramatically. And Cellucci has missed only a handful of games and concerts.
He is in charge of 200 people who bear the responsibility of protecting everyone in the park. From his perch high above the field, he watches the players, the fans and the staff while constantly communicating with members of his team. They have almost 300 surveillance cameras at their disposal. "There is so much that goes into preparing for a game...it's an interesting job to say the least. There's always something new."
It is a dynamic, ever-changing job that suits the Vietnam veteran perfectly. A lifelong Red Sox fan, Cellucci remembers riding the bus to Fenway from his home in Brighton. "I used to come here as a kid and get into the bleachers for 50-cents for an afternoon game or a dollar in the grandstand for a Sunday afternoon game."
His ability to size up a crowd also comes from his experience as a fan. Cellucci explained, "Midwestern fans…pretty well-behaved. East coast fans? That's another story. We definitely have our issues with Philly and the Yankees, of course. Everything is just stepped up a bit…our cameras are watching everything."
Beyond the rowdy fan or over-served patron, Cellucci says the real concern is the threat of terrorism. Everything changed after 9/11 and continues to change in response to violence outside Boston.
For example, he explained, after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, the Red Sox added sniper teams that randomly work games and concerts. Steel barriers protect vehicles from getting close to the park and bollards protect fans on the sidewalks. He says he knows he can exhale when the crowd leaves the ballpark without incident. "I like the outcome. The outcome is always positive. People come and enjoy themselves. I like providing that service."
In a career defined by service, Cellucci isn't entirely stepping away. The Red Sox assured him he's welcome to come in and work if he wants to. And he has already signed on to work security at spring training for the next two years. But he says it's time to step away from his full-time job albeit one he loves. "Between my police career and this, it's been about 50 years—and the military before that—I've never had a job where I had weekends off or one shift a day. It's always multiple hours every day."
He wants to spend more time with his family including his wife of 52 years, his son and daughter (both Boston Police officers) and his grandchildren. "Just work at my own schedule—my own pace for a while. See how that is. I might hate that. I don't know. We'll find out."
In the meantime, Cellucci is helping train his replacement who was hired months ago. He isn't technically retiring until the end of the year. And right now, as much as he enjoys the hugs and handshakes, he's still focused on keeping everyone safe. After all, there are still two more games before the season ends.
