SPRINGFIELD — Deputy police chief Steven Kent admitted he takes a radio home and listens as officers from his department go from shootings to fights to medical emergencies night after night.
“I know what you guys do every day. I hear ShotSpotters go off ... and I hear cars streaming to gunfire,” he said. “It’s amazing. I’m humbled by you and it makes me proud.”
Recently Kent was put in charge of sifting through piles of incident reports to identify officers who should be commended for their bravery, teamwork, selflessness, quick actions in chaotic and dangerous circumstances, and overall outstanding work to help city residents.
On Oct. 12, the Springfield Police Department granted awards to 50 men and women during National Police Week. Two officers, Christopher Duff and Francisco Luna, received two awards, and Seth Barker received three. Several officers who were honored have retired. Officials also awarded a police dog, Mr. Warner, with a special treat.
Police chaplain Neal Boyd, 61, was also remembered during the event. The pastor of Endtime Revival Holiness Church and an advocate for those who are mentally ill, died in September.
At one time the police department annually recognized officers who had gone above and beyond, but the ceremonies had been put on the back burner for years. In 2019, commissioner Cheryl Clapprood resumed them and vowed to honor the women and men of the police department regularly going forward. But then COVID-19 hit in 2020 and the awards were put on hold again.
While offering her gratitude to all of the officers and thanking their families, Clapprood reminded them they save lives with every unlawful gun they take off the street, every dose of Narcan they administer to someone overdosing on opioids, and every victim of domestic violence they help.
“These officers are recognized for a wide array of situations, all of which were unpredictable, rapidly evolving and required immense courage, selflessness and professionalism,” she said.
She also acknowledged the job is increasingly dangerous and can be frustrating as officers see judges let people go on low or no bail just hours after they are arrested.
“I can tell you why they do the job,” Clapprood said. “In the heart of hearts and in the heart of their minds their efforts are to help save others. That’s the kind of person who becomes a police officer.”
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno thanked the officers for their work, acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic and protests around the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis made their work “keeping each and every one of us safe” more difficult.
“We are all public servants. I don’t mind constructive criticism but I can’t stand naysayers,” Sarno said. “When everyone else is running out of that building, who’s running into that building to save lives and to save structure? Our brave and dedicated men in blue and our firefighters.”
This year the department recognized officers involved in nine incidents from 2018-21. Kent said he knows he has forgotten some incidents and pledged to catch up. Six officers were also recognized for a harrowing incident in 2013 where a suspect opened fire on police responding to a fight between a boyfriend and girlfriend.
The department recognized employees of two units, the new Firearms Investigation Unit, which has seized 90 unlawful guns in 2021 alone, and the Real-Time Analysis Center.
Kent said he’s an “old school guy” who was skeptical about the creation of the center, which can use video footage from cameras spread across the city and other computer data to assist officers responding to a call. He became a convert after the team proved invaluable multiple times, especially after an 11-year-old girl was found hours later after being abducted by a stranger in 2020.
The following officers received awards:
Lts. Aaron Butler and Thomas Zarelli, Sgt. Matthew Benoit and officers Clay Canning, Dayaliz Cruz, Chad Joseph and Francisco Luna were recognized for “immense courage ... situational awareness, quick thinking and coordination” when confronted by an armed man who shot at them multiple times. Police ended up shooting and killing the 44-year-old suspect.
The officers were initially called to Albermarle Street about 5:30 a.m., May 15, 2013, for reports of a woman vandalizing a vehicle. When they arrived, they found the male owner of the car shooting at the woman. He then started firing his shotgun at police. Officers pursued the suspect as he tried to flee and exchanged gunfire, hitting the man. As soon as they took him into custody they administered medical aid, but the man died, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman.
Capt. Brian Keenan, Sgts. William Catellier and James Mazza and officers Christopher Bates, Aristides Casillas and Darrin Fitzpatrick were honored for courage and professionalism in the face of a rapidly evolving event that took place on July 3, 2018. The crime left Fitzpatrick with serious injures that forced him to retire, Walsh said.
A man attempting to flee a police stop during a drug investigation plowed his car into Fitzpatrick, who fired his gun as he landed on the suspect’s hood. While some stayed behind to tend to Fitzpatrick, other officers chased the suspect and stopped the car a half-mile away on Kensington Avenue. They found he had been shot and provided medical aid until an ambulance arrived, and later arrested him, Walsh said.
