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Life Saving Attempt
Captain Leonard Desmarais On June 18, 2005, at approximately 2015 hours, Lynn Control received a cell phone call reporting that an individual was in distress in the water and could not swim. The location of the victim was difficult to obtain initially, due to a language barrier and the caller not being familiar with the area. It was then determined that the victim was located in the reservoir off Parkland Avenue, and several units responded to that area. Officer Steven Castle, Officer Patrick McGuire and Captain Leonard Desmarais entered the woods and made their way to the reservoir via B Street. The officers walked 1/5 of a mile into the woods and were met by the male caller. Officer Timothy Hallisey, Officer Timothy Magner and Officer David Fitzgerald (who was off-duty at the time), joined them and all of the officers were then directed to the area of the reservoir where the victim was located. Upon the officers’ arrival, a witness on the scene pointed to the area where the victim had fallen into the water. The witness, who was fluent in English, told the officers that the victim could not swim and had panicked in the water and then went under. The witness stated that he and his companions could not swim either and feared that they could go under if they attempted to rescue him. Additional information was subsequently relayed that the victim had entered the water to save his 7-year old daughter, who had begun to struggle while wading in the water, on and around the rocks. The victim managed to get his daughter to shore, but then began to struggle himself. As soon as the victim’s location was determined, Captain Desmarais, Officer Fitzgerald, Officer Hallisey and Officer Magner entered the water to look for him, while Officer Castle and Officer McGuire remained at the water’s edge with life preserver ropes. The officers in the water dived numerous times in an attempt to locate the victim. Officer Hallisey then spotted him in approximately 20 feet of water. The officers dived in that location many times, attempting to reach the victim, but were unable to do so. They remained in the water for approximately forty minutes in their attempt to locate and retrieve him. Tragically, the victim, who was pulled from the reservoir by the State Police Dive Team, was unable to be resuscitated. Captain Desmarais, Sergeant Hallisey, Officer Fitzgerald and Officer Magner disregarded their own personal safety by entering the water, and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication to duty as they made every effort to rescue a drowning individual. The actions of all of the officers on the scene reflect positively upon themselves and upon our department. I hereby order that Captain Leonard Desmarais, Sergeant Timothy Hallisey, Officer David Fitzgerald and Officer Timothy Magner be commended for their efforts. I further order that Officer Steven Castle and Officer Patrick McGuire be issued letters of appreciation. Apprehension of Homicide Suspects
Lieutenant Christopher Reddy On May 16, 2005, at approximately 2311 hours, Officer Robert Godbout (Car 7), Officer James Randazza (Car 9), Officer Timothy Hallisey and Officer Henry Wojewodzic (Car 17) responded to a Cottage Street address on the call of an active shooting. Officer Randazza was the first to arrive on the scene, and found a male victim and a female victim both bleeding from gunshot wounds. Both victims had sustained life-threatening injuries and were crying for help. Officer Randazza immediately began first aid and was quickly assisted by other officers. The scene around the officers was utter chaos as neighbors began to assemble around the home. Officer Wojewodzic and Officer Randazza quickly performed CPR on the male victim when he lost consciousness. Officer Godbout and Officer Hallisey took control of the crowd and were able to locate witnesses. Sergeant Richard Donnelly had also arrived, and assisted these officers in the administration of first aid and control of witnesses. Officer Hallisey and Officer Godbout quickly gave out detailed descriptions of three male suspects who had fled the apartment and then run towards Elizabeth Street, after firing three or four gunshots. Upon hearing the radio transmissions, Officer Paul Dusablon (Car 11) and Special Investigations Unit Detectives Richard Carrow and Michael Kelter immediately responded to the area of Morris Street. This area is in close proximity to the Cottage Street apartment, and the officers were familiar with gang members who live in that area. Sergeant Carrow and Detective Kelter stopped a male suspect in front of a Morris Street address because he fit the description given out over the radio by Officer Godbout. Arrangements were then made for Officer Godbout to bring an eyewitness to the scene to make an identification of the individual. Officer Dusablon observed Sergeant Carrow and Detective Kelter speaking to the suspect and learned that he had come from the rear of the Morris Street residence. Officer Dusablon then went to the rear of that location, found the door ajar, and went into the first floor hallway, where he could hear someone on the above stairway. He yelled up to the unknown party and told him to come down the stairs, but received no response. He exited the rear hallway door, and immediately contacted Sergeant Edward Nardone, and informed him that he believed that a suspect was hiding on the third floor. Detective Kelter, along with Sergeant Donald Gates, who also arrived