Braintree Police Promote 2 Officers To Deputy Chief

BRAINTREE, MA — Police Chief Mark Dubois has announced the promotion of two officers to the position of deputy chief. Lt. Timothy Cohoon was promoted to be the deputy chief of operations and Lt. Michael Want was promoted to deputy chief of administration.

A ceremony was held on Thursday night at Braintree Town Hall and both men were sworn in by Mayor Charles C. Kokoros. Dubois said he's confident both men will excel in their new roles.

"I believe that both of these men will be highly successful in their new roles, as they have done excellent work for the department in their previous positions and responsibilities over the years," Dubois said. "Deputy Chiefs Cohoon and Want have an impressive repertoire of law enforcement experience and skills that I think will compliment each other tremendously and serve the department and community well."

Cohoon has been with the Braintree Police Department for 24 years. He held the rank of lieutenant for five years. Prior to that, he served as sergeant for nine years and patrol officer for 10 years.

Cohoon serves as a SWAT commander with the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (MetroLEC), K9 unit supervisor, field training officer for the Braintree Police and executive director of the Braintree Police Working Dog Foundation. Cohoon was also a founding member of the MetroLEC Critical Incident Stress Management Team/Peer Support and holds many other leadership roles within the department and for outside agencies.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and a master's degree in Criminal Justice from Western New England College.

As the deputy of operations, he will be in charge of the Patrol Division, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Traffic Unit, K-9 Unit, MOP, Peer Support and MetroLEC.

Want has been with the department for over 15 years. He held the rank of lieutenant for five years. Prior to that, he served as sergeant for five years and patrol officer for six years.

Want has held the position of professional standards lieutenant for the department for over two years. The position is responsible for all departmental hiring, accreditation, training, non-criminal internal affairs, and compliance.

He is also the supervisor of the Braintree Police Firearms Unit and is responsible for overseeing the department's field training programs. Want began his law enforcement career with the Boston Police Department and served as a patrol officer from 1999 to 2004 prior to coming to Braintree.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University, along with many other professional certifications.

He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and served with the 1st Battalion 25th Marines as a mortarman.

As deputy chief of administration, Want will be responsible for the Bureau of Professional Standards and Accountability, Support Services, Administrative Services, Facilities Management, Fleet Services and Property and Evidence.

Police said both men were chosen for their new roles out of a pool of qualified candidates following an assessment center conducted by Ryan Strategies in February to determine who would be the best fit for each position.

"I am confident that under the leadership of deputy chiefs Cohoon and Want the department will continue its success and serve our community with honor and distinction," Kokoros said.