total time: 6.23 minutes
total words: 842
[SPEAKER_04]: I just welcome you and say good evening and welcome to the Howard F. Alden Memorial Auditorium at historic Medford City Hall. My name is Mark Rumley, and it's my honor to be a master of ceremonies this evening. Now, in the month of December, it is not unusual to look back over the past year and to note various events, occurrences, or milestones that have taken place during the last 12 months. Also, it's a time when we look forward to a new year and we set goals, goals that are based on hope and desire that we will do well in our personal undertakings. Because this is true, it is entirely fitting that we should gather in this place of government and witness Lieutenant John D. Buckley give his oath to faithfully perform the duties of chief of police in the city of Medford. So that is the occasion that draws us together. So with my best New England voice, let's get started. At this time, I ask you to remain seated and I'm going to introduce the special participants in our program this evening. Let me introduce the Honorable Mayor Stephanie Burke, Chief Leo A. Sacco, Jr., Father Robert Casey, Lillian Bates, Rabbi Bram David, and Chief Michael Goulding of Weston. Welcome. And as they take their seats, I ask that you all stand and join me in welcoming Lieutenant John D. Buckley, accompanied by his wife Dawn and daughters Allison and Sarah. also with Lieutenant Buckley is his mother, Mary, and his sister and brothers, Mary Listrow, Neil, Matthew, James, Kevin, and Michael Buckley. Please welcome them. I ask that you continue to stand as the Medford Honor Guard posts the colors.
[SPEAKER_03]: Group, attention!
[Cruz]: Left, left, right, left, left, left, left, Oh my God.
[SPEAKER_04]: I invite Lillian Bates, a graduate of Medford High School and a freshman at Bridgewater State University, to lead us in the singing of our national anthem.
[SPEAKER_05]: Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, The bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
[SPEAKER_04]: Beautiful. Thank you, Miss Bates. And now, I ask that Allison and Sarah Buckley come forward and lead us all in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Well done, ladies. And at this time, I invite up Father Robert Casey, the chaplain of the Medford Police Department and pastor of Gate of Heaven and St. Bridget Parish in South Boston, who will offer our invocation.
[SPEAKER_00]: Good evening, everyone. It's an honor for me to pray with you tonight. and to ask God's blessing upon our new chief of police, Jack Buckley. Thank you, Mayor Burke, for your choice of Jack. I know there were four great candidates, and I know that the decision you made in appointing Jack is the best for the future of the city of Medford. We are grateful, Mayor Burke, for your trust and confidence also in appointing a member of the police department to this important role as chief of the department. So let us pray now. for Chief Buckley, for the city of Medford, and its citizens. Oh God, we ask your presence here tonight as we come together to celebrate a new beginning for this great city of Medford. We ask you to bless this ceremony, to bless our newly appointed Chief John Buckley, and to bless the citizens of Medford. We give you thanks tonight for the distinguished service of Chief Buckley and are filled with gratitude for his record of honesty, integrity, and concern for the citizens of Medford these past 20 years. We ask you, Lord, to guide him with your grace that he continues to make wise and prudent decisions and continues to lead with the respect of his officers and the citizens of Medford. Bless his family gathered here tonight and support them always. Lord, watch over and safeguard all our police officers and all our first responders who work each day and night to protect us and our freedoms. Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care in keeping all men and women in law enforcement in our neighborhoods, cities, and on our highways. Defend them with your heavenly grace, protect their families, strengthen them in their trials, give them courage to face the perils which beset them, and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be. We ask this in God's name. Amen.
[SPEAKER_04]: Now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor to introduce the Honorable Stephanie Burke, Mayor of the City of Medford.
[SPEAKER_07]: Thank you, Mark.