on the scene, remained in front of the house with the first suspect. At this point Officer Dusablon led Sergeant Nardone, Lieutenant Philip Tansey and Sergeant Carrow in clearing the rear hallway. The officers yelled out verbal commands for the person to come down the stairway but the suspect still did not comply. The officers made their way up the stairs slowly, and as Sergeant Nardone rounded the second floor stairwell, he could see a male individual peer over the railing and duck back on the third floor. The officers continued to yell to him to come downstairs with his hands up, but the suspect continued to ignore the officers’ commands. As the officers cautiously approached the third floor landing, the individual stood up and walked down the stairs towards the officers, where he was taken into custody without further incident. Officer Dusablon and Sergeant Nardone continued upstairs to make sure the area was cleared of suspects. Officer Dusablon immediately spotted a small handgun lying inside a baseball cap on the third floor landing where the second suspect had been hiding. Sergeant Nardone then located another handgun under a trash barrel on the landing. Articles of clothing that fit the description of those worn by the suspects were also observed. The area was secured and the second male suspect was identified, and placed under arrest for illegal possession of a handgun. While all of these events had been unfolding, Officer Godbout brought a witness to the front of the Morris Street residence to view the first suspect who was being detained by Sergeant Gates and Detective Kelter. The witness was not able to make a positive identification of this individual and he was then released. As soon as officer discovered that two guns had been found in the rear hallway of the building, a search was conducted for further questioning of this individual. Detective Kelter later obtained information that identified this individual as a gang member who lived in Revere, and he was subsequently taken into custody. The witness was not able to positively identify the second male suspect, who was then transported to the station by Sergeant Gates. Sergeant Gates noticed this individual holding a piece of paper, which turned out to be a sales receipt dated 5/16/05, from Pet Express on the Lynnway. Sergeant Gates advised detectives of this information, and videotape that was later obtained from Pet Express showed this party inside the store with the two other murder suspects. Lieutenant Christopher Reddy was working a detail at Kings Lynne Apartment Complex when he heard the broadcast for an active shooting. He then left his detail to assist in the search for suspects. Lieutenant Reddy concentrated his search in the area of McDonough Square, where he quickly observed a male party walking down Light Street, looking around in an unusual manner. Lieutenant Reddy drove his unmarked cruiser up behind the individual and observed that he matched the description given by Officer Godbout and Officer Hallisey. Officer Edward Tansey arrived on the scene to assist. The suspect subsequently identified himself to the officers, and agreed to go to the Morris Street location for a witness to look at him. This third male suspect was positively identified at the scene, placed under arrest and transported to the station by Officer Tansey. As Officer Tansey was returning to the station with the third suspect in the back of his cruiser, he observed two males walking up Light Street. He immediately noticed that these individuals fit the clothing description of the murder suspects. Officer Tansey then drove up Light Street, pulled alongside them, and made an attempt to engage them in conversation. Both of these men appeared extremely nervous, were looking up and down the street, and avoided direct eye contact with Officer Tansey. Officer Tansey then drove away from these individuals but continued to watch them in his rear view mirror. He could see one of the suspects fidgeting with his hands and both of them constantly glancing over their shoulders, looking back at the cruiser. Officer Tansey turned the cruiser around and again drove alongside of these individuals, who began to walk at a quicker pace. Officer Tansey approached them on Light Street, as the suspects walked behind a Ford Bronco, appearing to take an unusually long time. Lieutenant Christopher Reddy arrived on the scene to assist, and Officer Tansey then exited his cruiser and discovered an unloaded 25-caliber handgun discarded beneath the truck. Officer Tansey immediately requested assistance in detaining the two individuals, and several cruisers arrived on the scene. The two male parties were placed under arrest on Summer Street, and they were later identified. Officer Tansey proceeded to the station and interviewed the suspects. One of the individuals admitted to carrying the firearm and placing it under the Bronco. All of the officers on the scene exhibited a high degree of professionalism and dedication to duty as they worked cooperatively following this tragic event. Their efforts led to the arrest of three murder suspects and the removal of illegal firearms from the streets of our city. I hereby order that Lieutenant Christopher Reddy, Lieutenant Philip Tansey, Sergeant Richard Carrow, Sergeant Richard Donnelly, Sergeant Timothy Hallisey, Sergeant Edward Nardone, Sergeant Henry Wojewodzic, Detective Michael Kelter, Officer Paul Dusablon, Officer Robert Godbout, Officer James Randazza, and Officer Edward Tansey be commended for their actions.
