BRENDAN P. IRUJO
WESTFIELD – The Westfield Police Department is within sight of full strength after the promotion last night of two reserve officers to full-time police officers.
At the police commission meeting, five reserve officers – Brendan P. Irujo, Jeffrey M. Vigneault, William W. Cavanaugh, Jason J. Williams, and Elijah D. Wolfe – were re-interviewed and the two candidates at the top of the civil service list, Irujo and Vigneault, were hired.
“You’re all number one as far as we’re concerned,” said commission chairman Karl W. Hupfer as he assured the disappointed candidates that they still have a future with the department.
All the reserve offices have been working and training with the department pending their appointment as full-time officers.
Both Irujo and Vigneault earned bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice at Westfield State University and both came to the department with ‘Basic’ EMT certifications.
JEFFREY M. VIGNEAULT
Irujo graduated from Westfield High School while Vigneault, a Greenfield native, graduated from the high school there before he moved to Westfield to attend WSU.
He said that he will move to the Whip City in the near future, now that he is assured a job in the city.
With the newly hired officers “we’re pretty much back to full strength,” Police Chief John Camerota said. “not counting officer Girouard.”
Carl Girouard has not been on the active duty roster for months due to a medical issue and Camerota told the commissioners that his doctors reportedly agree that “he should no longer be a police officer.” So, he said, when the paperwork catches up he will be medically retired, opening one last position to be filled, probably when the commission next meets in September.
Irujo and Vigneault will be sent to the 49th Municipal Police Training Class scheduled to begin at Springfield Technical Community College on Aug. 19, along with recently hired full time officers Thomas Cusack, Melissa C. Burns and Timothy T. Fanion.
The department has secured six slots in the academy class and will also send reserve officer William W. Cavanaugh, now the candidate at the top of the civil service list.
In other personnel action at last night’s meeting, the commissioners appointed retired Springfield police officer Paul Brown to the city’s Special Police unit, on the recommendation of Camerota.
