Billerica Police | MA

From left, Lt. Steve Elmore, Patrolman Robert Davidson, Lt. Commander Troy Opland, Patrolman Joe Smith, Retired Chief Daniel Rosa and Lt. Craig Grogan at a retirement gathering at the police station. Lt. Grogan and Chief Rosa retired in July of 2021.

BILLERICA 一 Chief Roy Frost and the Billerica Police Department would like to recognize four members of the department on their retirement after lengthy and impactful careers.

Lt. Commander Troy Opland, Lt. Steve Elmore, Patrolman Robert Davidson, and Patrolman Joe Smith are retiring or have already retired in 2023.

“I want to thank all four of these individuals for their years of dedicated service to the Billerica Police Department and the Town of Billerica,” said Chief Frost. “The most valuable resource in any department is its employees, and these four men have had exemplary careers that have made the Town of Billerica safer than it would have been without them.”

Lt. Steve Elmore — 36 Years of Service

Lt. Elmore joined the Billerica Police Department in March 1987, after working for four years at the Billerica House of Correction. He retired on Feb. 2.

Elmore is a Billerica native and graduate of Billerica Memorial High School, where he was heavily involved in athletics and got to know now retired Billerica Police Capt. Billy McNulty, who encouraged him to give policework a try.

Elmore was promoted to sergeant in 2000 and to lieutenant in 2022. Elmore served in the detective bureau on three occasions, and formerly oversaw operations in both the Detective Bureau and the Traffic Unit.

Lt. Elmore said his years of police work taught him to have empathy, and to keep his focus on helping people.

“It’s about caring and it’s about doing what’s right and it’s about your community,” Lt. Elmore said of police work. “The whole job is the people who you help, work with and meet.”

Elmore is also well known for running the Sean C. Elmore Memorial Fund, which has distributed nearly $700,000 in scholarships to students graduating from Billerica Memorial High School over the past 33 years. The fund is named in honor of Elmore’s late brother Sean Elmore, who was 30 years old when he died of complications brought on by Marfan syndrome.

Elmore said he plans to continue running the fund with support from his family and children in retirement.

Lt. Commander Troy Opland — 35 Years of Service

Lt. Commander Opland joined Billerica Police in June of 1988. He was promoted to sergeant in 1999, to lieutenant in 2002 and to lieutenant commander in 2015. He retired on Jan. 13.

Opland previously oversaw the department’s Animal Control Unit, dispatchers, and paramedics, and served as interim chief from July to December 2021 following the retirement of Chief Daniel Rosa.

Lt. Commander Opland organized the department’s celebration of National Night Out for years.

Opland thanked the officers, past and present, whom he worked with over the years for helping to shape him and his career, and he also thanked the people of Billerica for making his career so rewarding.

“I will always appreciate the experiences, interactions, and conversations with those within our community. From the bottom of my heart, I would do it all over again,” said Opland. “I feel the community as a whole gave me as much as I ever gave them.”

Patrolman Joe Smith — 29 Years of Service

Patrolman Smith joined Billerica Police in 1994, after serving in the Army as a military policeman from 1989 to 1994. He retired on Jan. 28.

Patrolman Smith served on the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) Motorcycle Unit, as the department’s fleet maintenance coordinator, and also as a crash reconstruction officer. He formerly served on the Merrimack Valley Dive Team as well.

Smith said he became a police officer because he wanted to help people, and he found himself able to do so throughout his career.

“I’m happy to say I was able to help a lot of people over the years and it was very gratifying,” Smith said.

Patrolman Robert Davidson — 27 Years of Service

Patrolman Davidson joined Billerica Police in January of 1996, after working for about two years as a special police officer in Boston. He will retire on April 13.

Davidson is a Billerica native who graduated from Shawsheen Valley Technical High School before enlisting in the Army from 1986 to 1994.

Davidson spent the majority of his career working the overnight shift from midnight to 8 a.m.

Davidson said he most enjoyed helping people as a police officer, though he also enjoyed the variety that comes with police work and never knowing for sure what he would be doing each night.

“When you work the midnight shift sometimes its slow and sometimes its busy, but you never know what you’re going to be doing each night,” said Davidson. “If they had stuck me behind a desk I probably would have gone crazy.”

I am writing to comment on the recent release of Body Camera footage from the City of Memphis Police Department in Tennessee that depicts the actions of several Memphis Police Officers arresting Tyre Nichols for an alleged traffic incident on January 7, 2023. The actions of these officers resulted in Mr. Nichols suffering severe injuries that resulted in his death three days later at a Memphis hospital. On Wednesday, January 25, a Shelby County Grand Jury indicted five Memphis Police Officers in the death of Tyre Nichols, charging them with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated Kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

I would note that Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis quickly launched a comprehensive investigation into this incident, which included immediately suspending the involved officers and opening a criminal Grand Jury in cooperation with the County District Attorney. All five involved officers were subsequently fired on January 20, with the above charges being brought by the Grand Jury five days later on January 25th. With the release of the Body Worn and Pole Camera video, Chief Davis has publicly called the officers’ actions “heinous, reckless, and inhumane” and said, “In my 36 years, I would have to say I don’t think I’ve ever been more horrified and disgusted.”

