He was a 22-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Police upon taking the oath of Chief.

During 1986-1987 he briefly retired from the force serving as Police Chief of Carnegie Mellon University.

Pampena graduated from Central Catholic High School and the Community College of Allegheny County.

Pampena also graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Chief Pampena died at the age of 78 on December 15, 2012 in suburban Shaler from cancer.