Resuscitated a child Officer Daniel Morales On June 29, 2005, at approximately 1214 hours, the Lynn Police Department received a call from a Chestnut Street location regarding a child who was not breathing. A call was immediately transmitted for an officer in the area to respond to the scene immediately. At that same time, Officer Daniel Morales was on duty in the Chestnut Street area, when a woman approached him, holding a young girl who was unconscious and unresponsive. Officer Morales took the child and immediately took note of her condition. He observed that the girl was cyanotic and could not breathe on her own due to an airway obstruction. Utilizing his training as a first responder and an EMT, Officer Morales, was able to clear the obstruction by delivering several back blows to the child. She was subsequently transported to the hospital where she recovered fully from her ordeal. Despite a chaotic situation, Officer Morales exhibited complete professionalism as he quickly administered the treatment necessary to assist the young victim.
Life Saving Attempt
Lieutenant Michael Mageary On June 3, 2005, at approximately 1551 hours, the Lynn Police Department received several calls via the 911 emergency lines reporting that there were three persons in distress in the waters of Flax Pond, near the basketball courts. The callers indicated that at least one of the individuals could not swim. Officer Glenn Dunnigan arrived on the scene, and was directed to an area of shoreline where a male party was being pulled from the water by a rope that had been thrown to him by bystanders. The bystanders informed Officer Dunnigan that a male party was still in the water, and had just succumbed to exhaustion approximately twenty feet from shore. Officer Dunnigan immediately removed his duty equipment and went into the water to attempt to locate the person. Lieutenant Michael Mageary and Sergeant Michael Vail, arrived on the scene, and both entered the water without hesitation, to assist in the search. Officer Jennifer Cash and Officer Paul Galatis arrived immediately afterwards, and also entered the water to search for the victim. All of the officers stayed in the water and continued searching, even after the arrival of Lynn Fire Department personnel and equipment. The responding officers disregarded their own safety by entering the water, and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication to duty as they made every effort to rescue a drowning individual. Tragically, the victim, who was eventually pulled from the pond by members of the State Police Dive Team, was unable to be resuscitated. However, the quick response by the officers contributed to the orderly manner in which the scene was managed and the recovery efforts of the victim. Their efforts reflected greatly on themselves and on our Department.
Rescued an individual from a burning apartment
Officer Steven Castle On June 2, 2005, at approximately 1346 hours, the Lynn Police Department received a call via the 911 emergency lines for a fire at a Margin Street residence. The call was sent to Lynn Fire Dispatch and Cars 7 and 17 were dispatched to a fire with a wheelchair bound person trapped inside. Both cars arrived simultaneously, prior to the arrival of the Fire Department. Officer Castle, Officer Emery and Officer P. Panacopoulos immediately entered the building to determine if all the residents were out. The fire was then located in one of the apartments, and as the officers entered the unit, they discovered a male in a wheelchair. The kitchen area cabinets were on fire and the entire unit was filled with thick smoke. Because the individual was unable to exit on his own, Officer Panacopoulos and Officer Emery picked him up and carried him from the building. Officer Castle located a fire extinguisher and attempted to slow the progress of the fire to facilitate their exit. Once the man was safely carried from the apartment, all officers then exited the building. The responding officers took immediate action, with great risk to themselves, and without concern for their own personal safety. Their quick thinking and heroic actions prevented the possible death or serious injury of a handicapped citizen who was trapped in his burning home. The officers also took action to prevent the fire from spreading to the hallways and other units in the building, so they could safely remove this individual from the building.
