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This award is
to recognize the efforts of an individual with the rank of patrol officer,
whether assigned to our Patrol Division or one of our special units, who has
demonstrated exceptional dedication in the performance of his/her duties during
the previous month. This could be from either a single incident or event, or
from consistently performing at a high level during the entire month. The award
is intended to recognize the efforts of officers that may not necessarily rise
to the level of a commendation.
January 2012
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer John Bernard, who is assigned to the Second Division. Officer Bernard was nominated for this honor by Deputy Chief Leonard Desmarais and Lieutenant James Shorten, and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Shorten described an incident in late November during which Officer Bernard, who was assigned to Car 17 and on patrol with Officer Tran, responded to several calls for a disturbance in the area of South Elm and Lowell Streets. Originally the call was unfounded, due to no obvious disturbance; but Officer Bernard opted to stay in the area, making several checks of area properties. As a result of his diligence, he located and identified a known suspect attempting to hide in his vehicle in the rear of a Lowell Street location. This individual was subsequently arrested and charged with trafficking Class B, carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a switchblade and several other articles, including a cuff key and a baton.
As stated by Lieutenant Shorten, ‘this extra effort by Officer Bernard to remain in the area and make a thorough check of all suspicious vehicles and persons that might be the source of the call shows initiative, and makes participation in criminal activity in the West Lynn area a more difficult enterprise.” Lieutenant Shorten also pointed out that Officer Bernard was working with one of our newest officers that morning, and served as an example that “being diligent in your duties and digging deeper can lead to the arrest of a serious felon and the removal of a handgun and narcotics from the streets.”
In addition to this incident, Lieutenant Shorten also mentioned that Officer Bernard was involved in the rescue attempts in the Saugus River on December 5th, following the serious motor vehicle crash that claimed one life, and more than likely would have claimed another, had it not been for the efforts of the responding officers at the scene. “Officer Bernard entered the Saugus River with other LPD officers with no regard for his own safety, and made several attempts to rescue the occupants of the sunken motor vehicle.”
December 2011
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Michael Crosby, who is assigned to the Second Division. Officer Crosby was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant David Brown and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Brown described a recent incident during which Officer Crosby, while off duty, assisted in securing a suicidal female mental health patient. Lieutenant Brown stated that while working the First Division, he had been flagged down by EMT personal requesting assistance, after a patient had fled from their ambulance and was attempting to harm herself by jumping in front of Lynnfield Street traffic. Lieutenant Brown immediately called in for assistance, and Officer Crosby, who was returning home from SRT Training, responded to the scene. With the help of Officer Crosby, the patient was moved out of the street, and was subsequently secured and transported to the hospital for treatment. In addition, Lieutenant Brown stated that Officer Crosby was involved in the rescue efforts at the recent Fox Hill Bridge incident, and along with his fellow officers, “went above and beyond in an attempt to save the victims.” He further stated that “Officer Crosby is a solid police officer and is always ready to assist, no matter what the challenge, and would be an excellent choice for Officer of the Month.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Detective Anne Magner, who is currently assigned to the Youth Services Unit. Detective Magner was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Michael Vail and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Vail stated that Detective Magner is responsible for supervising 42 school crossing guards in the city of Lynn. A portion of her duties include completing background checks for all applicants, hiring and then training the staff. Detective Magner is also responsible for keeping track of their working hours and submitting this information to Payroll each week, as well as ensuring that all of the crossing guards’ posts are covered. As stated by Lieutenant Vail, “this is not an easy task when you factor in sick days, vacation days and last minute issues that have to be dealt with on a daily basis.” According to Lieutenant Vail, Detective Magner has also been working closely with the DPW to ensure that the cross walks are properly painted at all of the schools to keep the students going to and from school safe. Lieutenant Vail also mentioned that aside from the above listed duties, Detective Magner has the responsibility of investigating most of the Missing Person’s Cases that are reported to our department. Detective Magner has developed many contacts over the years from local and state agencies and continues to have a great working relationship with them. As stated by Lieutenant Vail, “I believe that Detective Magner should be recognized as ‘Officer of the Month’ for the hard work she does that goes under the radar.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Detective Ross Panacopoulos, who is currently assigned to the Special Investigations Unit. Detective Panacopoulos was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Peter Holey and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Holey stated that he has been extremely impressed with the professionalism displayed by all of the officers assigned to his unit, since he began his current assignment in SIU several months ago. He went on to discuss a recent prostitution arrest by Detective Panacopoulos, who was able to convince the individual arrested to turn on her street level drug dealer. After the suspected dealer was taken into custody and a search warrant of his residence was granted; quantities of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, along with U. S. currency was seized. As stated by Lieutenant Holey, “because of the extra effort by Detective Panacopoulos, this arrest was able to rid a mostly elderly housing complex of a drug dealer and also disrupted a heroin and cocaine pipeline to many of the city’s prostitutes.” Lieutenant Holey also stated that Detective Panacopoulos recently executed search warrants at two locations after lengthy and well-conducted investigations. According to Lieutenant Holey, “These incidents are examples of the type of work product that the detective has produced for many years.”
According to Lieutenant Holey, “these investigations are indicative of the work that Detective Ross Panacopoulos does on a daily basis.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Michael Gorman, who is currently assigned to the 2nd Division. Officer Gorman was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Lucas Dean, and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Dean mentioned that since his appointment in 2006, Officer Gorman has worked on the 2nd Division in West Lynn, assigned to Car 17 for two shifts and Car 7 for his other two shifts. As stated by Lieutenant Dean, “From Day 1 on the job, Officer Gorman has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and commitment to the department and to the city. He regularly engages individuals on his route and displays exceptional route ownership and route knowledge skills.” Lieutenant Dean described a recent incident on August 16th at approximately 0250 hours, when Officer Gorman observed a male party riding a bicycle in the area of Boston and Cottage Streets, who then got off his bicycle and began going through a bag he was carrying. Being suspicious of this behavior, Officer Gorman immediately engaged him to investigate and his encounter revealed that the suspect was carrying a knife, a box cutter and other assorted tools. The individual was also in possession of personal property consistent with items taken from several motor vehicle breaks. He was subsequently identified and taken into custody. Lieutenant Dean went on to say that not only is this incident a clear illustration of Officer Gorman's alertness and dedication to duty, he also pointed out that he gives a consistent work performance and exhibits proactive police work every day. In follow-ups to Lieutenant Dean’s written nomination, other OIC’s described Officer Gorman as being “diligent, proactive, a good source of information, and highly professional.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Raymond Guillermo, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Guillermo was nominated for this honor by Deputy Chief Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s.
In his written nomination, Deputy Chief
Desmarais stated that Officer Guillermo is a twenty five year veteran of the
department and has spent the majority of his career, other than assignments to
the Anti-Crime Team and the Special Investigations Unit, on Division. He then
listed the following recent events involving Officer Guillermo, to demonstrate
that Officer Guillermo is very deserving of this recognition.
