Randolph Police Department Recognizes Service of Auxiliary Officers

RANDOLPH — Chief Anthony Marag and the Randolph Police Department would like to recognize the Randolph Auxiliary Police Department and its officers for their dedication to the Town of Randolph and its residents as the unit is disbanded. 

The RAPD was originally established in 1941 and has provided valuable volunteer assistance to the Randolph Police Department for many years. At its start, auxiliary officers assisted with patrolling town properties, traffic control at religious facilities across town, and crowd and traffic control at events such as the Memorial Day and Independence Day parades.  

The Auxiliary Police became its own department in 1975, and has been led by four chiefs: Chief George Lacroix, Chief Robert A. Rocheleau, Chief Anthony L. Buonopane and Chief Francis V. Robles, Sr. 

The RAPD was later incorporated into the Randolph Police Department in 2012. As the town grew, auxiliary officers took on more duties assisting with traffic control across town, providing support at community events and assisting with major incidents. The unit also acquired three distinctively marked police cruisers, and created a motorcycle squad. Officers received ongoing training through the Massachusetts Police Training Committee (MPTC), formerly the Criminal Justice Police Academy. 

The RAPD has been recognized with two awards, by former Gov. Mitt Romney in recognition of the department’s commitment to volunteerism, and by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), both given in conjunction with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. 

The RAPD often served as a stepping stone for those looking to begin a career in law enforcement, and many auxiliary officers throughout the years moved into full-time law enforcement roles at the Randolph Police Department and other agencies statewide and nationally. 

“The RAPD was always willing to volunteer and lend support at events and activities throughout town, and many of those events would not have been possible without their contributions,” Chief Marag said. “The RAPD has been a valuable resource for the department for several decades, and I would like to thank Chief Robles and his officers, as well as all of RAPD’s past chiefs and officers, for their deep dedication to peace, justice and safety in our town. Randolph’s auxiliary officers have demonstrated a passion for giving back and serving the community, and their service is greatly appreciated.”

The RAPD was discontinued in January due to the working hour mandates and training requirements established by the Municipal Police Training Committee as a result of 2020’s Police Reform Act. 

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