Londonderry Police Officer Makes History

After 11 years with the department, Londonderry Police Officer Shannon Coyle has been promoted the rank of sergeant, becoming the highest ranking female officer in the history of the department.

"I think it speaks well of our agency and much more importantly, it speaks well of Shannon," Police Chief and Acting Town Manager William Hart said Tuesday. "This is a difficult profession sometimes for women to make their way in for lots of reasons that we're hopefully putting aside, but they are real nonetheless.

"For Shannon to have made a career that has allowed her to succeed speaks very well not just of her ability, but of her character and her personal decency," he said.

Coyle, who ran for Rockingham County Sheriff in 2010, started with the Londonderry Police Department 11 years ago. She said she only recently learned she'd be the town's first female police sergeant.

"I didn't know, to be honest," she said Monday. "I'm just happy. This is not something that happened swiftly. It took 11 years. I put in my time and learned a lot and I've been rewarded for my hard work."

Police sergeants are considered first-line supervisors, Hart said, and essentially run the shift of officers on the road.

Hart announced Coyle's promotion at Monday's Town Council meeting, along with one additional promotion and two new hires in the police department.

Londonderry police Officer Sean Doyle has been promoted to detective, which Hart said is considered a temporary promotion by contract.

Narciso "Junior" Garcia is the department's newest police officer. He will start the police academy later this month, Hart said. Amelia McKeever was also recently hired as a dispatcher.