Deputy Chief Desmarais also mentioned that In addition to the above listed incidents, Officer Guillermo is a member of the department’s honor guard and is a frequent volunteer to represent the department at wakes, funerals and other events. In a follow-up to Deputy Desmarais’ written nomination, First Division CO Lieutenant David Brown stated that “Officer Guillermo is always upbeat, and ready to work! He practices route ownership, and will handle whatever challenge comes his way.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Titou Kim, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Kim was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant David Brown, and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Brown discussed feedback he received from Sergeant Tom McDermott, who had been on the scene at the Wayne Avenue armed home invasion incident on 6/10/11, and observed Officer Kim’s high level of professionalism as an LPD crisis negotiator. As stated by Lieutenant Brown, “Officer Kim’s negotiation skills convinced a suspect to exit the residence and surrender. In addition, through his continued efforts speaking to another suspect in both Khmer and English, Officer Kim convinced him to exit the residence and move to the front porch of the building. This allowed officers to have a tactical advantage and also keep the suspect away from the hostage. After approximately 4 hours of working towards a peaceful surrender of the armed suspect, officers were forced to return fire when fired upon.” Lieutenant Brown went on to say that Officer Kim, who is also a member of the LPD Honor Guard, is assigned to Car 9’s route for 2 days and assigned to the house for 2 days. According to Lieutenant Brown, “he is a conscientious and diligent worker and an asset to the First Division.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Domingo Polonia, who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer Polonia was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant James Shorten, and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Shorten discussed several incidents that took place on May 17, 2011, when Officer Polonia was assigned to house duties on the Third Division. While Officer Polonia working at Dispatch 1, Car 9 called in from the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Bassett Street to report a disturbance and several persons in the street. According to Lieutenant Shorten, the motor vehicle accident was actually a more serious incident involving assault and battery with a motor vehicle; and was also gang related, with vehicles leaving the scene and a possible firearm involved. The subsequent investigation by several LPD units led officers to several different locations within the city. A brief car chase subsequently took place at one of those locations, and ended with the seizure of a firearm and narcotics. At the same time that this investigation was going on, officers from the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit observed a subject with outstanding warrants in the area of Leighton Street, and a foot pursuit of this individual began. This pursuit also involved several LPD units, along with the Sherriff Department’s K9 Unit. During this entire time period, with several cruisers involved in two different investigations and foot and vehicle pursuits in two different parts of the city, as well as various units asking for information over the radio and the phone; Officer Polonia showed exceptional patience and awareness of exactly where all the responding officers were located. As stated by Lieutenant Shorten, “This was a daunting task, as the units, due to the dynamic nature of these incidents, did not always make it clear where they were located. Officer Polonia was instrumental in keeping track of what had transpired, the locations of the responding vehicles, and he made the Command Staff aware of what was going on while he also fielded phone calls regarding these and other incidents that required police attention.” Lieutenant Shorten went on to say that “based on his experience with Officer Polonia, he consistently shows patience and a professional demeanor on the radio, even during highly stressful situations such as the one described above, and on other occasions where incidents have been extremely confusing and fast moving. He has a high level of pride in his position, is extremely helpful and knowledgeable about where units are located, and is instrumental in keeping the division running smoothly.” Further comments regarding Officer Polonia by the OIC’s in attendance also referred to “his great attitude, his knowledge of the job, and his pride in what he does.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Edward Monahan, who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer Monahan was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Peter Holey, and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Holey discussed the incident that took place on April 2, 2011, when Officer Monahan was on routine patrol in the area of Boston Street, and observed a disturbance in the parking lot of Wendy’s Restaurant. Lieutenant Holey further explained that Officer Monahan had encountered a stabbing incident, during which the victim sustained a serious wound to the neck. He quickly apprehended the two (2) suspects at gunpoint while back-up arrived on the scene; and the victim was given life saving medical aid. Lieutenant Holey went on to say that although this particular incident definitely stood out, he was nominating Officer Monahan for what he does on a routine basis. As stated by Lieutenant Holey, “With Officer Monahan, a task assigned is a task completed. He follows an assignment long after it leaves a memo, and he is constantly checking areas that were a problem months ago to ensure that they don’t become a problem again. Officer Monahan, a 25 year veteran of the Department, takes pride in the fact that he has worked the Highlands for his entire career and has refused the offer of reassignment to a less taxing area of the city.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Albert DiVirgilio, who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer DiVirgilio was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant James Shorten, and this nomination was also seconded by Lieutenant M. Hanlon, Lieutenant D. Brown and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Shorten discussed an incident that took place on March 2, 2011, when Officer DiVirgilio was assigned to house duties on the Second Division. While he was working at the front desk, a party came into the station to report her car stolen. According to Lieutenant Shorten, “Officer DiVirgilio sensed that there was more to the story than just a stolen car, and after questioning the subject, he was able to establish that she had also been the victim of a sexual assault by four individuals. An investigation of this incident subsequently began on the Second Division and continued onto the Third Division, also involving the Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Unit. After receiving the information that was gathered by Officer DiVirgilio, Sergeant Gallo located the victim’s stolen vehicle with a party operating; and four individuals were later arrested in connection with the sexual assault. As stated by Lieutenant Shorten, “The information gathered by Officer DiVirgilio was instrumental in the location of the vehicle as well as the arrest of the suspects. Officer DiVirgilio took the time to follow his instincts that something ‘wasn’t right’ with the victim’s story and that there was more than she was telling him.” Lieutenant Shorten also mentioned that on March 8, 2011, Officer DiVirgilio was also involved in the arrest of an armed robbery suspect on Union Street while assigned to Car 9 on the First Division and that “his attentiveness to the radio transmission of an armed robbery with a handgun that had just occurred and his immediate response to the area lead to the arrest of the suspect.” According to Lieutenant Shorten, Officer DiVirgilio showed exceptional police instincts in both of these cases and stated that it has been his experience that “Officer DiVirgilio consistently shows diligence in all his duties no matter how mundane they might seem.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Gregory Brotherton, who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer Brotherton was nominated for this honor by Deputy Chief Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded and approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Deputy Chief Desmarais mentioned that Officer Brotherton, who recently transferred to the Third Division, “has continued to perform his duties at the high level for which he was noted while on Second Division.” Deputy Chief Desmarais cited three recent examples of Officer Brotherton’s outstanding efforts, including an incident on February 22nd, where he and other officers were commended for their handling of an armed and agitated individual holding others against their will. He also mentioned a well-being check on February 27th, which resulted in a letter of appreciation to Officer Brotherton and another officer, as well as the arrest of an individual on March 1st, following an unarmed robbery at JD’s Sports Bar on Lewis Street. As stated by Deputy Chief Desmarais, “these three separate recognitions, while very different, show that Officer Brotherton always does his best”, regardless of the type of call. He also pointed out the Officer Brotherton is a member of the SRT and the Honor Guard, “has consistently stepped forward when needed, and serves as an excellent representative of our department in all facets of the job”.
