IMAGE GALLERY: Framingham Police Officers Retire

During the first week of February in 1978, Michael Donnolly was to start working as a police officer with the Town of Framingham. His start was delayed, by a week, due to the Blizzard of ‘78.

Donnolly ended his 37-year career with the Town of Framingham on Feb. 28. Also retiring the same day was Framingham Police Officer Dolores “Dede” Coots.

On Friday, Framingham Police Officers, both former and present, as well as Town officials attended a gathering at the Police Station to honor Coots and Donnolly.

Coots, who was hired in 1983, was one of the department’s first female police officers.

She was also part of the first father-daughter team on the Framingham Police Force. Her father worked for the Town of Framingham for the Police Department, until he retired to Florida.

Coots also was the department’s first RAD officer, and also served as a detective during her 32-year career with the Town of Framingham. RAD stands for Rape Aggression Defense. RAD was a personal safety and self-defense program, that emphasizes strategies to stay out of danger and teach realistic self-defense tactics to escape an attacker.

During his 37 years with Framingham, Donnolly served as safety officer for more than a decade.

Most recently, his was the administrative aide to Framingham Police Chief Ken Ferguson. As the department’s administrative aide Donnolly helped prepare short and long-term budgets, oversaw payroll and assisted the chief in presenting the annual budget to Town Meeting.

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Click on the link below to view 2 dozen photos from Friday’s gathering to honor Coots and Donnolly.