Tewksbury PD Chief Proud Of Officers Who 'Make A Difference'

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus took to social media Wednesday to pay tribute to one of his officers for an act the chief said is common in police work, though often goes unacknowledged.

Columbus said that at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, a Tewksbury PD patrol officer noticed two people sleeping inside an ATM vestibule. The chief did not give the location of the ATM.

The officer got the identities of the people inside the vestibule and learned that one of them was a missing person in Maine.

The missing person was connected with a shelter where they could stay the night, and the Tewksbury PD's clinical team followed up the next day to provide other services, Columbus said.

"There's a lot in policing that doesn't make the headlines, but there are situations that officers face on a daily basis that make a difference," Columbus said. "These men and women (officers) make me proud to be part of this profession with the way they perform and their commitment to service above before self."

Columbus continued: "This profession is extraordinary. My appreciation for those who wear a badge and swore an oath to serve others will never fade."