I want to convey to our residents that I, along with my fellow Massachusetts Law Enforcement leaders, condemn the actions of these Memphis Officers. Both the Middlesex Chiefs Association and the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association have publicly stated in the past 24 hours its commitment to holding police officers accountable for their actions through a “fully transparent” investigation into what transpired. Police leaders in Massachusetts have long supported transparency and oversight in policing with the goal of establishing strong relationships with those we serve on a daily basis. After many years of requests, the Massachusetts Legislature has delivered a Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (POST) tasked with establishing nationally recognized best practice standards in recruitment, training and oversight of those trusted with policing in our Commonwealth. Specific parts of police reform included strict legal requirements for officers to intervene when observing fellow officers using excessive force, in addition to mandates that require officers to employ de-escalation techniques in all use of force situations. Moreover, the Billerica Police Training Division has heavily invested in its officers’ preparation through the use of multi-week scenario-based training. This training works to develop and evaluate an officer’s ability to safely handle some of the most volatile situations they may encounter in their roles.

We realize that these types of horrific incidents can significantly erode the trust and legitimacy our officers work hard to build with the residents they serve. I want to ensure the community that we are committed to re-building that trust. Please know that I am here to answer any questions you may have about our commitment to that goal. I can be reached best through my email at rfrost [@] billericapolice.org.

Chief Roy W. Frost

The Billerica Select Board and Town Manager John Curran with Billerica Police and a flag presented by Cops for Kids with Cancer at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday night. (Courtesy Billerica Police Department)

BILLERICA 一 Chief Roy Frost is proud to announce that the Billerica Police Department was recognized by Cops for Kids with Cancer, a non-profit that works to support the families of children with cancer, at the Billerica Select Board meeting this week.

Cops for Kids with Cancer began as a bet between two police officers in Boston who gave funds to hospitals to support pediatric cancer patients, and later began supporting families directly. The 501(c)(3) charitable organization has since supported 914 families with over $4.75 million in funds that are provided no strings attached to support families in any way they need, whether that be for transportation, food, or incidental costs that often get overlooked as families focus on medical bills. The organization provides families with a $5,000 check to spend as needed.

“Cops for Kids with Cancer has helped us focus on one of our priorities, which is being there for our community,” Chief Frost said. “No one is more deserving than families dealing with the tragedy of a cancer diagnosis in a child.”

Billerica Police have supported Cops for Kids with Cancer for about 15 years. For about half of that time funding for the non-profit has come from all sworn officers of the Billerica Police Department contributing $2 per week from their paycheck. Most departments contribute to the organization via fundraisers and events, but Billerica Police wanted to establish more consistent funding.

“Sgt. Mark Tsoukalas came up with the idea of donating a small piece of our paychecks every week — just a small amount — so we could have guaranteed income for our donations to the organization,” Frost said. “Now we’re able to fund a $5,000 check for a family on a yearly basis.”

Sal Mirabella Jr., a sergeant with the Emerson College Police Department and a member of the Board of Directors for Cops for Kids with Cancer, said Billerica Police have donated $24,481 to the nonprofit since January of 2016.

“Cops for Kids with Cancer recognizes police departments who contribute a significant amount to our organization, and it was long overdue that we recognized the Billerica Police Department for what they have done for more than a decade,” Mirabella said. “They donate to us weekly, and it’s departments like that which we really rely on.”

Mirabella said any police department in New England can sponsor a family with a child under age 21 who is battling cancer. Departments do not have to have previously contributed in order to sponsor a family. Cops for Kids with Cancer currently provides a $5,000 check to eight families per month across New England.

Frost said he hopes to see more police departments adopt Billerica’s funding method, because he believes creating a more consistent funding source could significantly increase the organization’s ability to support families.

“The need is there, and we have the ability to make an impact,” Frost said.

About Cops for Kids with Cancer:

Cops for Kids with Cancer is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides funds directly to those involved in the care of children with cancer, with each family typically receiving $5,000. There are many organizations raising money for important research, but the goal of Cops for Kids with Cancer is to help the children and their caregivers through this most difficult crisis. Over the years, Cops for Kids with Cancer has given more than $4.75 million to 914 families with children battling cancer. To learn more, visit: https://copsforkidswithcancer.org.