Officer Robert DeNapoli Thanks Supporters

Officer Robert DeNapoli, who was seriously injured during a robbery attempt in 2011, said he is now receiving his retirement package.

DeNapoli and supporters on the Woburn CIty Council spent parts of the last three years arguing for the officer to receive 100 percent of his pension, but Mayor Scott Galvin vetoed each proposal and supported a smaller percentage.

Less than nine months after Woburn Officer Jack Maguire was shot and killed responding to a robbery at Kohls, DeNapoli was injured responding to a Sept. 6, 2011 robbery of a jewelry store in Four Corners. He was shot six times. He lost sight in one eye and his trigger finger was removed.

He also said he still has shrapnel in his body and struggles with PTSD.

DeNapoli retired from the force in November of 2012 after more than a year of physical therapy.

After years of fighting for the pension, DeNapoli earlier this year agreed to take the mayor’s offer.

In a letter sent to Patch, DeNapoli thanked those who supported him since the shooting. Here is his letter:

On Tuesday March 4th 2014, the City Council voted through a retirement package for me, it was sent to the State House and signed by the Governor on June 6, 2014 and just recently my retirement has kicked in and is official.

While it was not the package we were all hoping for I felt the fight has come to the end of the road and it was time to take my family out of the line of fire and close this chapter in my life.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me and my family over the last 2 years, it has meant the world to us to have all of you in our corner and your encouragement has carried us through some very difficult times.

I would also like to Thank Alderman Rosa DiTucci, Mark Gaffney, Rich Haggerty, Dick Gately, Ray Drapeau, Mike Raymond and Mike Concannon for your support, you did your homework, gathered all the facts and had the Courage to stand up for what you believed was right, Woburn’s citizens are lucky to have you represent them.

To my Brothers in Blue who were there for me September 6th, 2011, and the ones who continued to stand by me and my family through this ordeal our bond will never be broken.

To Officer Dean Sullivan, the man responsible for me being alive today no words can express my gratitude for your actions that day, you drove straight into a gunfight without hesitation. You were never recognized for your heroism, but I for one was paying attention and was grateful for your arrival on scene.

Woburn has a lot of wonderful people willing to stand up and voice their opinion in support of what they feel is right and I am proud to have friends like you stand behind me. My family and I will be forever grateful to all of you and I look forward to seeing you around town so I can have the opportunity to personally. Thank you.

Officer Robert DeNapoli

Retired Woburn PD