Stoughton Police Department Holds Annual Award Ceremony

On Saturday, May 12, the held its second annual awards ceremony at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton.

Awards were presented for work done between April 1, 2011 and April 1, 2012.
The following is a summary of the award recipients from the Stoughton Police Department Facebook Page.

To see a photo gallery from the evening, click here. 

* The Department's highest honor, the Medal of Valor, was awarded to Sgt. Paul Williams for rescuing several hostages and subduing an armed suspect during an . Click on the youtube link for the riveting video, put together by Sgt. Bonney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCE9UrTrLMI&feature=youtu.be

* The 2011 Officer of the Year was detective Erik Feist. Det. Feist was recognized for his efforts in solving many of the break-ins in town while in an understaffed unit. He also will never be forgotten for his single handed capture of a .

* The 2011 Supervisor of the Year was Sergeant Paul McCallum. Sgt. McCallum was recognized for his leadership on patrol, his active membership in the regional METRO-LEC team and his maintaining of the SPD fleet (no small task). Each one could be a full time job on their own.

* A Police Commendation was given to Sgt. John Bonney for preventing a "suicide by cop" incident by managing to talk down a suspect who admitted he wanted the police to shoot and kill him, but hesitated because of communicating with Sgt. Bonney.

* A Distinguished Service Award was given to Officer Stephen Collins for wading into a swamp to pull an unstable, suicidal male from the water while he was fighting to drown himself.

* A Meritorious Service Award was given to Detective Jim O'Connor for solving a shooting last year without much witness help. The shooter was identified and arrested.

* A Meritorious Unit Commendation was given to Det. Sgt. Welch and Detectives Feist, O'Connor, and Lima as well as Officer Hartford. For a long term drug case which resulted in a search warrant and the apprehension of an opiate dealing family. Their actions gave a neighborhood back to its residents.

* A Meritorious Unit Commendation was given to XO Devine and Officers Faria and Letendre for locating a suicidal female, who had taken many pills, through a cell trace and arriving just in time to get her treatment which saved her life.

* A Meritorious Unit Commendation was given to Sgt. Williams and officers Kuhn, Davis, and Zbinski for interrupting an armed robbery in progress and arresting a nearby accomplice.

* A Meritorious Unit Commendation was given to Sgt. McNulty and Officers Owens, Grover, McNamara, and Faria for negotiating a surrender of an armed suicidal man who had just found a loved one dead.

* A Meritorious Unit Commendation was given to Sgt. John Bonney and Officers Owens, Davis, David and Sullivan for their apprehension of several looters during .

*  The final Meritorious Unit Commendation was given to Sgt. Bonney, Det. Lima, and Officers Sullivan, Conforti, and David for volunteering to travel to tornado ravaged Springfield and assist in the rescue and recovery effort.

* Police Commendations were given to Detectives Erik Feist and Jim O'Connor for the large number of house break cases they were able to solve and bring criminal charges. This is especially noteworthy because they were the only two detectives for much of the year.

* For all of his volunteer efforts in the community and for his membership in the SPD Honor Guard and responsibilities as the town juvenile detective, Det. Roger Hardy was recognized as the 2011 Public Service Award recipient.

* Letters of Merit were given to Officers Sandra Barrett and Brian Holmes for catching a house break suspect as he attempted to flee the scene of his crime.

* Letters of Merit were given to Officers John Gagne and Jay Owens for their superior firearms training program that has included "reflexive shooting," stun knives, and vehicular combat.

* Meritorious Support and Service Awards for support of the Stoughton Police Department mission were given to Chief Kenneth Berkowitz and K9 Officer Scott Brown of the Canton PD. Officer Phil McEnany of the Sharon PD, and Sgt. Charles Kane and Troopers Keith Pantazelos, Chris Condlin, and Meaghan Powers of the Massachusetts State Police. 

* Civilian Distinguished Service Awards and A Meritorious Support and Service Award were given to Ms. Faith Weiner, Mr. Ralph Pollillio, and Stoughton Fire Fighter Jeff Ledin for their heroic and compassionate actions at a They evacuated three teens from a burning building and Ms. Weiner cared for them during the crisis, providing clothes and other needs.

* A Civilian Public Service Award was given to 8 year old Alex Olazabel for calmly calling 911 and translating through sign for responding officers when his father fell ill.