Melrose Police Swears In 2 New Officers

MELROSE, MA — Two new officers have joined the Melrose Police Department after graduating from the police academy last week.

Joseph Whitley and Hannah Connolly were officially sworn in on Monday, Oct. 5, three days after graduating from the 9th Recruit Officer Course at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill. Both officers are Melrose High School graduates and members of the Class of 2021.

Whitley and Connolly were among 49 officers representing 19 law enforcement agencies across Massachusetts to graduate from the academy. The officers completed more than 20 weeks of intensive, standardized training in different aspects of law enforcement before graduating.

The two officers will now begin 12 weeks of field training under the mentorship of experienced Field Training Officers as they begin their careers with Melrose police.

Whitley and Connolly are filling two vacant police officer positions that were cut from the city's Fiscal Year 2026 budget before being restored following the passage of Melrose's Proposition 2½ override in November 2025. Voters approved the $13.5 million override to fund a series of positions and services across the city, including two police officers, 17 school positions, and five public works positions.

Police Chief Kevin Faller previously said filling vacancies can take more than a year due to the lengthy hiring and training process. Prospective officers must go through an application process and background investigation, medical and psychological evaluations, and physical fitness testing before securing a spot in an available police academy. Recruits must then complete the academy and field training before the hiring and training process is finished.

The department is budgeted for 50 sworn officers across all ranks, including the police chief. Faller said in the city's Fiscal Year 2027 budget documents that the department had not had all 50 officers working full time at the same time since he became chief in 2022, with retirements and transfers contributing to continued vacancies.

“It is a long process to recruit, conduct thorough background investigations, and attend an available Police Academy, but we are excited to finally welcome them to the family,” the department said.

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