VIDEO: 'I Do Solemnly Swear ... to Never Betray My Badge'

Two Nashua Police officers were promoted Friday – Sgt. E.Z. Paulson is now Lt. Paulson, and Detective Steve Sweeney is now Sgt. Sweeney.

Promotions happen, and as their Chief John Seusing said, it happens as the result of hard work and strong character.

But the best part of the brief ceremony was the joy in the room – Paulson's wife Cheryl and two kids, Caitlyn, 15, and Avery, 13, helped to pin the new badge, just over his heart, on his dress blues. Paulson also had several other friends and family members cheering him from the sidelines – including his longtime best friend, Matt Erlick.

"We met when E.Z. moved to Nashua in junior high school," Erlick said. "It's a good experience for my kids to see the other side of him. They know he's a police officer, but they've never seen him like this."

Paulson actually started out as a civilian dispatcher for Nashua Police, becoming a sworn officer and working in Youth Services as a detective. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2008, then worked in the patrol bureau before transferring back to youth services.

He also is a member of the bomb squad and serves on the board of directors for the Police Athletic League.

And as a good detective, Paulson did not give away too much information about his unique moniker.

"My parents, in all their wisdom, gave me the first name of just 'E' and my middle name starts with Z," Paulson said, with a smile. After that, his lips were sealed.

Equally joyous was the crowd of supporters on the other side of the room for Sweeney. Among them were his brother, his infant godson, his brother-in-law, his father-in-law, cousins, friends and, beaming proudly, his wife, Cathy, and two of his three kids, Eddie, 13 and Jordan, 8. Their oldest, Jessica, 18, is on vacation, said her mom.

"This means so much. We've been waiting for this for a long time. He's a good family man and a great police officer," said Cathy Sweeney, who tried to talk a little bit about what it means to her family to have the support of Nashua's police department, in good times and bad.

But the emotion of the moment got the best of her, and all she could do was smile, and wipe away the tears.

"There are only sometimes when it's scary for us – like when he's at a stand-off or something like that," she said.

Sweeney joined Nashua PD in 2001 after working for five years as a Deputy Sheriff in Florida. He has been part of Nashua's Problem Oriented Policing Unit, which is focused on drug and gang activity; served as a detective in Youth Services, is a skilled sniper, and a member of the Special Reaction Team.

Lt. Frank Sullivan said both Paulson and Sweeney have worked hard, and their promotions are well deserved.

"It's great to see so many friends and family here today. Without family support, it's tough," Sullivan said. "You need it to be successful as a police officer."