Community Holds Moment of Silence for Chief Maloney

Greenland residents and members of the Seacoast law enforcement community came together one more time to remember Chief Michael Maloney Friday evening on the one year anniversary of his death in the line of duty.

Despite the cold, rainy weather, Portsmouth area residents along with police officers from communities that included Portsmouth, Hampton, North Hampton, Newmarket, the Rockingham County Sheriff's Department and the New Hampshire State Police attended the brief moment of silence held for Maloney.

were wounded on April 12, 2012 when they approached the former home of Cullen Mutrie on 517 Post Road to serve a warrant during a drug raid and Mutrie opened fire on them. Authorities say Mutrie later shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, Brittany Tibbetts, who was inside the home with him during the standoff, before he turned the gun on himself.

Greenland Police Chief Tara Laurent said she was very pleased that so many of her fellow police officers and Portsmouth area residents came to the ceremony before the community talent show that was held at the Greenland Central School at 6 p.m. She was also very moved by the New Hampshire Police Academy graduation ceremony held earlier that afternoon in Concord.

She said seeing a new class of academy graduates begin the work that Chief Maloney sacrificed his life a year ago almost felt the past year had come full circle. "It turned out to be more profound that I thought," she said.

Portsmouth Police Chief Steve DuBois and Portsmouth Police Commission Chairman John Golumb led 12 Portsmouth Police officers to the Greenland Police Station for the ceremony. DuBois said his department had a very close connection to the tragic events of a year ago. "It was very important for us to be here," he said.

State Police Col. Robert Quinn said the one-year anniversary of Chief Maloney's death should make all people, regardless if they are police officers, appreciate their families and everything they have in the lives because life is so fragile.