By JEFF HANOUILLE
Staff Writer
WESTFIELD – With the support of friends, family and a few high-ranking officials, Westfield police officer Frank Soleimani has decided to change careers and become a Massachusetts Environmental Police officer.
Soleimani, 31, made the difficult decision to leave the Westfield PD because becoming an EPO is something he’s wanted to do since high school. A self-described animal and nature lover, Soleimani, a five-year veteran of the Westfield PD, is in the midst of an 18-week training which will culminate with him becoming a full-time EPO in September.
“Making this choice was probably the toughest decision of my life, because I really love what I used to do in Westfield with the Westfield Police Department,” Soleimani said. “I really like what I do now, but I also really miss everyone at the department.”
Soleimani, a Southwick resident who grew up in Westfield, has an associate’s degree in biology from Holyoke Community College and a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology and criminal justice from Westfield State University. His desire to become an EPO came about when he was a senior in high school and met a full-time EPO inside the parking lot of the Friendly’s restaurant on Southampton Road.
“That day changed my life,” Soleimani said. “I never knew what an EPO was until that day. I saw her and her truck in the parking lot, so I went up and asked her a few questions. She told me about some of the things that they do, and ever since then I knew this was something I wanted to pursue.”
Soleimani did an internship with Environmental Police for four months when he was in college, and that solidified his interest in becoming an EPO.
“The way I look at it, if we’re not protecting our natural resources, who’s going to?” Soleimani said. “So all this was right up my alley.”
As part of his requirements to become an EPO, Soleimani had to complete police academy training, pass an exam, pass a physical test and go through an interview process. Now, he is in the process of completing his field training where he will alternate two weeks at a time doing work with his field training officer and then two weeks getting certified.
“I’ve been working in the state forests, on the Connecticut River, on the lakes, and out east in Cape Cod and Boston,” Soleimani said. “It’s like being a police officer, but it’s more of a specialized type of enforcement that regular police officers don’t necessarily do.”
Soleimani said his favorite aspect of the job is boating enforcement and boat stops.
“Checking to make sure people have all their safety equipment – that’s big,” he said. “If we can potentially save someone from drowning, that’s a good day. If we can stop an accident because someone was speeding or operating a boat under the influence, that’s a good day too.”
While becoming an EPO is realizing a longtime dream, Soleimani said he struggled with the decision to leave the Westfield PD.
That’s when his high school friend, State Rep. John Velis, offered Soleimani some words of wisdom.
“I reached out to John, and I told him that I was having some trouble leaving the people that I work with in Westfield because I consider them friends now,” Soleimani said. “I told him that being there for five years, it was extremely tough to leave. I was really struggling with the decision, and then John and I had dinner one night. He told me to give it a shot and see what happens, otherwise I would never know. That really hit home with me.”
Police Chief John Camerota, along with police captains Mike McCabe and Paul Nunez, also encouraged Soleimani to listen to his heart.
“They all inspired me to follow my dreams,” he said. “They really helped me make the tough decision, and I can’t thank them all enough.”