[Burke]: If you'd all like to sit down. Good evening clergy, elected officials, chiefs of police, friends and family of police chief-elect Jack Buckley, members of the Metro Police Department, and residents. This evening we come together to witness the oath that will be taken shortly by our new police chief, Jack Buckley. I am proud to be your mayor for this occasion. First, I would like to share some historic facts The official formation of the police department was on March 21, 1870. Prior to that, dating back to the 1600s, they were known as peace officers. According to Medford on the Mystic, the first full-time police chief was Jophannes H. Whitney, who was appointed on May 1, 1884 in the town of Medford. The first chief to be named after becoming a city in 1892 was Emery D. Holmes. He was paid an annual salary of $1,101.93. Oddly, in a report presented on February 1, 1892 by Chief Holmes, he said, I would call your attention to the quarters of the police. I will simply say that the present quarters are entirely inadequate. The more things change, the more they stay the same. There have been 10 police chiefs who have led the women and men of the Medford Police Department since beginning as a city. These chiefs strived to make our city safer, build partnerships in the community, and to protect and serve the people of Medford. Most recently, under the leadership of retired Chief Leo Sacco, we have made great strides in cultivating Medford as a welcoming community. Thank you, Chief Sacco, for your collaboration, your selflessness, and your leadership. So tonight, Lieutenant Buckley will join this illustrious group as our 11th permanent police chief. I'd like to take a moment to speak about Jack's professional career within our department. He joined the force in November 1998. He was elevated to sergeant in May 2008 and later to permanent lieutenant in September of 2015. His employment record is exemplary. Over the course of my various roles within the city of Medford, I've had the opportunity to work with Jack. He is articulate, polite, and well-versed in the subject matter at hand. Throughout this appointment process, from the first time use of an assessment center to the group interview, Jack demonstrated composure under pressure, presented unique ideas, and a command of 21st century policing. I was struck by what he thought was an accomplishment of his, that he was proud to be happily married after 20 years and an invested dad to Allison and Sarah. Kudos, Jack. All while serving 20 years on the force. This example portrayed his human side and his humble side. He also referenced that he is a man he is today due to his upbringing. The moral compass his parents instilled in him, hard work and being ethical. As President John F. Kennedy said, no responsibility of government is more fundamental than the responsibility of maintaining the highest standards of ethical behavior for those who conduct the public business. And so, with pillar one of the 21st century policing being to build trust and legitimacy, who better to build upon Chief Sacco's legacy than a person who embraces ethics, respect, and trustworthiness? As Jack said, law enforcement culture should embrace a guardian rather than a warrior mentality. He also acknowledged that the police department does not reflect the proportionality of the makeup of the city of Medford. He offered suggestions for augmenting participation in the civil service process for members of our minority community, and tonight I affirm that the mayor's office and chief will commit to offering minority candidates training sessions that will guide individuals through the exam process in order to ensure positive outcomes. I concur with Chief Holmes stated back in 1892, the current police station is totally inadequate. As chief, Jack will be tasked with overseeing the construction of the new police headquarters along with the team that we have assembled. I am confident that he and all those who have and will work in this new headquarter will be extremely proud of the completed facility. So in closing, I trust that our new chief will engage in our community through listening sessions. I trust that our new chief will be a role model for the women and men of the Medford Police Department. I trust that our new chief will implement the pillars of 21st century policing. And I trust that our new chief will work hard every day to protect the rights of all. And I trust that our chief will be a peace officer to the residents of Medford. I am proud to serve with you, Jack Buckley, in this next chapter of your professional career as Chief of the Medford Police Department. So at this time, I would like to invite Police Chief-Elect John D. Buckley, his wife Dawn and daughters Allison and Sarah up to the front rail, along with Chief Michael Golding of Weston, formerly of Medford, Massachusetts, who will administer the oath of office.
[SPEAKER_03]: I, John D. Buckley, do solemnly swear and affirm that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform on the duties that come upon me. and perform all the duties incumbent upon me. Agreeable to the rules and. Agreeable to the rules and. Regulations of the Constitution. Regulations of the Constitution. The laws of this Commonwealth.