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Christopher Hagerty, who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer Hagerty was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Peter Holey, and this nomination was also seconded Captain Christopher Reddy and Lieutenant Marie Hanlon, and was approved by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Holey described Officer Hagerty as being “tenacious in his commitment to his job.” He also discussed the department’s recent enforcement operations on Estes Street, due to the high volume of housebreaks, illegal drug and prostitution activity; and the outstanding efforts by Officer Hagerty in that area. Lieutenant Holey stated that on February 4, 2011, Officer Hagerty kept a residence under surveillance for several hours, waiting for a known offender to emerge, and was eventually able to arrest the suspect on a warrant, charging him with rape of a child with force. Lieutenant Holey also pointed out that Officer Hagerty consistently performs all of his duties to the best of his abilities, and stated that of 11 recent curfew violation arrests, 8 were made by Officer Hagerty. Captain Reddy and Lieutenant Hanlon also forwarded me emails on behalf of Officer Hagerty, and both praised his persistence and outstanding efforts, which have been demonstrated “time and time again, over a long period of time.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Detective Timothy Ferrari, who is currently assigned to CID. Detective Ferrari was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Thomas Reddy, and this nomination was also seconded by Captain Mark O’Toole of CID, along with many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Reddy discussed the recent efforts by Detective Ferrari, who was assigned as lead investigator following the November 2010 violent robbery of an elderly Eastern Avenue resident, which received significant media coverage. Using some information provided by Lieutenant Haberek, Detective Ferrari used his investigative skills to develop a plan, which ultimately resulted in the arrest of the suspect. The search warrant obtained after the arrest of the suspect also lead to the discovery of evidence not only linking him to the unarmed robbery of the elderly victim, but another unarmed robbery incident as well. As stated by Lieutenant Reddy, “the media attention given to this case and Detective Ferrari’s work to produce a swift arrest, in my opinion, lead to some extremely positive publicity for our department.” Lieutenant Reddy added that Detective Ferrari was also recently involved in an investigation of several bank robberies. He used information developed from an arrest of a suspect for several Dunkin’ Donuts’ robberies to tie that suspect into the bank robberies. According to Lieutenant Reddy, “he is continuously watching the pawn reports and recovering stolen articles for victims. Some result in arrests, such as the recent case of a B&E on Anchor Road, resulting in complaints against two suspects.” While forwarding the nomination from Lieutenant Reddy, Captain O’Toole added another illustration of Detective Ferrari’s diligence and dedication, which occurred as he followed up on a report of a purse that was stolen from the office of an employee of a local dentist office. Credit cards of the victim were confirmed as being used at a CVS in Peabody and Detective Ferrari obtained the video from the CVS transaction and was able to identify the suspect who not only used the credit card, but had committed similar crimes in the past. On January 10, 2011, Detective Ferrari confirmed warrants for the suspect for other incidents and arrested her at her home. Although there was not enough evidence at the time to charge her in connection with the purse theft, she will be charged with using the stolen credit card in Peabody. As stated by Lieutenant Reddy, “Tim Ferrari is a dedicated and professional officer who gives 110% all the time. He does not do it for recognition; in fact most times he defers the credit to others who may have offered a slight helping hand along the way.
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Michael Kmiec, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Kmiec was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant David Brown, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Brown mentioned the strong work ethic that is demonstrated by Officer Kmiec, and stated that “he could be considered a candidate for ‘Officer of the Month’ every month due to his consistent efforts.” Lieutenant Brown went on to describe a recent incident involving Officer Kmiec. While on patrol, Officer Kmiec informed his partner that he had just observed an unlicensed individual operating a motor vehicle. Although the officers were unable to investigate further at that time, a short time later that night, they located the vehicle, which was then parked, and set up surveillance. Officer Kmiec and his partner subsequently observed the unlicensed party enter the vehicle and drive off. The traffic stop which quickly followed led to the arrest of three (3) suspects for charges related to the possession of a stolen firearm, with one (1) of the individuals also facing drug charges. As stated by Lieutenant Brown, “Officer Kmiec consistently makes quality arrests, and in addition, owns up to the everyday calls that are on his route.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Timothy Nerich, who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer Nerich was nominated for this honor by Deputy Chief Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Deputy Chief Desmarais discussed the continued outstanding efforts by Officer Nerich, and stated that “working two shifts in Car 14 and two shifts in Car 10, he is constantly taking the time to engage people even though his route’s call volume is as high as any other route. According to Deputy Chief Desmarais, “Officer Nerich’s route ownership and route knowledge are both admirable and put to good use.” Deputy Chief Desmarais went on to list several recent examples of law enforcement activities by Officer Nerich, as follows:
As stated by Deputy Chief Desmarais, Officer Nerich was previously recognized with this award in September 2009, but “believes that his everyday job performance and the above examples of pro-active police work show that Officer Timothy Nerich is well deserving of the recognition once again.”
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Patrick McGuire, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer McGuire was nominated for this honor by Deputy Chief Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Deputy Chief Desmarais stated that “Officer McGuire has represented the department in a professional manner since joining in 1995. He is very highly regarded by his Division’s command staff, his fellow officers and most importantly, by his partners.” As relayed by Deputy Chief Desmarais, “On October 7, 2010, Officer McGuire was involved in an incident that few officers ever have to face. He was suddenly attacked by a disturbed individual who was bent on taking Officer McGuire’s weapon. Even after being struck in the head from behind by his attacker, Officer McGuire was able to maintain his composure, and immediately engaged in a violent struggle with him. Officer McGuire was able to keep his attacker from gaining complete control of the weapon during the struggle, during which time, the weapon discharged twice, with the second round striking the attacker in the head.” As further stated by Deputy Chief Desmarais, “Whether the attacker’s intention was to kill himself, Officer McGuire, or surrounding members of the public will never be known, but Officer McGuire’s response and professionalism may have prevented a tragedy of much greater proportions. Even in the immediate aftermath of the violent struggle, Officer McGuire was able to give responding officers a coherent and complete rundown of what had just occurred. His calm demeanor and professionalism was inspirational to any officer who spoke with him that day. “
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Gary Hagerty, who is currently assigned to the Gang Unit. Detective Hagerty was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded by Gang Unit CO Sergeant Edward Nardone as well as many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais stated that he believes that “Detective Hagerty is well deserving of being named Officer of the Month.” He cited his recent arrest of a known gang member for firearm and narcotic charges, as well as his off-duty apprehension of an armed robbery suspect before the owner/victim had even reported the crime, an incident for which Detective Hagerty received a departmental commendation. Captain Desmarais further stated that “in addition to those specific incidents and numerous others, Detective Hagerty maintains a very close working relationship with his fellow officers on Division. He constantly exchanges information with route officers that enables all of them to be more effective. He always provides back up to officers on calls and often volunteers to take a call if he is nearby.” According to Captain Desmarais, “Detective Hagerty is a model for street level anti-gang activities. He is constantly patrolling the hot spots, conducting FIO's, making MV stops, and where necessary, making the ‘minor’ arrests to send a message that not just criminal acts but anti-social behavior will not be tolerated.” He concluded by stating that “Detective Hagerty is always pro-active, while performing these activities with fellow Gang Unit members, in conjunction with Division, or even alone.” Sergeant Nardone added that “Detective Hagerty is a valued investigator, is very thorough in note taking, report writing, and is an excellent representative of our agency when called upon to testify at a court preceding.”