Arrest of Armed Individual
Officer Robert Godbout On May 3, 2005, at approximately 2337 hours, officers were dispatched to a Morris Street address on a report of a large fight in progress. That particular location has been the scene of numerous fights and disturbances, and at almost every call, responding officers have been greeted with openly hostile behavior. Officer Robert Godbout and Officer Paul Dusablon were the first to arrive on the scene. Numerous individuals were seen both in the street and on the property. Officer Godbout then observed a male suspect who he immediately recognized and identified, fleeing the scene. This individual’s past history included numerous incidents involving firearms, he had recently been arrested for firearms and ammunition charges, and he had previously been charged with discharging a firearm. He had also been directly and indirectly involved in a number of recent incidents of gang violence in the city, and was recognized as an “impact player” in the ongoing cycle of gang violence recently plaguing the city. Officer Godbout ordered the fleeing individual to stop in the street. The man refused and began to verbally berate the officers. As the suspect continued to move away, Officer Castle arrived on the scene in a one-man cruiser and approached him from the opposite direction. As Officer Godbout and Officer Castle began to restrain the suspect in an attempt to take him into custody, he reached into his waistband area. Officer Godbout grabbed the suspect’s hands away, and then felt an object in his belt. Believing this to be a weapon, Officer Godbout immediately informed Officer Castle of his suspicions. Upon hearing this, the suspect increased his struggle to break free from the officers, and continued to try to retrieve the object from his waistband. Officer Godbout was finally able to restrain the suspect’s hands, and Officer Castle then retrieved a .22 caliber revolver, which was fully loaded. The suspect continued to resist the officers, and was finally taken into custody after much resistance. Due to the conscientious and diligent efforts of Officer Godbout and Officer Castle, an armed and dangerous individual was placed in custody without incident, and a firearm that would most likely have been used in further gang violence was taken off the street. During the entire course of this arrest, the scene remained hostile and volatile. Two other individuals were subsequently arrested. In the face of verbal abuse and physical resistance, the officers on the scene maintained the highest level of competence and professionalism.
Apprehension of armed robbery suspect and accomplice
Officer Gregory McCarthy
On December 23, 2004, at 1045 hours, Lynn Control received a report that the Sunshine Market, located on Washington Street, had just been robbed. Car 15 (Officer B. Talbot and Officer M. Gasca) responded to the scene, and then broadcast information regarding a male suspect, who had just left the store armed with a large kitchen knife. Several witnesses at the store reported that the suspect had taken a female customer hostage during the robbery, and held a large kitchen knife to her throat. The witnesses further stated that the suspect threatened to slice the female hostage’s throat if the store clerk didn’t give him the money. Approximately two minutes later, Car 16 (Officer G. McCarthy and Officer M. O’Connell) observed a male walking on Laighton Street, several blocks away from the Sunshine Market. Officer McCarthy and Officer O’Connell noticed that this individual was sweating profusely and breathing heavily in a manner that was consistent of a person who had just stopped running. The officers also observed that this individual’s pants had fresh mud stains on them. Officer McCarthy and Officer O’Connell stopped him on Laighton Street, and several witnesses were brought to this location, including the female hostage; but none of them stated that they could positively identify the male in custody as the person who had robbed the store. Officer McCarthy and Officer O’Connell observed that the male suspect had a large amount of money sticking out of his front pants pocket, along with some leaves in it, as if the money had been dropped on the ground and then picked up. A warrant check was run for the male suspect, and Officer McCarthy then read him his Miranda Rights. Shortly thereafter, he confessed to robbing the store. S-1 (Sergeant P. Holey) located a gray hooded sweatshirt that the suspect had discarded and Car 17 (Officer D. Polonia and Officer M. Saravia) located a knife on Laighton Terrace that the suspect had used during the robbery. S-2 (Sergeant D. Brown) and Car 15 (Officer R. Brown and Officer T. Holland) were also on the scene assisting with this investigation. Officer Gasca, Officer Talbot and Detective M. Ferraro reported to Sergeant M. Vail that they recognized the name of the female hostage as having been involved in several previous incidents with the male suspect. Detective S. Pohle and Detective T. Mulvey interviewed the male suspect at the station, who subsequently admitted that the female victim had actually been involved with the store robbery and had planned to split the money with him. The female acted the role of victim at the scene of the robbery, and misled the investigating officers by incorrectly describing the suspect’s race, the color of his sweatshirt, and the color of the bag he was carrying. She had also stated at the scene that the individual in custody was not the robbery suspect. The female victim/suspect was then placed under arrest and charged with armed robbery. During the booking process, the correct name of the female victim/suspect was determined and it was also discovered that she had several outstanding warrants under other alias names. A C.O.R.I. check revealed that she had been arrested several times in the past for armed robbery. Due to the immediate response and subsequent actions of Officer McCarthy and Officer O’Connell, two armed robbery suspects were quickly taken into custody. Despite receiving a fictitious report from a victim who was later determined to be another suspect, the officers’ strong attention to detail led to the identification and arrest of both individuals involved in this incident.