[SPEAKER_04]: At this time, my dear friends, please welcome Medford Police Chief John D. Buckley to the podium.
[Ivens]: extremely humbling to be here. I'm honored and I appreciate your attendance. I hope I can live up to half of the recognition you gave me, Madam Mayor. I was told to take a deep breath. 20 years ago, I sat on a stage very much like this one. speaking to an audience of police officers and family members of police officers. It was officially my first day as a sworn uniformed police officer. As the elected class president of my police academy graduating class, I was privileged to address the audience and to speak about the hopes, dreams, and concerns of a brand new police officer. I spoke of duty and honor, of commitment, and of community service. I talked about ideals and ethics. And I spoke the words, I've always wanted to be a police officer. Now, 20 years from that time, I stand before a similar audience. I stand here as a much older and wiser man I have had the best of times being a police officer, and I have had the worst of times being a police officer. Yet through it all, I have not lost sight of those hopes and those dreams. I'm honored to still work for a police department where the men and women understand their commitment to community service. And I am proud to say that I still want to be the very best police officer that I can be. and I have now been chosen to lead the police department toward a new mission. I'm proud and humbled to have so many fine men and women looking to me to lead them into the next chapter for the city of Medford and this police department. To Mayor Burke, I cannot thank you enough. Your leadership, your vision, and your commitment to ensuring that the City of Medford remains a safe and responsive entity to the diverse community of Medford was evident throughout the selection process. I promise to do my best to live up to that commitment you have bestowed upon me. To your staff, Jen, Janine, Deanna, Lauren, and Allie, thank you for all you have done for me and the police department this week. To Mr. Rumley, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Osborne, and the other department heads for the city of Medford, I look forward to working closely with each of you. To the members of the city council, I pledge to maintain the relationship that you have had with this police department For all these years, we will do good things together. Words cannot express my thoughts and respect to you, Chief Golden. You have acted as a coach, a mentor, and a role model. I hope your role tonight in some way shows the respect I have for you, and I look forward to your stellar advice moving forward. To Chief Sacco, I'm not really emotional. I don't know where this comes from. And I'm going to hear about this for a long time. To Chief Sacco, the only chief I have ever known, you and the Honorable Mayor Michael McGlynn gave me the opportunity to serve this city so many years ago. While this department has to move forward in your absence, I want you to know that I will do my best to follow those footprints you left behind. Stay close. I would love to keep you as a Councilor and a friend. I want to thank you for all you have done for us and leave you with the finest words one police officer can say to another. You are a damn good cop. There are so many others I could thank, but time will certainly not allow it. But I would be remiss to have reached the position I have today and not reach out with one quick single praise to an officer who has done so much for me in this department. Harold, you too are a fine cop. You've done a lot for this city. For that, I thank you, and I look forward to the challenges we will undoubtedly face together. As I look out across the auditorium, I see the faces of those I have been chosen to lead. I commit to you that I will do my best. I will undoubtedly make mistakes. You are the heart of the department. I will forever keep the best interests of the department in my heart. I impart upon you these few words. Be guardians, not warriors. Remember how you once felt upon your police academy graduation. Reimagine that commitment to community service. Open your hearts and open your minds. Remind yourself what purpose we serve. There is no greater purpose in life than to be a servant of humanity. Continue to carry forward the mission of this police department in a peaceful, prejudice-free manner. The purpose of a police officer is always to devote oneself to the service of others. Open your hearts and open your minds. Together we will achieve great things. I want to now speak to the members of our community. You should hear firsthand what the chief of police believes and what he hopes to accomplish. Community policing will remain the guiding philosophy of this police department. I will work to maintain the trust that has been bestowed upon this department by the people who live, work, commute, and play in Medford. Trust is the fundamental principle that will become the base of our relationship with the community of Medford. This department will work together with this community to co-produce the type of public safety it deserves. This department will continue to support a culture and practice of policing that reflects the values of protection and promotes the dignity of all. This department will work closely with Mayor Burke to create a workforce which includes race, gender, language, life experience, and cultural background in order to ensure police effectiveness and to improve our understanding of our own diverse community. I encourage my officers to regularly interact