August 2010 This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Max Saravia, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Saravia was nominated for this honor by Sergeant Richard Carrow, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Sergeant Carrow described two recent incidents when Officer Saravia provided information to SIU Detectives that directly led to two substantial investigations being successfully closed by arrest. He further noted that the information that Officer Saravia had received and passed along to SIU was obtained from confidential sources that he managed to develop and protect. According to Sergeant Carrow, the first incident concerned the illegal distribution of oxycontin. In late June, Officer Saravia obtained and developed information that occupants of a Newcastle Street residence were traveling back and forth to New York City, picking up large quantities of oxycontin, and then illegally distributing it in and around the Lynn area. Working alongside Officer Saravia, SIU members continued to follow-up the investigation and develop additional information. On Thursday, July 15, 2010, Detective Fucci along with Gang Unit Detectives and First Division Officers conducted a motor vehicle stop of the suspect vehicle. During this stop, additional evidence was observed in plain view, and subsequently a hidden compartment was discovered. As a result, a quantity of 709 80mg oxycontin pills, with a street value in excess of $56,000.00, were recovered and seized, as well as $1,152.00 in cash. The two suspects were both placed in custody for Trafficking Class A over 200 grams. Sergeant Carrow also described the second incident, which involved human trafficking. During the previous month, Officer Saravia had received information concerning the operation of an illegal prostitution ring. He learned that the male suspects would periodically travel to New York to obtain various females, and then bring back to the Lynn area to work as prostitutes. According to Sergeant Carrow, during the investigation, it was discovered that the prostitution ring did not operate out of one particular house as usual, but instead the working girls were delivered to the customers’ locations. On Tuesday, July 20, 2010, Detectives Fucci and R. Panacopoulos set up surveillance; as Officer Saravia acted as a decoy customer and set up a potential date. At the pre-arranged time a female suspect arrived along with two males. Subsequently, the female suspect was placed in custody for Prostitution, and the two male suspects were placed in custody for Deriving Support from Prostitution. In addition, the officers seized $2,618.00 in cash. As stated by Sergeant Carrow, as a direct result of Officer Saravia developing and obtaining information about these two specific incidents, and then sharing it with the Special Investigations Unit, there were two successful investigations which resulted in multiple arrests and substantial cash seizures.
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Detective Joseph Chadbourne, who is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit. Detective Chadbourne was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant David Brown, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Brown stated that “Detective Chadbourne is a very conscientious and diligent worker,” and went on to describe two recent incidents which he felt accurately describes his work ethic. On June 15, 2010, Detective Chadbourne was assigned to Car 15 on the First Division. He and Officer Titou Kim responded to a South Elm Street address following the report of a shooting. The subsequent investigation led the officers to a location on Warren Street where Detective Chadbourne sought and was granted a search warrant for the discovery of firearms. As a result of these efforts, three individuals were taken into custody, and a firearm was recovered. Additionally, on May 13, 2010, while on a detail assignment at Shaw’s Supermarket, Detective Chadbourne assisted an elderly man who was the victim of a robbery. His investigation of this robbery led to the identification and arrest of the suspect.
June 2010 This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Christopher Hagerty, who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer Hagerty was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais stated that “Officer Hagerty was listed as the arresting officer thirty times during the past month, and that he does not usually list himself as the arresting officer unless he played a significant role in the incident.” Captain Desmarais also mentioned that many of Officer Hagerty’s arrests result from self-initiated activity and are not all due to a response to a particular call. Captain Desmarais went on to say that “Officer Hagerty’s job performance, shift after shift, demonstrates his commitment to the Department and to the city.” He cited a recent incident in which Officer Hagerty and other Second Division officers engaged in a foot pursuit and arrest of an armed and historically violent career criminal in response to a call reporting shots fired. He also stated that although Officer Hagerty and his partners work many of their shifts city-wide, in an unmarked unit, they still respond to calls for service and conduct patrols on their assigned route, and are quick to provide back up to other officers.
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Jennifer Cash, who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer Cash was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Michael Vail, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. Lieutenant Vail wrote that “Officer Cash’s nomination was not based on any particular incident, but instead on her overall work performance.” He went on to say that Officer Cash, who is currently assigned to Car 12, “has a strong work ethic and pays particular attention to detail, completing every assignment professionally and thoroughly. Officer Cash has taken the knowledge that she gained from working as a School Resource Officer and has used it to solve numerous youth-related problems while working on her shift.” In a follow-up email I received from Lieutenant Flynn, he also cited Officer Cash’s past experience as a School Resource Officer, and stated that “the trust and bond she had with a lot of the students and faculty often times provided information that gave our department the opportunity to get a jump on potential serious incidents before they actually took place.” Lieutenant Vail stated that this month, Officer Cash apprehended two individuals shortly after they committed a B&E. He also pointed out that Officer Cash’s hard work has been noticed and appreciated by the citizens on her route, as well as by the Sergeants and her peers on the Third Division; and she recently received a letter of appreciation for her efforts in locating a runaway.
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Officer Grace McManus, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer McManus was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Dennis Flynn and Lieutenant David Brown, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. Lieutenant Flynn wrote that he and Lieutenant Brown were submitting this nomination for Officer McManus as Officer of the Month “not based solely on any particular incident, but instead on the fact that she has performed her duties outstandingly throughout her entire career.” He further stated that in her current assignment to the Signal Room, “Officer McManus has brought her knowledge and experience from her many years working the street on the night shift, as well as from her past assignments as a firearms instructor, Evidence Control Officer, and Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit Investigator to her current assignment.” According to Lieutenant Flynn, “Officer McManus is very knowledgeable and has proven that she is competent in the many duties and functions that are required of officers assigned to the Signal Room. She is readily available to assist any and all officers seeking assistance, and has shown her willingness to help in numerous instances. Her efforts throughout her career have demonstrated that she has gone above and beyond the call of duty in performing her job in every position she has held. Officer McManus is conscientious and always on the lookout for any problems or deficiencies that can arise in our operations, is able to recognize problem areas, and brings them to the attention of the CO to be addressed.” As stated by Lieutenant Flynn, “Officer McManus is an asset to the Department and is very deserving of being named ‘Officer of the Month”.