Officers Gregory Vatrano and Scott Stelzer were recognized for apprehending a suspect even though he attempted to stab Vatrano in the chest with a knife. The knife struck a ceramic plate in his bulletproof vest but sliced through his vest and shirt, Walsh said.
The two had responded to a call on March 13, 2019, reporting a man who was believed to have started a fire in an occupied multifamily home on Vermont Street. The stabbing took place while Vatrano was physically fighting with the suspect as he tried to get him under control. Despite Vatrano’s injuries, which included a broken hand, the two handcuffed and arrested the suspect, Walsh said.
Lts. Brian Beliveau and John Zollo, Sgts. Patrick Denault, Daniel Johnson, Shaun Linnehan, and officers Brendan Linnehan, Colin Cochrane, James Trubia and Elizer Vazquez were credited for rescuing multiple people from an apartment building during a massive fire that started on a back porch and spread to a second building, injuring at least three and displacing more than 45 people.
Beliveau was driving by 306 Belmont Ave. on April 2, 2019, when he spotted smoke. He called in the incident and while heading toward the building was stopped by people who said a mother and her two children were trapped inside, Walsh said.
No one else had arrived yet so he ran into the building, which was quickly filling with smoke, and shouted to people milling around the stairwells to get out. He then fought thick smoke to climb to the third floor, pounded on a door but got no answer. He dropped down to the second floor to get a breath of air and returned to find the family and rescue them. Meanwhile, the other officers had arrived, started checking the building for anyone else and helped escort families out just as firefighters arrived, Walsh said.
Sgts. Jaime Bruno and Mark Jones and officers Barker, Edwin Irizarry, Servio Jimenez, Joseph Levesque, Daniel Regan and Ramon Sierra were honored for courage and professionalism when several officers were caught in the crossfire in a shooting that occurred shortly before 2 a.m. April 14, 2019, outside Club Aquarius, Walsh said.
Irizarry and a second officer, who were working a private detail at the club on State Street, went outside to handle a fight when at least two people started shooting at each other. The officers ducked behind a vehicle and realized there was gunfire coming from two directions. Irizarry, who is now retired, was struck in the hand and elbow before other officers arrived to assist. A civilian was grazed by a bullet. At least three people were arrested, Walsh said.
Officers Barker, Duff, Noel Agosto, Brendan Curran, Kelley Diederich, Maria Famularo, Daniel McKay, Spencer O’Quinn, Michael Rodriguez, Joel Rosemond and Eric Blair with K-9 Mr. Warner were recognized for teamwork and vigilance when responding to a home invasion on June 12, 2019, on Colton Street, Walsh said.
Officers arrived to find a chaotic scene. They ended up arresting three men, confiscating two guns and rescuing eight victims, one of whom suffered a serious eye injury, who said they had been beaten with guns and a crowbar, he said.
Lt. Joseph Dunn and officers Barker, Duff, Jacob Boudreau and Joshua Dufrane were commended for exceptional courage and dedication to duty after being shot at Dec. 3, 2019, inside a Sumner Avenue gas station by a man wanted in Southbridge for domestic violence.
Police tracked the suspect to the gas station, and a clerk confirmed he had been there but left. Later she called saying the man returned. When police arrived, he opened fire on them and retreated into a locked bathroom. Police called in the Emergency Services Unit and were able to rescue the clerk during the standoff. After about 90 minutes the suspect, who had been struck several times by officers’ gunfire, killed himself in the bathroom, Walsh said.
Sgt. Christopher Hitas and officers Daniel Huard and Nicholas Mancinone were commended for bravery and decisive actions while pursuing and apprehending an armed suspect on Sept. 12, 2020, Walsh said.
The three followed three men after learning they may be illegally possessing a gun. After they parked, they attempted to arrest one man who pointed a gun at officers while trying to flee. One detective fired at the suspect but did not hit him. The suspect then tossed his gun and complied with officers who arrested him and two other men on drug and gun charges, Walsh said.
Officers Luna, Josue Cruz and Luis Delgado were credited for their composure and professionalism while saving the life of a 3-month-old who stopped breathing on April 2.
The mother, Portia James, who had started CPR before officers arrived, and her healthy baby Kairo attended the ceremony to thank the three officers. During the event, Walsh played video from one of the officer’s body cameras that showed harrowing minutes of the officers trying to revive the baby. The audience broke into applause when the child started crying.
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