with the members of our community, its religious leaders, and our business community in order to identify problems so that we may collaborate on solutions that are meaningful to all. We will work with you with open hearts and open minds to make Medford a safe community for all. As I finish this speech, and embark on this new grand adventure, I want to finish with what I feel is the most important words of praise I have reserved and my final thoughts. And those are to my family. Mom, don't ever worry about me. I'm doing what I love. And yes, dad would be proud. You and dad worked very hard to support your children. You both instilled your seven children with a strong work ethic and a devotion to family. Those values have led me to be here today. To my five brothers and my sister Mary, thank you for your support all these years. And while I may have achieved a position of prominence, I feel compelled to remind you all that this change is nothing. I'm still the smartest, the strongest, the fastest, and the best looking brother. And while it will take some time to get used to being called chief, I can tell you there is one place I will never be known as chief. You got it. My own home. But there's something better, something certainly more challenging and more worthwhile. This is odd. At home, I'm dead. I am a husband and I am a father, and to be grounded in your home life and to have a safe refuge of escape from work is the most precious of things. Don, Allison and Sarah, thank you for all your love and support. You are my strength. I'm so proud of all three of you. You are my greatest treasure. I am most proud today to look upon you to be a living example that you too can have your dreams come true. I'm never going to live this down. Thank you all for coming and making this a special night. I wish you all a safe and a happy holiday season, and I hope to make you proud.
[SPEAKER_04]: Sit down, Chief. Well, I think you probably feel the same way. It's really good to be here tonight for this moment, at this time. We always measure time. We always look at it as if it can be contained. And a moment like this tells us that there's more. There's tomorrow, the next week, next month, the next year. And we have a new chief who will lead us into that time, which can't be measured. All right. Acknowledgements. Have to do some acknowledgements. I need my glasses. We have many chiefs among us tonight. We have a new one, and we also have my buddy, retired Medford Police Chief Leo A. Sacco, Jr. and the son of Medford, Western Police Chief Michael Goulding. my good friend, Medford Fire Chief, Frank A. Giliberti, Jr. And up until now, Acting Police Chief, Barry Clemente, who never let me beat him in racquetball. Malden Police Chief Kevin Mollis is with us today. Stoneham Police Chief James McIntyre. And representing the Winchester Police Department, Lieutenant Daniel O'Connell. retired Woburn Police Chief, Robert Ferullo. Chief Kevin McGuire of Tufts University. And the one who gets the award for traveling the longest distance, Chief Anthony Holloway, presently of St. Petersburg, Florida, but also former chief in Somerville. And I can't name you all, but I want to acknowledge all of our superior officers in the Medford Police Department, and all of the patrol officers of the Medford Police Department who are with us tonight, and those who can't be with us tonight because they're on duty. Acknowledge them. In addition, I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my sister and brother department heads of the city of Medford who are here tonight, along with all municipal employees and members of Medford boards and commissions. We acknowledge you. And we have some court officials with us tonight. Somerville District Court Clerk Magistrate Maria Abascal. Chief Probation Officer Maureen McColl. – applause – Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Alice Casey. – applause – And elected officials. We have a bunch of them. District Attorney Marion Ryan is with us. State Representative Paul Donato. Representative Christine Bobber. Michael A. Sullivan, clerk magistrate, Middlesex County. Tara DeChristofaro, Register of Probate, Middlesex County. And my good friend, former mayor of the city of Medford, Michael J. McGlynn. Medford City Council President Richard Caraviello. City Councilor Frederick Dello Russo. City Councilor John Falco. City Councilor Breanna Lungo-Koehn. School committee member, Kathy Kreatz. Oh, I saw him. I had him on the list. School committee member, Paul Russo. Now, a few more. There are too many people at City Hall who have worked on tonight's program to acknowledge. So I want to acknowledge all the people in City Hall, be it the mayor's office, the law department, the city clerk's office, who worked to make this evening go. I want to acknowledge them. And of course, the mayor said, don't forget DPW and building. I'm not going to forget DPW and building. And special thanks to certain members of the police department, Officer Matthew Martin, Inspector Daniel Conway, Sergeant Sean Hughes, Officer Eleanor Whalen, Inspector Trish Sullivan, and Officer Carl Brooks. Acknowledge them. You see, the chief's right on the job because he just handed me a note and it says, don't forget Alva Erickson. And you know, there's always one that I would forget because not perfect. So I have to extend an acknowledgement to City Councilor Michael Marks, who's with us tonight. That's what happens when you think you have everything under control. So at this point, I call upon Rabbi Bram David of Temple Shalom for the benediction. Rabbi?