This month’s LPD ‘Officer of the Month’ is Detective Robert Rawston, who is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit. Detective Rawston was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Marie Hanlon, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In her written nomination, Lieutenant Hanlon stated that “Detective Rawston is a great street cop, and also a great investigator.” She went on to say that the one quality that Detective Rawston holds, which she believes is essential to being a good police officer, is that of respect. According to Lieutenant Hanlon, “Detective Rawston treats all victims with respect, some of whom can be very difficult and challenging at times. When working in uniform and assisting those victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse, Detective Rawston goes the extra mile to help those who need police assistance. As our job often requires, he can be tough and stern, but he also knows how to be caring and compassionate. Detective Rawston will never judge a victim without getting a full statement and often will contact his victims several months after charges have been sought to make sure they are still safe and don’t need any other assistance. He will frequently make referrals to other social service agencies to get these people the help they need in the most difficult times of their lives.” Lieutenant Hanlon further stated that “Detective Rawston has been involved in many serious and life threatening cases in the recent past. He has obtained many admissions from suspects, made numerous arrests and solidified cases to get the maximum penalty (often on his own time!) and sent hundreds of perpetrators to prison for years."
This month’s LPD "Officer of the Month" is Officer Michael O’Connell, who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer O’Connell was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais stated that “Officer O’Connell has been a hard worker since joining the department. Whether in a one or two officer unit, he is always productive. During the month of January, Officer O’Connell was either the arresting officer, or one of the arresting officers in twenty-five arrests. He maintains a good knowledge of what is occurring on his route as well as whom the possible suspects could be when an incident occurs.” He further mentioned that Officer O’Connell is also a member of both the LPD Honor Guard and the Special Response Team. In his response to Captain Desmarais’ nomination, Lieutenant Michael Vail, Third Division Commanding Officer, stated that “Officer O’Connell is a great choice for "Officer of the Month". He has a great work ethic and takes pride in working his route.”
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Peter Panacopoulos, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Panacopoulos was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais described several recent outstanding efforts by Officer Panacopoulos. On December 29, 2009, Officer Panacopoulos and other officers responded to Albany Terrace on a report of an armed robbery with a handgun. While searching for the suspects, Officer Panacopoulos found an individual trying to hide alongside a nearby building. He detained this suspect, who was subsequently identified by the victims as the party that had brandished the handgun during the robbery attempt. Later during that same shift, Officer Panacopoulos observed a motor vehicle infraction, began to follow the car, and learned after running the plate that it was a stolen vehicle. According to Captain Desmarais, Officer Panacopoulos then followed the vehicle while waiting for additional units. Before additional units could arrive, the suspect vehicle pulled into the lot of a bar on Washington Street and Officer Panacopoulos pulled in behind it, and kept the stolen car and its occupants from fleeing. He was soon assisted by other units and the operator was placed in custody. The passenger, who was intoxicated, was found to be carrying a loaded firearm and he too was placed in custody. On January 3, 2010, Officer Panacopoulos and his partner observed a party near the vehicles behind the Lynnway U-Haul. This general area has been an ongoing problem, due to numerous incidents of trespassing, break-ins, larcenies, assaults, public drinking and intoxication. An investigation led to the arrest of a suspect for trespassing. This individual admitted that he was trying to get blankets out of the U-Haul trucks so he could sleep there. Captain Desmarais further stated that during the past few months, months Officer Panacopoulos has made several self initiated warrant and trespassing arrests in this same general area in an attempt to address the ongoing problem. As stated by Captain Desmarais, “Officer Peter Panacopoulos conducts himself in a professional manner and takes pride in his appearance when he is representing the department. He does his best at the big calls such as the previously mentioned armed robbery and he makes the same effort with the little things like the problem with the homeless in the area of the Lynnway U-Haul.”
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Paul Cotter, who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer Cotter was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais discussed several incidents during the past month in which Officer Cotter played a key role. On November 13th, Officer Cotter and his partner were involved in the heroic rescue of a group of individuals from a house fire on Lyman Street. Also, while working a recent detail, Officer Cotter spotted and stopped a motor vehicle with two unarmed robbery suspects. It was discovered that these individuals had just stolen the purse of an elderly woman.
Captain Desmarais also stated that in
addition to such larger incidents, “Officer Cotter takes care of the everyday
things as well. He is a conscientious and diligent officer who patrols his route
well, making stops at all hours.”
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Detective Stephen Withrow, who is currently assigned to the Gang Unit. Detective Withrow was nominated for this honor by Sergeant Edward Nardone, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his
written nomination, Sergeant Nardone highlighted some of the work by Detective
Withrow over the course of the past month, including the following:
As stated by Sergeant Nardone, “Although he understands that it was only through the coordinated efforts of several officers that successful outcomes were achieved in the above listed incidents, Detective Withrow continues to be a center point of quality police work.” He further stated that “Detective Withrow possesses strong professional investigative skills that have allowed many difficult cases to be solved.”
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Michael DiMeglio who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer DiMeglio was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Michael Vail, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Vail stated that he was nominating Officer DiMeglio for his overall work ethic and not one particular incident. He said that Officer DiMeglio works the downtown area in Car 10 and Car 14, which is one of the busiest routes in the city. As stated by Lieutenant Vail, “Officer DiMeglio has a strong work ethic and has been involved in over 25 arrests in the month of September. He has made the extra effort to get to know the good and bad people on his route, which I saw first-hand when walking the Union and Chestnut Street area with him last month. Officer DiMeglio’s hard work and route ownership has been noticed and is appreciated by his peers, supervisors and the people that live on his route.” Lieutenant Vail also said that Officer DiMeglio received a letter of appreciation in August for his professional and empathetic response to a person that was the victim of a minor crime and that he has made a difference on his route by addressing serious crimes as well as quality of life issues.
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Timothy Nerich who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer Nerich was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant David Brown, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Brown explained that during the summer months, several Third Division officers focused on quality of life issues in the downtown area and said that these officers continue to address the chronic problems which exist in many of the downtown locations. He further stated that “although these assignments are not as glamorous as other police duties, the efforts of the officers certainly make a difference.” According to Lieutenant Brown, “there are many officers who do an excellent job dealing with these issues; however Officer Timothy Nerich, who is assigned to Car 14, stands out.” As stated by Lieutenant Brown, “In addition to his efforts in the downtown area, Officer Nerich consistently makes solid contributions. Recently, while assigned to the First Division, he assisted with the arrest of a shooting suspect, who violently resisted. Officer Tim Nerich has a strong work ethic, and whatever the assignment is, he always follows it through.”
