Reading, MA — Fire Chief Greg Burns stepped to the podium in the Reading Memorial High School Performing Arts Center on Wednesday evening to welcome the gathered crowd to the first badge pinning ceremony for police officers and firefighters in Reading in over two years. Burns commented that badge pinning ceremonies are a long-standing tradition in Reading that had to be curtailed due to the pandemic. Typically, badge pinnings occur at Select Board meetings, but given the sheer number of pinnings to be done, the choice was made to hold a more significant event.
Families and friends of all the new and newly promoted police officers and firefighters were in attendance along with Senator Jason Lewis, Representatives Brad Jones and Richard Haggarty, Town Manager Fidel Maltez, former Town Manager Robert LeLachuer, and members of the Select Board. The event opened with an entrance by the Irish-American Police Officers Association Pipe and Drum Corps and the presentation of the colors by the Reading Police Department Honor Guard. This was followed by the national anthem by Reading Memorial High School student Julia Mullen and the Pledge of Allegiance. Maltez then offered a few opening remarks.
“I know [the families and friends] are as proud as I am to be here tonight,” Maltez commented. “I have often heard the phrase ‘not all super-heroes wear capes,’ our Reading police and fire department members embody that phrase every day,” Maltez concluded.
Maltez announced the first officer to be pinned as Chief of Police David Clark. Clark is a 27-year veteran of the Reading Police force who took over the duties as chief in 2018 and was officially promoted to chief in 2020. Next to be pinned was Deputy Police Chief Christine Amendola, who Maltez referred to as the “rock star” of the department. Amendola joined the Reading Police Department in 2006 and was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2021. LeLacheur introduced Assistant Fire Chief Anthony DelSignore, who joined the Reading Fire Department in 1994 and was promoted to Assistant Chief this past January. LeLacheur also noted that DelSignore had been president of the firefighters union for ten years.
Chief Clark then introduced the other police officers who have been promoted: Lieutenant Christopher Jones, Sergeant Matt Orr, and Sergeant Ian Nelson. Chief Burns introduced members of the Fire Department who have been promoted: Captain Daniel Pouliot, Captain Scott Myette, Lieutenant John Keough, Lieutenant Paul Dalton, and Lieutenant Ryan Buckley.
Clark introduced Reading’s new police officers: Officer Brian Catanzano, Officer Maria Nacopoulos, Officer Noah Clark, Officer Kelsey Good, Officer Robert Smith, Officer Shiloh Clark, Officer Benjamin Moffett and Officer Guivenson Brizard. Each received their badge from a friend or relative.
Burns introduced the firefighters who are new to the department. These include Firefighter Steven DeBay, Firefighter Alexandria Pizzimenti, Firefighter Joseph Bialecki, Firefighter Maxwell Madden, Firefighter Brian Sculley, Firefighter Karl Granoth and Firefighter Lindsey Gartner.
Chief Clark and Deputy Chief Amendola, along with Representatives Jones and Haggerty, presented Sergeant Patrick Silva with the Police Officer of the Year Award and Coalition Director Erica McNamara with the Police Department Employee of the Year Award. Silva was recognized for his efforts in training officers with tasers and other non-lethal methods of restraint as well as his work as the newly-appointed civil rights officer. McNamara was recognized for her tireless efforts on behalf of the mental health of Reading’s citizens during the pandemic. Jones and Haggarty presented each recipient with a certificate of recognition from the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Event Photos by Kenan Cooper