Apprehension of two armed robbery suspects Officer Paul Galatis On January 22, 2005 at approximately 1202 hours, Officer Paul Galatis (Car 8) was on patrol in the area of Western Avenue just before Chestnut Street. Lynn Control reported that an employee of the Blockbuster Video Store on Boston Street had just been robbed of a money deposit. Moments later, Officer Galatis observed a dark colored vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on the wrong side of Chestnut Street, towards Maple Street. Traffic on both sides of Chestnut Street was backed up, due to the red light at that location. Officer Galatis activated his cruiser lights and siren, and positioned his vehicle to prevent the suspect vehicle from colliding with other vehicles on Maple Street. Once the suspect vehicle was stopped, Officer Galatis exited his cruiser and approached with his weapon drawn. After several verbal commands from the officer, the operator and the passenger raised their hands and Officer Galatis shut off their ignition. Money was immediately observed on the passenger floor of the vehicle. Detective S. Pohle and Officer G. Dunnigan then arrived on the scene, and the suspects were removed from the vehicle and pat frisked. A knife was found in the possession of the male passenger, who was subsequently identified, along with the male suspect who was driving the vehicle. S-3 (Sergeant M. Vail), Car 17 (Officer P. Wonoski and Officer D. Morales), Car 14 (Officer T. Holland and Officer E. Chhor), and Car 15 (Officer M. Gasca and Officer M. Talbot) also arrived on the scene to assist with the investigation. Detective T. Mulvey, Officer D. Fitzgerald (Car 12) and Sergeant D. Brown (S-2) responded to the Blockbuster Video Store on Boston Street. Upon their arrival, the employee/victim advised the officers that a male individual had approached her outside the store, right after she had entered her vehicle. She reported that was in route to make a money deposit. She said that the male suspect demanded the money and threatened her with a knife. She also stated that she saw a second individual waiting in a car nearby. In fear for her life, she complied with the suspect’s request. The victim was able to observe the suspect vehicle and noticed that the rear license plate was bent up. She then reported that the vehicle fled down Boston Street, towards Ford Street. The employee/victim was then transported to the location where Officer Galatis had stopped the suspect vehicle, where she positively identified the two male suspects, their vehicle, and the knife. The suspects were then taken into custody and transported to the station with no further incident. Because of the quick response and subsequent actions of Officer Galatis, two individuals who were involved in a violent crime were quickly apprehended and then positively identified by the victim.
Arrest of Armed Suspect Officer Christopher Hagerty On January 9, 2005 at approximately 0400 hours, Lynn Police received a call from a Cottage Street address reporting that an individual had just fired a gun inside the residence, and was now outside the building on the sidewalk. Car 7 (Officer Christopher Hagerty) and Car 17 (Officer Paul Wonoski and Officer Edward Pettipas) were immediately dispatched. Officer Hagerty was close by, and reached the scene within seconds. Parking his marked vehicle out of the sight of the address, he approached the area on foot. As he got closer to the reported location of the gunshot, he heard a male party outside, yelling toward the side of the building. Drawing his service weapon, Officer Hagerty then encountered the suspect, and at gunpoint, ordered him to show his hands and get down on the ground. Car 17 then arrived, and under the direction of Officer Hagerty, who continued to cover the suspect, Officer Wonoski and Officer Pettipas placed the individual in handcuffs, without incident. An immediate pat frisk revealed a loaded 357-magnum revolver tucked inside the male suspect’s pants. With additional units on the scene, a protective sweep of the first floor apartment of the Cottage Street address was then conducted. While speaking to witnesses, officers on the scene confirmed that a shot had been fired, and subsequently observed damage to several interior walls that was caused by the round. Officer Hagerty reacted immediately and without regard for his own personal safety. He created and maintained a tactical edge and the element of surprise as he deliberately parked his marked unit out of view, approached the scene on foot, and observed and listened for indications as to where the suspect was located. Because of his quick thinking, an armed and dangerous individual was placed into custody without serious injury or death. Furthermore, the actions of Officer Hagerty decreased the possibility of harm to the other responding officers or to the innocent bystanders on the scene.
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