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Paul Wonoski who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Wonoski was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Chris Reddy and Lieutenant Dennis Flynn, and this nomination was also seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Reddy stated that “Officer Wonoski consistently conducts himself in an exemplary manner while working the busiest route in the city. While performing his duties he has shown a strong grasp of legal principles and excellent investigative skills, along with above average problem solving abilities.” He further relayed that Officer Wonoski maintains a strong grasp of the impact players on his route and practices route ownership as part of his excellent work ethic. Lieutenant Reddy went on to describe one specific incident in which he felt that Officer Wonoski was instrumental in the arrest of an armed and violent individual. In May of 2009, Officer Wonoski responded to several incidents of Domestic Threats and Witness Intimidation. The suspect in those incidents was identified by the victim, who also reported that this individual was known to carry firearms. She was able to provide only a partial plate listing and a description of his car. Officer Wonoski recognized the potential danger of a suspect who was believed to be armed and repeatedly engaged in acts of domestic abuse along with other criminal activity. He sought the assistance of Sergeant Shinnick in obtaining a list from the Registry of Motor Vehicles of vehicles registered in Lynn that were of a make and model consistent with that described by the victim. He then compared the list with the partial plate and came up with a match. Officer Wonoski conducted a license check, identified the suspect under an alias name, and then sought the assistance of Detective Ferrari in preparing a photo array. He showed this array to the victim, and she was able to identify him as the same individual who she had reported previously. As a result of Officer Wonoski’s initiative, it was learned that this suspect had two other alias' and he was wanted on multiple outstanding warrants for drug, motor vehicle and other offenses, in addition to the domestic incidents that Officer Wonoski investigated. Over a period of several weeks Officer Wonoski continued to follow up on this investigation and pursue more information on the suspect. He then shared the information he developed with other officers so that they would be aware of the risk posed by this violent individual. On the morning of June 8th, the suspect was located at his home, and because of the effort put forth by Officer Wonoski, the responding officers were aware that this individual was likely armed and posed a high risk to their safety. As a result, a search warrant was sought and an SRT deployment was conducted to locate and arrest him at his home. During the search the suspect attempted to conceal himself, but he was successfully apprehended and a large quantity of drugs and several firearms were recovered from his residence. Although he was not present at the arrest, Lieutenant Reddy and Lieutenant Flynn believe that this violent criminal was apprehended without injury to any police officer or member of the public, and a quantity of drugs and illegal firearms were seized, because of the persistent effort of Officer Wonoski. As stated by Lieutenant Reddy, “his dogged determination in gathering information, along with his willingness to share the knowledge he developed with so many other officers, resulted in the removal of a career violent criminal from the streets. We therefore believe that Officer Wonoski should be recognized as the Officer of the Month for August. “
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Robert Avery who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer Avery was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, and this nomination was seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais stated that “Officer Avery could have received this award on any given month since the inception of this recognition.” He went on to say that Officer Avery has been commended three times this year for the outstanding work he has done with his fellow officers, and that he has been involved with the seizure and removal of at least half a dozen firearms from the streets this year. Captain Desmarais cited two recent incidents in which Officer Avery played an integral role. On June 8th, an armed and dangerous suspect on Carlton Street was taken into custody and several weapons were seized. He also referenced an incident on June 23rd, in which Officer Avery played a major part in the apprehension of a dangerous individual, which included the seizure of another firearm. According to Captain Desmarais, Officer Avery works hard to combat prostitution during the early morning hours, and is a regular enforcer of the city’s Youth Protection Ordinance. As stated by Captain Desmarais, “Officer Avery is a team player who is respected by other working officers for his initiative and his back up.”
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Craig Fountain who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer Fountain was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Michael Vail “for his outstanding work ethic and job performance” and this nomination was seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s.
In his nomination, Lieutenant Vail wrote that
“Officer Fountain is assigned to one of the busiest routes in the city and is a
conscientious worker who has made an extra effort to get to know the key impact
players on his route.” According to Lieutenant Vail, “Officer Fountain knows who
these individuals are, and addresses the various problems on his route with
professionalism and dedication to duty.” He further explained that Officer
Fountain continues to make an effort, especially in the Union Street area, to
address the problems of drunks and prostitution. As stated by Lieutenant Vail,
“Officer Fountain routinely makes arrests for the minor violations on his route
that affect the quality of life in the Union Street area. Officer Fountain
continually deals with the unsavory characters that nobody wants to deal with,
and has been involved in over forty arrests during the months of April and May.
“
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Christopher Hagerty who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer Hagerty’s nomination for this honor was submitted by Lieutenant Peter Holey, and was seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Holey stated that “the nomination is not based on one outstanding incident, but rather on the fact that Officer Hagerty consistently performs on an outstanding level.” According to Lieutenant Holey, Officer Hagerty has volunteered to work in an unmarked capacity on the Second Division. He further explained that this assignment comes with the expectation that the officer is “self motivated, has a diligent work ethic and will produce a significant amount of arrests.” As stated by Lieutenant Holey, “Officer Hagerty has almost single handedly suppressed the prostitution activity during the early morning hours. The unmarked program on the morning division has recorded fifty-four arrests to date, including twenty-three prostitution arrests.” Lieutenant Holey further wrote that Officer Hagerty also maintains an intimate knowledge of his regularly assigned route. This knowledge led to the April 3, 2009 arrest of a suspect for firearms, kidnapping and drug charges. To date, in calendar year 2009, Officer Hagerty has been listed as the arresting officer on sixty-three separate incidents.
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Detective Cristine Petruzziello who is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit. Detective Petruzziello’s nomination for this honor was submitted by Lieutenant Marie Hanlon, and was seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In her written nomination, Lieutenant Hanlon noted the recent convictions and subsequent sentencing of two dangerous sex offenders as described below, which were largely due to the efforts of Detective Petruzziello. On January 6, 2007, Detective Petruzziello was contacted after officers received information that a female was reporting a rape. She interviewed the victim at length, interviewed all possible witnesses, obtained a search warrant for two locations which were crime scenes, collected medical and other evidence, and eventually arrested and charged the suspect with two counts of rape, assault and battery and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within a school zone. This individual had assaulted young female victims in the past and, in fact, again committed a rape while awaiting trial on this case. Detective Petruzziello’s diligence in this case included contacting other victims who had previously not wanted to testify, as well as assisting with the preparation of this case for prosecution. According to Lieutenant Hanlon, a jury recently found the defendant guilty and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. She further stated that “this was a huge victory, as he is a frightening repeat offender.” On June 21, 2007, a Lynn resident came into the station to report that his son had been sexually assaulted. Detective Petruzziello immediately interviewed the young male victim due to concerns for his safety and planned a ruse to locate the suspect, so he could be arrested and charged with this violence crime. During the investigation, Detective Petruzziello encountered many obstacles, including witnesses who were extremely difficult to deal with, let alone interview. During the first trial, the jury could not reach a verdict and the week-long event ended in a hung jury. The case was retried several months later. According to Lieutenant Hanlon, Detective Petruzziello “went above and beyond, by attempting to get additional information for the prosecution during trial, sometimes during off duty hours.” As a result of her efforts, this individual was found guilty the second time around and was sentenced to six years in prison. As stated by Lieutenant Hanlon, “Because of the hard, persistent work of Detective Petruzziello, two extremely dangerous and violent sex offenders will be off the streets for a long time. Detective Petruzziello consistently displays concern for these victims and works every angle, leaving no stone unturned, when she investigates these serious crimes.
