WESTFIELD- The Police Commission voted unanimously May 11 to appoint five new reserve police officers.
The Commission was set to appoint four officers, but all three commissioners said during Monday’s live streamed Police Commission meeting that the pool of five candidates was too impressive to leave one of them out.
The five new reserve officers are Matthew A. Tsatsos, Matthew C. Reynolds, Anthony J. Zazzaro, Reiley Ann Ledoux, and Joshua L. Weaver. All five are Westfield residents.
Capt. Michael A. McCabe conducted background checks on all five individuals, which he said was easy because he is familiar with most of them.
“I have had the good fortune of knowing most of the candidate group already,” said McCabe.
The appointments came after the Commission had recognized the retirement of two longtime officers. Officers Terry Manos and David Racicot had served in the Westfield Police Department for 30 years before both deciding to retire on April 6 and April 30 respectively.
Chief Lawrence P. Valliere said that the plan is to have a more formal ceremony to recognize their careers when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
Manos and Racicot were both not intending to retire until 2021. Due to the disruption brought by the pandemic, however, they both chose to retire one year early.
The Police Commission also appointed retired Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Todd Renaud as a Special Police Officer in the Westfield Police Department.
Commissioner Richard A. Sypek said that Renaud had spent 21 years as a road trooper and 11 years as a sergeant, primarily working out of the Russell barracks. He is currently scheduled to begin June 1.
