John Horvath, Police Chief
168 Main St.
Rockport, MA 01834
For Immediate Release
Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Photos: Rockport Police Honor Officers, Civilians at Commendations Ceremony
ROCKPORT — Chief John Horvath is pleased to announce that the Rockport Police Department hosted a Commendations Ceremony on Tuesday night to honor both public safety officials and civilians who have contributed to the safety of Rockport.
Titled “Honoring Those Who Protect Our Community,” the ceremony served as a platform to recognize those who performed courageous or life saving acts over the past two years. Held at the Rockport Public Library, the ceremony was well-attended by the Rockport community and families of the award recipients.
The awards praised public safety officials for their handling of a variety of incidents, including the rescue of a diver in distress, de-escalation techniques used to safely resolve potentially dangerous encounters, and an investigation into scams aimed at elderly citizens in town.
The incident that required the most collaboration between responding officers and community members involved a Rockport woman being attacked by an unknown man. Within 48 hours, Rockport Police, with assistance from the community, Massachusetts State Police, and several other departments had identified and arrested the suspect, restoring a sense of calm to the community.
“The public safety field is constantly changing and the challenges that first responders face can be daunting,” Chief Horvath said. “The men and women in these roles must maintain a high level of training, be compassionate, courteous, and remain decisive and courageous. This Commendations Ceremony demonstrated our collective appreciation and admiration for our first responders and the community that supports them.”
Award recipients include:
- Sgt. Robert Tibert, Rockport Police Department – Meritorious Service Award
- Officer Gregory George, Rockport Police Department – Meritorious Service Award and Distinguished Service Award
- Sgt. Michael Marino, Rockport Police Department – Life Saving Award
- Officer Mark Rowe, Rockport Police Department – Distinguished Service Award
- Officer Philip Wesley, Rockport Police Department – Life Saving Award
- Officer Colleen Daniels, Rockport Police Department – Life Saving Award
- Dispatcher Mary Edgerton, Rockport Police Department – Life Saving Award
- Lt. Theodore Cohen, Lynnfield Fire Department – Civilian Service Award
- Office Manager Sherry Naugler, Rockport Police Department – Civilian Service Award
- Anna Suarez, Community Member – Civilian Service Award
- Alan Thompson, Community Member – Civilian Service Award
- Capt. Mark Wonson, Rockport Fire Department – Certificate of Commendation
- Lt. Frank Favaloro, Rockport Fire Department – Certificate of Commendation
- Officer James Hurst, Rockport Police Department – Certificate of Commendation
- Officer William Budrow, Rockport Police Department – Certificate of Commendation
- Officer Jason Balzarini, Rockport Police Department – Certificate of Commendation
- Officer Michael Anderson, Rockport Police Department – Certificate of Commendation
- Officer Daniel Mahoney, Rockport Police Department – Certificate of Commendation
- Trooper Joshua Ulrich, Massachusetts State Police – Certificate of Commendation
- Bethany Brosnan, Community Member – Certificate of Appreciation
- Millard Ring, Community Member – Certificate of of Appreciation
“We sincerely thank each of you, our esteemed award recipients, for all that you do,” said Paul F. Murphy, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, as he addressed the room. “Please understand that we acknowledge that what you have done means so much more than what we can convey in a simple plaque or certificate and we are most grateful to all of you”.
“Tuesday night’s ceremony was a direct reflection of some of the first responders and citizens we are honored to have living and working in our community,” said Sarah Wilkinson, Board of Selectmen Public Safety Liaison. “Listening to the stories of the incidents that they were involved in made me realize just how lucky we are to have these people living and working among us.”
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