Commendations

January 23, 2002 - Special Order #2002-3

PATROL OFFICER JENNIFER CANNEY

On June 26, 2001 while assigned to a patrol vehicle, Officer Jennifer Canney's attention was drawn to a vehicle operating in the Brookline Village area. Officer Canney placed this vehicle's registration number into her vehicle's computer and obtained information alerting her to the fact that the registered owner had a suspended license. Officer Canney then stopped this vehicle, confirmed that the operator was, in fact, the registered owner who did not have a right to operate in Massachusetts. Officer Canney also observed the fact that the vehicle was not properly inspected. Officer Canney then placed the operator under arrest and, along with another officer, proceeded to inventory the contents of this vehicle. During this inventory search evidence was uncovered indicating that the operator had just engaged in numerous crimes of shoplifting from area stores. Props were uncovered which would permit a person to conceal numerous items under their clothing. Furthermore, merchandise totaling in excess of $2500.00 from about ten area stores was removed from the vehicle and returned to the owners.

Patrol Officer Jennifer Canney displayed alertness and initiative that led to the arrest of a woman who made her living stealing from others, and, no doubt, prevented future crimes against store owners.

PATROL OFFICER THOMAS P. DONNELLY

On July 21, 2001 a fire was reported at 1801 Beacon Street. Upon the arrival of Patrol Officer Thomas P. Donnelly he discovered that it involved a working fire in a multiple unit dwelling. This fire was rapidly spreading through an interior stairway and along the outside of the building via the rear porches. Officer Donnelly, after making an assessment of the scene, discovered a number of residents whose path of escape had been cut off by fire and smoke. Officer Donnelly alerted the first arriving firefighting personnel to the situation, directed them to the rear of the building and along with the firefighters calmed the residents while the members of Ladder Company 2 began operations to rescue the residents.

The professionalism, quick thinking and resulting actions by Officer Donnelly greatly assisted the responding firefighters and led to the safe rescue of four people.

PATROL OFFICER JOHN B. DONOVAN
PATROL OFFICER JUSTIN O'KANE

On August 26, 2001 a radio call was given out reporting an assault and battery had just occurred on Pearl Street. Patrol Officer John B. Donovan and Patrol Officer Justin O'Kane were among a number of responding officers. Further investigation revealed that the victim was beaten and robbed by three unknown individuals. A search was conducted in the area and the above two officers stopped one subject on Kent St. These officers then observed a second subject in a parking lot at 1 Harvard Square. Upon seeing these officers this subject began to run with Officer Donovan in pursuit. Officer O'Kane stayed with the first subject and attempted to take him into custody. This subject began to struggle with Officer O'Kane. Officer O'Kane was able to eventually handcuff this subject but not before he had to utilize pepper spray to get the subject under control. Once other assisting officers arrived, Officer O'Kane went to help Officer Donovan. These officers searched the area and their efforts eventually led them to the roof of a home on Linden Street where Officer Donovan found the subject he was pursuing as well as the third perpetrator of this robbery and beating. All three were taken into custody after being positively identified and the victim's property was recovered on one of the arrested persons. Further investigation revealed these three people had assaulted and robbed a resident of Boston just prior to the Brookline incident. The victim in this robbery also identified the three subjects and Boston Police will be pursuing robbery charges against them as well.

The efforts of both Officer John B. Donovan and Officer Justin O'Kane resulted in the arrest of three persons who were on a crime spree which injured their victims. Both officers exhibited bravery and were relentless in their efforts to get these perpetrators into custody. Their actions resulted in the arrest of three dangerous persons.

PATROL OFFICER JUSTIN O'KANE

On September 26, 2001 at approximately 2:20am Boston Police reported that two women were robbed in front of 1164 Commonwealth Ave. Boston Police gave out a description of the robber and stated he fled the area on a bicycle. Patrol Officer Justin O'Kane monitored this transmission over his patrol vehicle's BAPERN radio. Approximately twenty minutes later, Officer O'Kane observed a subject who fit the description of the culprit in this crime riding a bicycle westbound on Beacon St. Officer O'Kane attempted to stop this subject in the area of Beacon at Marion St. This subject refused to stop and tried to flee from Officer O'Kane. Other officers then assisted Officer O'Kane in a foot pursuit and the subject was quickly apprehended at 1440 Beacon St. Boston Police were notified and brought the two victims to the scene of the stop where they positively identified the subject as the person who robbed them. A search of the subject after his arrest led to the recovery of the victim's property. This subject had an extensive criminal record which included breaking and enterings and other robberies.

Patrol Officer Justin O'Kane's attention to duty and his persistence led directly to the arrest of a dangerous felon who had already robbed two females and may have been searching for other victims.

