Billerica Police | MA

BILLERICA — Chief Roy Frost is proud to report that the Billerica Police Department escorted a 100-year-old retired Billerica Police Officer and World War II veteran to an honor flight to Washington, DC.

Retired Billerica Police Capt. Paul Holmes, who turned 100 in July, served with the Navy during World War II, from 1943 until the end of the war. He returned home to serve with Billerica Police from 1949 until 1986.

Holmes was invited by Honor Flight New England to participate in a no-cost honor flight with other veterans from Boston Logan Airport to Washington, DC. Billerica Police provided the captain with an escort from his home in Tewksbury to the airport, and back again. Billerica Veteran Agent Donnie Jarvis also provided assistance and went with Holmes on the flight at his own cost.

Retired Lt. Commander Troy Opland and Officer Mike Henckler picked up and dropped off Capt. Holmes before and after his flights. Tewksbury Police also provided an escort through Tewksbury in the early morning hours of Sunday as Capt. Holmes was driven to the airport.

Holmes and other veterans were greeted at both Logan and Dulles airports, and once in Washington they were able to tour the nation’s monuments, courtesy of Honor Flight New England, a non-profit agency that takes aging veterans to tour the monuments free of charge.

During his years working in Billerica, Capt. Holmes was known for always walking to work and treating people with respect.

“There wasn’t one kid in the neighborhood who didn’t absolutely admire him,” said Billerica Police Head Clerk Elizabeth Patriquin. “He was wicked tall, and wicked nice to all the kids in the neighborhood. He had a lot of respect for the Town and the people and they gave that respect back to him.”

Retired Lt. Commander Opland said Holmes used to visit the police station after he retired and would converse with him and other officers for hours.

“He’s just a really thankful, thoughtful person,” Opland said.

Retired Lt. Commander Opland said he was proud to assist with the amazing flights offered by Honor Flight New England.

“I’ve never seen him so happy,” Opland said of Holmes. “There’s a tear in his eye in one of the pictures. It was just really cool to see that. He’s just an awesome man.”

“Retired Billerica Police Capt. Paul Holmes spent most of his life serving his country and his community, and we were proud to escort him to this well-deserved honor flight provided by a great organization,” said Chief Frost. “The Billerica Police Department has the utmost respect for all veterans, and we wish Capt. Holmes all the best.”

About Honor Flight New England:

Honor Flight New England joined with the national organization Honor Flight Network in the Spring of 2009, and is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring America’s most senior veterans. Through generous donations, Honor Flight New England transports heroes to Washington, D.C., to visit and reflect at their memorials at no cost to the veteran. Top priority is currently given to most senior Veterans, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill. Beginning in the Spring of 2022, Honor Flight New England also began transporting Vietnam Veterans. To learn more about Honor Flight New England, visit: https://honorflightnewengland.org/.

We are proud to team up with six regional Police Departments (Carlisle, Chelmsford, Dracut, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro and Westford) to support and partner with the Make-a-Wisk Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island to help grant wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses in our community. As “Heroes for Hope”, we are working to grant wishes for children like Gracie. Learn more about Gracie’s wish by watching the video below. You can support our efforts by joining our upcoming Cornhole Tournament (more to come on this) or by donating using the QR code above HERE. In the spirit of friendly competition, we hope to raise more money than our neighbors. Please consider donating!

We have special edition patches available from our lobby that are available for a $10 donation to Make-A-Wish. Donate online or in person to receive a special police patch. For those donating online just stop in with proof of donation and pick up your patch.

We are excited to announce our first annual Cornhole Tournament! Join us for a friendly, fun, exciting day of cornhole on November 4th from Noon to 4PM at Wamesit Lanes. Please use this link to register (https://mflcornhole.givesmart.com/)

From left, Officer Sukbir Pabla and Officer Derek Coffey stand at the Billerica Public Safety Memorial.

BILLERICA — Chief Roy Frost is pleased to report that the Billerica Police Department welcomed two new officers upon their graduation from the Northern Essex Community College Haverhill Police Academy.

Officer Sukbir Pabla and Officer Derek Coffey graduated from the NECC Haverhill Police Academy on Friday, Aug. 12, and will join Billerica Police for a 12-week field training program under the supervision of a more-experienced officer.

The NECC Haverhill Police Academy is a 24-week intensive program that covers constitutional law, domestic violence, elder abuse communication, problem-solving skills, response to residents on the autism spectrum and Active Bystander for Law Enforcement (ABLE) training, which prepares officers to intervene when they see other officers engaging in misconduct.

The NECC Academy consists of more than 900 hours of a combination of practical and classroom training, certifications and service to the community. Classes include first aid, law, applied patrol procedures, firearms, report writing, active shooter training, specialized driving and self-defense.

Officer Pabla, 29, moved to America with his family from Punjab, India and has lived in Billerica for five years. He speaks English, Punjabi, and Hindi. Officer Pabla served as a police dispatcher at Regis College.

“I am very thankful for the opportunity the Police Department has given to me to serve the community of Billerica,” Officer Pabla said.

Officer Coffey, 29, is a Billerica native and 2012 graduate of Billerica Memorial High School. He worked with Billerica Police as a dispatcher.

Officer Coffey has an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Middlesex Community College, and is working toward a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

“I always felt like the police officers in town were extremely fair, and maintained a great relationship with the public,” said Officer Coffey. “I always wanted to be a police officer because of that.”

“I want to introduce these two new officers to the community,” said Chief Frost. “Both of these men possess the skills, demeanor and drive to ethically serve this community and continue to build on the trust and traditions that this department works to achieve.”

From left, Lt. Commander Ron Balboni, Chief Roy Frost, Officer Sukbir Pabla, Officer Derek Coffey, Lt. John Harring, and Town Manager John Curran stand together at the Billerica Public Safety Memorial.