PAX Centurion - March / April 2015

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • March/April 2015 • Page 31 On Thursday, May 22, 2014, Commissioner’s Commendations were awarded to Sergeant Edward Meade (Mobile Operations Patrol), Sergeant Sam Silta (B-2), Sergeant Joseph Kintigos (Boston Housing Police), Detectives Joseph Keaveney and Richard Medina, as well as Officers Michael Fanning, Kevin Cook, Michael O’Rourke, Kevin McClay, Vincent Stephens, Sean Flaherty and Stephen O’Neil for their actions in the following incident: At about 8:00 PM on Thursday, April 3, 2014, Officers responded to a radio call for a person shot in the area of 42 Horadan Way in Mission Hill. On arrival, officers observed the male victim suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. The victim had been walking with his grandson when the incident occurred. Officer O’Neil broadcast the suspect information. A short time later, Sgt. Silta, who was returning home from a community meeting, observed a vehicle occupied by 4 individuals that matched the description of the suspect’s vehicle. At this time, officers O’Rourke, Stephens, McClay, Fanning, Cook and Flaherty along with Sgt’s Kintigos and Meade responded to the area to provide assistance. As officers initiated a traffic stop, three of the passengers fled the vehicle on foot, while the operator remained. The passengers fled in different directions, but two were able to be apprehended following lengthy foot pursuits during which an illegal firearm was located. The third suspect was later identified and apprehended by the YSVF. The officers assisting in the arrest of these individuals displayed tremendous bravery and concern for the residents of the city, for this, we thank them for their continued dedication to the City of Boston. On Thursday, July 31, 2014, Commissioner’s Commendations were awarded to District B-3 (Mattapan) Sergeant Thomas Brooks and Officers David Lanteigne, Michael Goggin, Sean Daniely and Robert Robichaud as well as Youth Violence Strike Force Officers Shawn Butler and Matthew Conley: On May 2, 2014, Officers from District C-11 (Dorchester) responded to a radio call for a home invasion in the 1000 block of Dorchester Ave. in which the victim had been severely beaten, robbed and bound with duct tape. Officers were provided with names of the suspects as well as a motor vehicle that one of them was known to operate. Sgt. Brooks met with Officers Conley, Butler, Goggin, Lanteigne, Robichaud and Daniely to track down the suspects. Officer Butler was able to connect the suspect to a particular motor vehicle through extensive research. Officers Butler and Conley proceeded to the area of 103 Evans Street where they located the unoccupied vehicle. At this time, Officers Butler, Conley, Goggin, and Lanteigne set up a surveillance of the address while Sgt. Brooks and Officers Daniely and Robichaud set up a perimeter. At approximately 2:10 AM, the officers observed two individuals carrying a broken safe and placing it in the trunk of the motor vehicle. Officers approached and detained the suspects. A pat frisk revealed a loaded handgun carried by one of the suspects. Officers also arrested two females as well. All of the victim’s property was recovered. The level of work performed by these officers is exemplary, due to their diligence and persistence, they were able to apprehend those responsible for such a horrific crime. On Thursday, January 29, 2015, Commissioner’s Commendations were awarded to Boston Police Officers Jonathan Hester, Jean-Paul Limontas, and Robert Cordasco of the School Police Unit for their actions in the following incident: At about 6:00 PM on Wednesday, June 11, 2014, the above officers were on directed patrol at the McKinley School Commencement ceremony at 90 Warren Avenue in the South End. Due to the officers’ knowledge of ongoing feuds between several groups of students with ties to area street gangs, numerous altercations, and threats to commit violent acts, officers were on particular alert for any suspicious behavior. As the graduates and their families were exiting the McKinley school a large group of approximately 200 people had gathered on Warren Avenue. It was then that the officers observed a suspect with a hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly around his head and face walking up Warren Ave toward the large crowd. Given the warm weather, this individual caught the eye of the officers. As the individual continued to approach the crowd, an officers observed a heavy object visible in the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. Officer Hester, having been trained by the ATF in the characteristics of an armed gunman, and Officer Limontas approached the individual. As the officers identified themselves as police, the suspect began to flee. A violent struggle ensued with several hundred people looking on, but officers were able to apprehend the individual and recover two firearms from the suspect. As a result of their diligence and keen observations, Officers Hester, Limontas, and Cordasco were able to identity and arrest an armed assailant in a very crowded situation. As a result of their training and experience, coupled with their knowledge of the various groups at the McKinley Schools, a tragedy was averted. For this we thank you, Officers!