Four Braintree Police Officers Awarded by DA

The following is from the Office of Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey:

Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey has recognized four Braintree Police Officers with 2013 Officer Robert P. Dana Awards for outstanding policing. Chief Russell Jenkins nominated officers involved in two separate incidents for the prestigious recognition.

 “Det. Joseph Molloy was nominated for his role in successfully resolving an incident that neither started nor ended in Braintree,” Morrissey said. “On April 25, 2012, Weymouth police alerted area departments about an armed bank robbery, broadcasting that the two involved males, armed with handguns, had fled the area in a grey Jeep. Detective Molloy spotted a vehicle matching that description on Washington Street headed for Holbrook; the driver refused to stop. Through his dispatcher, Det. Molloy calmly coordinated the response of neighboring departments to ensure the Jeep’s interception.” The arrest was made in Brockton.

The second incident was December 3, 2012, when Officers Brian Adams, Robert Chin and Paul Campbell were dispatched to a local hotel to investigate a report of an out-of-control guest.

“Hotel management described a guest acting in a bizarre manner, including smashing holes in the walls of his room with the leg of a chair while purportedly looking for candy. As officers approached the guest’s closed door, they heard him yelling and causing crashing and impact sounds within,”  Morrissey said. “When they knocked on the door and announced their presence, they were met with a sudden silence that lasted several minutes.”

Anticipating a possible confrontation, Officer Adams readied his non-lethal chemical spray.

“The door opened suddenly, revealing the occupant in the doorway with a knife in his hand, his arm cocked back and ready to strike. As he began to advance on the officers, he allegedly said ‘You guys made a big mistake today.’ Officer Adams’ first burst of O.C. spray caused the man to drop the knife,” Morrissey said. “Adams tackled him, with Officers Chin and Campbell quickly joining. The man struggled and attempted to regain control of the knife. Officer Adams threw the knife clear of the altercation toward the lobby. Officer Chin was forced to deploy a second burst of pepper spray to subdue him.” Both officer Chin and Campbell were injured during the incident.

“The circumstances of this incident suggest that any of the three officers might have been justified in deploying deadly force,” Morrissey said. “Instead, the officers’ tactical approach, training, experience, and personal courage resulted in the preservation of a disturbed individual’s life while securing public safety.”

The District Attorney made the presentations during the Law Day ceremonies held at Quincy District Court on May 3. The Robert P. Dana Awards are named for a Metropolitan police officer who was shot and killed by a suspect who had gained control of another officer’s weapon in the course of a traffic stop in 1984.