This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Michael Hanlon who is currently assigned to the First Division. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Flynn stated that he and Lieutenant Reddy were “singling out Officer Hanlon for his continuing dedication to duty, his work ethic, professionalism and outstanding job performance,” and then described two incidents involving Officer Hanlon. On February 27, 2009, Officer Hanlon, along with Officer Mark Holey (Car 16) and Officers Robert Sirois and James Daley (Car 14), responded to the area of 137 Empire Street on a report of a group of youths checking car doors. Due to the combined efforts of the officers at the scene, one suspect, who was armed with a loaded handgun, was placed into custody for firearms charges. A second suspect was found to have several shotgun shells in his pocket, and was placed in custody for Possession of Burglarious Tools and Possession of Ammo without an FID Card. A third suspect, who was eventually found hiding in the vehicle in which all three suspects were earlier observed exiting, was placed into custody for several outstanding W.M.S. warrants. An earlier incident took place on September 30, 2008. After hearing that Officer Russ Gokas had responded to 25 Pendexter Street on a report of a past B&E, Officer Hanlon informed him that while traveling on Pendexter Street earlier that morning, he observed a male party who he recognized as a known criminal, acting suspiciously. Officer Hanlon further informed Officer Gokas that he attempted to keep an eye on the individual, but he disappeared on a nearby street. Officer Hanlon was also aware that there had been several recent B&E’s in that particular neighborhood. Officer Gokas noted Officer Hanlon’s observations in his report. As a result of this additional information supplied by Officer Hanlon describing the suspicious activity of this suspicious individual, Detective Tim Ferrari was able to tie him, along with a second suspect to the B&E on Pendexter Street, as well as to four other house breaks in the area The defendants were subsequently charged with the five house breaks and some of the stolen property was recovered and returned to the victims. According to Lieutenant Flynn, “This officer comes to work every shift and gives 100%. He also takes great pride in his work ethic and the way he does his job. Officer Hanlon also demonstrates that even off-duty, he is very observant of suspicious activity or a known criminal lurking in a neighborhood.” As stated by Lieutenant Flynn, “We believe that Officer Hanlon would be an excellent choice for Officer of the Month and is deserving of this recognition.”
February 2009 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Michael Kmiec who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Kmiec nomination for this honor was submitted by Lieutenant Chris Reddy and Lieutenant Dennis Flynn, and was seconded by many of our other CO’s/OIC’s. In his written nomination, Lieutenant Reddy described three recent incidents involving Officer Kmiec: On December 9, 2008, Officer Kmiec was on patrol in the area of Boston and Franklin Streets when he witnessed a male party enter a car with New Hampshire plates. The officer knew that this individual had recently been released from jail and had a criminal history that included gun and drug charges. Officer Kmiec’s observations led him to believe that a drug transaction was taking place and he stopped the vehicle after the suspect exited the car. The driver of the vehicle was subsequently arrested for Operating after Suspension and Possession of Class B- crack cocaine. The driver also admitted that he just purchased the drugs from the suspect, and as a result, criminal complaints were sought against this individual for Distribution Class B. As stated by Lieutenant Reddy, “the arrest of the driver was particularly satisfying, as he had repeatedly filed complaints against several different officers in recent months after they questioned him for engaging in suspicious activity in the downtown area.” On December 27, 2008, Officer Kmiec was working C-10 and patrolling in the area of the 7-Eleven at Fayette and Essex Streets, when he observed multiple people running out of the store and across the lot. He pulled into the lot and approached the store where he observed two known gang members inside the store acting suspiciously. The store clerks made no comment to him. As Officer Kmiec approached the suspects alone, they engaged in hostile and confrontational behavior. As he attempted to pat frisk one, the other engaged in loud and belligerent conduct in an apparent attempt to distract him. Officer Kmiec continued to engage them until backup units arrived. These two suspects were subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct. Some time later the store clerks notified officers that these suspects had assaulted several customers with a firearm. A video of the incident was recovered from the store owner the following morning and the charges against these two suspects were amended to include Assault D/W and Carrying a Firearm w/o a License. On December 29, 2008, Officer Kmiec was again working a one-man unit when he responded to Cesar’s Palace on Buffum St. to assist C-14 with a robbery investigation. He located the suspect’s vehicle nearby and notified the investigating officers. They brought the victim to the scene and he subsequently identified the suspect. During the investigation the suspect fled on foot and attempted to toss a folded dollar bill containing cocaine. Officer Paul Wonoski apprehended the suspect; and he and Officer Kmiec engaged in a physical struggle with him until he was secured in hand cuffs. The drugs were also recovered.
January 2009 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Detective Timothy Ferrari who is currently assigned to CID. Detective Ferrari was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, which was seconded by Lieutenant Marie Hanlon, as well as many of our other CO’s/OIC’s In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais described two recent incidents involving Detective Ferrari. Earlier in the month, Detective Ferrari observed a party walking down Washington Street, and believed him to be the same individual who had robbed St. Jean’s Credit Union twice that week. His subsequent investigation resulted in the suspect confessing to the two robberies. In the second incident described by Captain Desmarais, Detective Ferrari’s investigation into the ongoing theft of money from the school lunch receipts at Lynn Tech led to the arrest of a suspect and improvements in how the lunch receipts are now handled. Captain Desmarais stated that “Detective Ferrari has always been a very diligent officer and could have been a worthy nominee several times over.” As stated by Lieutenant Hanlon, “Detective Ferrari is a very hard working officer, both regarding his detective duties and also when he is in uniform.”
December 2008 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Detective Ross Panacopoulos who is currently assigned to S.I.U. Detective Panacopoulos was nominated for this honor by Sergeant Richard Carrow, and was seconded by many of our CO’s/OIC’s In his written nomination, Sergeant Carrow stated that Detective Panacopoulos is always a very dedicated and conscientious officer who is a tremendous asset to the department. He further stated that as a member of the S.I.U, Detective Panacopoulos has developed into a very experienced and talented investigator who has displayed a knack for developing and maintaining informants. Most recently, he was the lead investigator into the Contreras Market gaming operation, which was a 2-month ongoing investigation. According to Sergeant Carrow, Detective Panacopoulos was able to incorporate the selling of illegal prescription narcotics, as well as the illegal gaming activities, which entitles the department to pursue asset forfeiture proceedings against monies we seized. Sergeant Carrow further stated that Detective Panacopoulos was deliberate and thorough, and did an outstanding job on this investigation.
November 2008 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Detective Michael Kelter, who is currently assigned to S.I.U. Detective Kelter’s nomination for this honor was submitted by Sergeant Richard Carrow, and was also seconded by many of our CO’s/OIC’s In his written nomination, Sergeant Carrow stated that during the past month, Detective Kelter had been assigned several illegal dumping cases on and around the Lynnway area that had been a source of costly clean-ups to the DPW. “Although not the most glamorous of assignments, Detective Kelter handled all of them, and successfully solved them, to the great satisfaction of DPW officials.” Sergeant Carrow also reported that most recently, Detective Kelter was the affiant of a search warrant at a Bloomfield Street residence, where officers seized over 45 grams of heroin, 15 grams of oxycontin, marijuana, and $7,800 in cash. The two target suspects, who are reported members of the Soldiers Gang, are being held on $50,000 bail.