SERGEANT PHILIP HARRINGTON
PATROL OFFICER KEVIN MEALEY
PATROL OFFICER STEPHEN FORD
DETECTIVE THOMAS A. O'LEARY
PATROL OFFICER CHERYL KILGALLON
PATROL OFFICER THOMAS HALL
PATROL OFFICER MARK TRAHON
PATROL OFFICER STEVEN WEINSTEIN
PATROL OFFICER TIMOTHY STEPHENSON

On October 4, 2001, at approximately 10:37pm, a radio call was given out reporting an armed home invasion was in progress at a home on George's Lane. Officers responding to this call learned that a subject had entered the home and handcuffed the occupants. One occupant was able to free himself, flee the house and go to a neighbor's to call the police. The first officer to arrive, Patrol Officer Kevin Mealy pulled onto the street without headlights and observed a subject just on the road in front of the victim's address. This subject was riding a bicycle. Officer Mealy immediately turned his headlights on and ordered this subject to the ground. Officer Mealy observed this subject to be wearing latex gloves. The officers mentioned above then converged on the address. Some went to assist Officer Mealy, some to the victim, some to the home and some to cover escape routes if was discovered that other culprits had participated in this crime. The subject who was stopped was immediately searched and a loaded handgun was recovered from his pocket. This subject, a life-long criminal who was recently released from jail in Florida, has an arrest record in Brookline dating back to 1969. After this most recent arrest he made admissions that led to his being charged with two other home invasions in Brookline as well as two additional housebreaks. Boston PD, as a result of this arrest, is also investigating him for similar crimes that have been committed in their city. Furthermore, this subject had been previously dubbed "the spiderman bandit" by the media for committing a series of high-rise break ins in Florida.

The professionalism, bravery and dedication to duty exhibited by all of the above mentioned officers resulted in an extremely dangerous career criminal being arrested and taken off of the streets. There is no doubt that he would have continued his crime spree in Brookline until he was eventually caught. Clearly, this arrest prevented further crimes from being committed and increased the safety of our residents.

PATROL OFFICER ANDREW LIPSON

On October 29, 2001 at approximately 4:20am a radio call was given out reporting car alarms sounding and people trying to break in to motor vehicles parked in the rear of 16 Hamilton Rd. Patrol Officer Andrew Lipson quickly responded to this area and entered the alley without any headlights on. As he did so he observed two subjects placing items in a van that was parked in the alley. Upon seeing Officer Lipson these two subjects began to run but changed their minds and went back to the van and attempted to get into it. Officer Lipson approached these two subjects and ordered them to the ground. Upon closer examination, he observed two more subjects inside the van and he got those two out and on the ground as well. Other officers then arrived and pat frisked these four persons for their safety. All four subjects were found to be armed with knives. Further investigation revealed they had broken into two vehicles that were parked.

The quick action of Patrol Officer Andrew Lipson resulted in the arrest of four individuals, all of whom had prior criminal histories. Furthermore, Officer Lipson exhibited great restraint and calmness and a very dangerous arrest situation which resulted in the arrest of four persons without incident.

PATROL OFFICER MARK J. HARRINGTON

On November 4, 2001, at approximately 9:12pm, Patrol Officer Mark J. Harrington observed a motor vehicle parked on Heath Street which he had received complaints about several days earlier. He stopped to check out this vehicle and as he was doing so he observed a woman walking up Heath Street from Hammond Street. Patrol Officer Harrington also observed a male subject walking behind this woman. Shortly thereafter, Officer Harrington heard loud banging noises and observed the male subject banging on the rear door to the pharmacy located on the corner of Heath and Hammond Sts. Officer Harrington then pulled up to the pharmacy and observed this subject trying to hide a crowbar under his coat. Officer Harrington ordered this subject to drop the crowbar, which he did, and pat frisked him. This frisk revealed a 12 inch billy club in his outer clothing. Officer Harrington, along with other responding officers, observed the rear door to have recent pry marks on the door and door frame as well as damage to the lock. He was immediately placed under arrest. As this arrest was being made, the woman Officer Harrington had seen on Heath St called the station to report seeing man carrying a shotgun.

As a result of this arrest we were able to set this woman's mind at ease by assuring her that, although this man was a criminal, he was not in possession of a shotgun. This arrest was made because Patrol Officer Mark Harrington had knowledge of his assigned route, was proactive in his work and displayed a good deal of professionalism as he performed his duties.

DETECTIVE PAUL KELLIHER
DETECTIVE KENNETH McHUGH

On Saturday November 17, 2001 at approximately 2:45pm, Detective Paul Kelliher and Detective Kenneth McHugh observed a vehicle make an illegal turn onto Cypress St from Boylston St and cutting off several other vehicles in the process. These detectives stopped the vehicle and made an inquiry of the driver. This vehicle was occupied by two males and it was immediately apparent that the vehicle and its' operator should not have been on the road. As soon as backup officers approached, the vehicle fled from them.
A short pursuit took place and the vehicle was brought to a stop on a nearby side street. The passenger immediately fled the vehicle and was pursued by Detective McHugh. The operator remained in the vehicle and informed Detective Kelliher that his passenger was armed with a handgun. After learning this, Detective Kelliher saw that Detective McHugh had caught the passenger was struggling with him in order to get him into custody. Detective Kelliher, along with another officer, assisted Detective McHugh and both subjects were arrested. During this struggle, the passenger's sneaker came off and six bullets were observed inside. Upon searching the vehicle, it was learned that the gun, a .38 cal revolver, had been left inside the car and was located on the floor of the front passenger seat.

Both subjects that were arrested have extensive criminal histories. By going about their work in a proactive manner, Detective Paul Kelliher and Detective Kenneth McHugh removed two dangerous individuals from the streets before they could commit a violent crime.

All of the cases mentioned above are excellent examples of the type of work performed by the officers of the Brookline Police Department. These officers, through their hard work and professionalism, have distinguished themselves and they are to be commended.

Daniel C. O'Leary
Chief of Police

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