BILLERICA — Chief Roy Frost is pleased to share that lieutenant Glen Magnan was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Billerica Police Department as Deputy Chief Jerry Roche retires from the position.

From left, retiring Deputy Chief Jerry Roche, newly promoted Deputy Chief Glen Magnan, and Chief Roy Frost.

Deputy Chief Roche has served with Billerica Police since 1987. He was promoted to sergeant in 2002, lieutenant in 2012, and deputy chief in 2022.

Roche supervised the Community Policing Office over the years, and also served as police prosecutor. He oversaw building maintenance, the sex offender registry, School Resource Officers and the Traffic Department in his time as a police supervisor.

Deputy Roche also oversaw the Billerica Police Detective Bureau during his time as deputy chief.

Roche is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has also served as a member of the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Deputy Roche is a recipient of the George Hannah Award for Bravery. He was recognized with the award for running into a burning building in Lowell to rescue a family from the top floor on June 27, 2000.

In 1990, Roche came out as gay, and ended up travelling around the state to teach courses on diversity awareness at police academies. He has also been a proud participant in Billerica’s annual Gay Pride events in the Town Center.

“It has been an honor to serve this town as well as this department,” Deputy Roche said. “I have met so many good people in my career and I wish I could name every single one of them because knowing them has made me a better person and officer. When I became an Eagle Scout in 1982, my scoutmaster impressed upon me to always leave a campsite better than I found it so the next campers would be better off. I’d like to think I used this thought process in my career with Billerica Police; striving to always leave an assignment or promotion better than it was when I took over, so the next officer had an easier job of transitioning in.”

Deputy Chief Magnan has served with the department since 2002. As a patrolman, he served as a Field Training Officer and as a member of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Regional Response Team.

He was appointed to be a detective in 2012, and investigated crimes ranging from violent crimes, embezzlement, sexual assaults and property crimes. He also served as the department’s Firearms Licensing Officer.

Magnan was promoted to sergeant in 2014, and supervised officers on all three shifts. In April of 2022, Magnan became the supervisor of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit and became the liaison to the Billerica Disability Commission and the Yankee Doodle Homecoming Committee.

Magnan was promoted to lieutenant in 2023 and served as the Officer in Charge of the midnight shift since that time.

“I am looking forward to the new challenges that come with the position,” Magnan said. “Over the next couple of years, we anticipate a number of retirements of Senior Ranking Officials with well over a 150 years of Law Enforcement experience combined. My goal is to be a good leader and role model for the new, younger generation of police officers that we hire.”

Deputy Chief Glen Magnan and his family.

Members of the Billerica Police Department stand with retiring Deputy Jerry Roche and newly promoted Deputy Chief Glen Magnan.