[SPEAKER_01]: In the book of Deuteronomy, we find the obligation of every community to appoint magistrates and officers to oversee and ensure that justice and peace prevail within the borders of that community. Eternal God, we have assembled here on this day to fulfill that obligation that you set before us as we have joined together to recognize the assumption of the command of Jack Buckley as he has taken his oath of office to the citizens of the city of Medford. We are grateful to our mayor, other officials, and the citizens who, with great deliberation and wisdom, have chosen Jack Buckley to serve as chief of police. We pray that God will continue to grant each of you continued strength, health, and wisdom to govern this city so that every day may be as proud a moment as this specific one is for us today. Chief Buckley, We only met recently. In the wake of the terrible shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, you reached out to our Jewish community. You not only helped us feel secured and protected, but also stood with us at our Show Up for Shabbat service. You remarked then at how proud you were that the citizens of Medford, in all of our diversity, came to that service in a show of unity and support. You're a leader committed to diversity, inclusivity, and community. You're an approachable and eager builder of relationships. You're a true friend and leader. May God continue to give you the wisdom and strength to serve our community with such important values and qualities so that everyone in Medford feels seen, protected, and valued. We ask God to bless the endeavors of your hand, to keep you and the men and women who serve under you safe, that God be with you in difficult times, and bless you with the wisdom of King Solomon when situations require it. Guide and lead the men and women who serve under you with honor and respect, and in turn, may they respect you, not only for all that you have accomplished up until now in your life, for the relationships that you have built and will build with them. Finally, dear God, we ask that you bless his mother, Mary, wife, Dawn, and his children, Allison and Sarah, recognizing the important role you have as a source of love, patience, and strength behind your son, husband, and father. May you be blessed to share many continued moments of joy in life and health and contentment as a family who truly inspire each other to the highest ideals in life. And so I offer the traditional Jewish words of thanksgiving upon reaching this milestone, the shehecheyanu prayer. Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech haolam, shehecheyanu vekiyamanu vehigiyanu lezman hazeh. Blessed are you, Lord our God, for giving us life, sustaining us, and allowing to reach this joyous occasion. Amen. Amen.
[SPEAKER_04]: So before we conclude, we would ask the members of the Medford Police Department to stay in the chambers at the end of the ceremony. There's going to be pictures and that sort of thing, so it'd be easier if you stay. Also, we extend an invitation to everyone to join us in the mayor's office for refreshments. There's pastry and other good things there, and you're all invited. So the Medford High School String Ensemble will now close our program with the playing of America the Beautiful, but before they do, I have to ask Sergeant Hartnett, retire the colors.
[Cruz]: Thank you very much.
[SPEAKER_04]: wish everyone a joyous Christmas and New Year's.
[SPEAKER_03]: You guys should start answering.
[SPEAKER_07]: Yes.
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total time: 6.23 minutes total words: 842 |
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