STONEHAM — Interim Police Administrator Michael Lyle is pleased to announce that the Stoneham Police Department promoted Sgt. David Thistle to lieutenant, and also welcomed four new officers to the department.
Officers George Doherty, Matthew Dabenigno, and Stephen Chatelle graduated from the Lynnfield MPTC Police Academy on April 28, and are now participating in a field training program.
Officer Neil Simard graduated from the Transit Police Academy in 2008, and joins the department as a lateral transfer from the Arlington Police Department. He too will undergo a field training program before beginning to patrol on his own.
Lt. Thistle joined Stoneham Police in 2002, and was promoted to sergeant in 2008. He has been assigned to night patrol operations, and is a member of the Stoneham Fire Investigation Unit, the Stoneham Fire and Police Dive Team, and serves as commander of both the Mountain Bike Unit and Domestic Violence Unit. Lt. Thistle is also a certified instructor for the Municipal Police Training Committee.
He holds a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Franklin Pierce College and a master’s in Criminal Justice Administration from Western New England College.
“Lt. Thistle has been a tremendous leader within the department and his promotion is well-earned. I look forward to seeing his continued leadership within our ranks,” said Interim Administrator Lyle. “I would also like to welcome our four new officers, and I look forward to seeing what they will accomplish with the same hard work and dedication that got them through the police academy.”