October 2008 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer John Vautour, who is currently assigned to the First Division. Officer Vautour’s nomination for this honor was submitted by Lieutenant David Brown, and was also seconded by many of our CO’s/OIC’s In his written nomination, Lieutenant Brown described the September 30, 2008 incident when Officer Vautour witnessed an individual fire a handgun at two people on Lawton Avenue and then flee in a waiting car. Officer Vautour immediately began a pursuit of the suspect vehicle in his cruiser, broadcast this information to other units, and then initiated a foot pursuit when the suspects abandoned their vehicle. These individuals were subsequently captured and taken into custody and a firearm was seized, largely due to the efforts of Officer Vautour. In a related email I received seconding this nomination; Lieutenant Flynn mentioned a letter that had been forwarded to him by Detective McCollin, who received praise for Officer Vautour for his professional response to a Colonial Avenue residence following a report of a B&E.
September 2008 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Ralph Sirois, who is currently assigned to the Third Division. Officer Sirois was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais (which was also seconded by many of our CO’s/OIC’s), who described in great detail the consistent high level of professionalism and dedication to duty exhibited by Officer Sirois every day. In his written nomination, Captain Desmarais stated that Officer Ralph Sirois is “a very consistent performer who puts in a full 8 hours work for 8 hours pay.” He further explained that a check of the LPD booking system verified that Officer Sirois was listed as the arresting officer 15 times during the last month, and a total of 80 times during the past year. According to Captain Desmarais, “Officer Sirois constantly patrols his assigned routes (2 days in Car 12 and 2 days in Car 16) and has developed an excellent knowledge of who the players are on his routes”. He added that Officer Sirois has used this knowledge to solve crimes before they are even reported. Captain Desmarais then described an incident on 8/25/08 when Officer Sirois observed parties entering a pawn shop on Boston Street with four industrial-type chainsaws. He stopped and identified these individuals as suspects in a number of previous incidents, and seized the chainsaws. Further investigation showed that the chainsaws had been stolen from a DCR site in Saugus. Captain Desmarais also stated that Officer Sirois frequently provides information to other officers on parties that have stopped or are running for warrants and license checks; he speaks up for calls on his route; he makes himself available to back up other officers; and routinely comes on the air to report to a call not on his route as his assigned shift ends. According to Captain Desmarais, “Officer Ralph Sirois is proud to wear the uniform and his job performance shows it.”
August 2008 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Michael McHale, who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer McHale was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Dennis Flynn, who described the recent assistance provided by Officer McHale following the serious motor vehicle accident involving two Lynn Police cruisers. Lieutenant Flynn reported that on July 12, 2008, Officer McHale was on his way to work when he heard a radio transmission from Officer John McKenna, stating that he was in foot pursuit of an armed suspect in the area of Verona Street. Officer McHale, along with other officers, responded to that location to assist in the search for the suspect. After clearing that scene and continuing to work, Officer McHale heard another radio transmission reporting a serious motor vehicle accident with injuries involving two Lynn Police cruisers at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Western Avenue. Officer McHale, who is a paramedic, responded immediately to the scene of the accident. He assisted other paramedics and Fire Department personnel in the treatment and extrication of Officer Gregory Leblanc. According to several officers at the scene, “Officer McHale demonstrated the highest level of professionalism in providing assistance to emergency personnel in the treatment of the injured officer.” As stated by Lieutenant Flynn, “Officer McHale is very deserving of being selected as “Officer of the Month”, not only for this incident, but also for several other occasions in which his experience and training as a paramedic has proven to be very valuable to the Department and to the City of Lynn.”
July 2008 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Officer Edward Pettipas, who is currently assigned to the Second Division. Officer Pettipas was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant David Brown, who described two recent incidents in which multiple suspects were taken into custody as a result of the efforts of officers of the Second Division, including Officer Pettipas. On June 26, 2008, Officers Pettipas and Harkness were dispatched to the area of Lawrence Road on a report of individuals breaking into cars. The officers subsequently observed a vehicle pull out of Fays Avenue, which they followed onto Victory Road. The occupants fled the vehicle, and after a foot chase, Officer Pettipas was able to take a 16-year-old male party into custody. Following an interview with this juvenile by Officer Pettipas, two other individuals were also arrested for receiving stolen property and related charges; and $3,875 in cash, GPS devices, and other stolen items were recovered. On July 2, 2008, Officers Beaver and Harkness responded to the 7-Eleven in Wyoma Square on a report of a robbery. The clerk stated that he was robbed by two females, one of which was armed with a hypodermic needle. A short time later, Officer Pettipas located a suspect on Richardson Road. A MSP K-9 Unit was called to the scene and led officers to a residence on Richardson Road. During the investigation, Officer Pettipas applied for and was granted a search warrant; and three individuals were taken into custody, including two for their involvement in the earlier robbery. Lieutenant Brown stated that the arrests from these incidents were the result of the great teamwork by all of the officers involved, and in particular, were due to the solid contributions by Officer Pettipas. From the period of July 15 – August 14, 2008, Officer Pettipas has been given the exclusive use (24/7) of a designated parking space, which is located right next to the spaces currently reserved for our Captains.
June 2008 This month’s LPD “Officer of the Month” is Detective Paul Holey, who is currently assigned to the Special Investigations Unit. Detective Holey was nominated for this honor by Lieutenant Dennis Flynn, who stated that “Detective Holey has demonstrated his dedication to duty and his service to the community throughout his career at the Lynn Police Department.” He then described the recent incident which took place on the morning of May 27, 2008, at approximately 0210 hours. Detective Holey, who was on patrol in the area of Commercial Street and Alley Street, was confronted by an individual armed with a knife. Detective Holey made several attempts to convince the individual to drop the weapon; however, the male party lunged at Detective Holey, forcing him to discharge his duty weapon in order to defend himself. Lieutenant Flynn further stated that “this is only one example of Detective Holey’s professionalism and dedication to duty. He is certainly a credit to the Lynn Police Department and to the citizens of Lynn.”
May 2008 I am very pleased to announce that our selection for the first “Officer of the Month” is Officer Robert Ferrari, who currently serves as our School Security Officer. Officer Ferrari was nominated for this honor by Captain Leonard Desmarais, who stated that “Officer Ferrari’s many months of preparation work while working cooperatively with the School Department played a large part in the coordinated, professional response to the shots fired incident outside of Lynn Classical on May 9th. Captain Desmarais further noted that route officers and sector sergeants were more familiar with the schools procedures due to Officer Ferrari’s ensuring they were always present at their respective school’s lockdown drills.
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