William W. Cavanaugh
WESTFIELD – When the city’s police commissioners were officially notified of the medical retirement of former police officer Carl Girouard at their meeting Monday evening they immediately took action to fill the vacancy on the roster.
Girouard has been unable to work since he was injured two years ago but he could not be replaced as long as there was a possibility that he might be able to return to duty.
With his retirement, the commissioners interviewed the three reserve officers at the top of the civil service list – William W. Cavanaugh, Jason J. William and Elijah D. Wolfe – and ultimately hired from the top of the list appointing Cavanaugh to the open position.
Commissioner Leonard Osowski said later “they’re all good candidates” and commission chairman Karl Hupfer has previously echoed those statements and has said that all the candidates interviewed can expect to be appointed to the full time force as openings occur.
Cavanaugh’s appointment was not a surprise as he is currently undergoing training at the Massachusetts Police Training Academy with five other officers appointed over the past months to the Westfield force.
The city department was granted six slots in the current academy class which will graduate Jan. 17 even though only five full-time officers had been appointed in the city when the academy session began.
The commissioners chose to send Cavanaugh, as the reserve officer at the top of the civil service list, to the academy with them.
Capt. Hipolito Nunez, who commands the department’s patrol force, said “all of the candidates were good, all worked on a part-time basis for us” and all have completed the field training required by the department.
Police Chief John Camerota said the reserve officers from which the candidates are drawn are all well qualified but said that none of the candidates have any special skills or attributes which would justify bypassing the top rated candidate on the civil service list.
Cavanaugh was graduated from Westfield High School and then earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Westfield State University.
He told the commission that he put himself through the Reserve Police academy while working as a special officer on the West Springfield police department and, since his graduation from WSU, has worked on the Western New England University police department.
He said that he has also undergone the State Police training academy for special officers.
Chief John Camerota, who called Cavanaugh “a pretty bright kid”, said that he is currently enrolled at the Western New England School of Law.
He also pointed out to the commission that Cavanaugh has a history with Westfield department as his grandfather, Lt. William Cavanaugh, served on the city department for 40 years.
Cavanaugh said that his grandfather’s example “has really been a driving force for me.”
