For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Methuen Police Honor Three as Officers of the Year

METHUEN – Mayor Stephen N. Zanni and Chief Joseph Solomon are pleased to announce that three Methuen Police officers have been named as the 2017 Methuen Exchange Club’s Police Officers of the Year.

Methuen Police Officers Shawn Tardif, Brian Hellman and Kenneth Pilz were honored at an awards banquet at the Merrimack Valley Golf Club on Tuesday, Nov. 14 for going above and beyond the call of duty during an apartment building fire last year.

Just after 2 a.m. on Nov. 12, 2016, Officer Tardif was on routine patrol when he noticed a large amount of thick smoke coming from the Park Street area. Officers Pilz and Hellman responded to help identify the source of the smoke.

When Officer Pilz approached Methuen Square he could see that the apartment building located at 2 Pleasant St. was fully engulfed in flames. Officer Pilz notified dispatch there was a working fire at this address and immediately approached the residence and began kicking open doors in the building.

Several residents inside the building were still sleeping and had to be woken up by the three officers who went to every apartment to ensure that everyone had safely exited the building. These officers also evacuated all residents who lived in the neighboring building, 4 Pleasant St., out of an abundance of caution.

After everyone was safely out of both apartment buildings, Officers Tardif, Hellman and Pilz arranged to have a shelter set up across the street inside of the Red Tavern where residents, many of whom left their homes in the clothes they had been sleeping in, could stay warm.

“We are so proud of these three officers for their efforts in saving dozens of lives during the fire last year,” Mayor Zanni said. “Our Methuen Police Department is made up of top-notch officers who continue to prove that fact through actions such as these.”

“I would like to congratulate all three officers for receiving this award,” Chief Solomon said. “They displayed courage and bravery in making sure that every single person and pet was safely out of those two buildings, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

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