Weston Sergeant: 'I've Never Been More Proud of This Profession'

Weston Police Sgt. Tom Kelly will look back on the past week in his law enforcement career and remember how well so many different agencies, from so many different areas of his profession were able to come together in a crisis.

Kelly was one of five Weston police officers who responded in some way to the law enforcement work in Boston and Watertown in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Kelly and Officer Mark Alonzi spent last Tuesday through Saturday fulfilling their roles as members of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) Regional Response Team. During their 14-hour shifts, Kelly and Alonzi supported the Boston Police Department, primarily by providing an increased police presence in various parts of the city.

"It was surreal," Kelly said of the week. "This is something we'll remember for the rest of our lives being a part of."

Kelly, a 13-year-veteran of the Weston Police Department, spent four years with the Los Angeles Police Department prior to coming to town. Even with his experiences in Los Angeles, Kelly said he's never seen anything like the law enforcement response following the bombing at the marathon finish line and the subsequent events leading to the death and capture of suspects Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, respectively.

"I've never been more proud of this profession -- especially local law enforcement," Kelly said, adding his particular appreciation for the Watertown Police Department.

Maguire, while not a member of NEMLEC, was stationed on Trapelo Road Thursday night when he heard the call about the shoot-out in Watertown. He and Sgt. Dave Tinglof responded right away.

"It's normal procedure for any city or town to respond in a situation like that," Maguire said. "All cities and towns will back each other up."

Maguire credited Weston dispatcher Brian Hourihan with listening carefully to the radios that night and alerting Weston officers to the Watertown situation.

When Maguire arrived at the scene of the Watertown firefight, he saw nothing but thick smoke and an abundance of local law enforcement including officers from Watertown, Waltham, Belmont and Cambridge.

Those local officers, particularly Watertown officers, deserve a lot of credit, he said.

"Watertown just did a fantastic job and showed a lot of courage," Maguire said. "They stood toe to toe with these guys."

Maguire said he went Thursday night simply to help as he was needed and ended up providing a police presence at Mt. Auburn Street and Walnut Street until he was sent home.

When he returned to assist Friday, along with Det. Bill Carlo, Maguire found himself stopping drivers trying to travel during the Watertown lockdown from his station in the middle of a deserted Arsenal Street.

"It was just eerie," Maguire said of the vacant streets.

Strange as the whole experience was, both Kelly and Maguire said their training prepared them well for what they faced.

"I don't think people realize how much we train," Maguire said.

Kelly agreed and said that, while officers can't logistically prepare for a situation of the magnitude he saw last week, he felt prepared and equipped for what he faced.

Still, "All the officers who were there, it makes them better officers," Kelly said.

And even for officers who didn't respond to Boston and Watertown last week, Maguire said it's still impacted them.

"I think it does change your perception of what to expect out there," Maguire said. "It has to be in the minds of every officer throughout this country that this can happen anywhere at anytime."