Lincoln police officers at a recent Board of Seelctmen meeting includes (left to right) Chief Kevin Mooney, Lt. Kevin Kennedy and Officer Anthony Moran.
By Alice Waugh
The death of Sean Collier, an MIT police officer who was killed by the alleged Boston Marathon bombers, hit home at the Lincoln Police Department, where he had worked intermittently as a special-duty officer for two years. Now the Lincoln Police Association is creating a permanent memorial to Collier in the lobby of the town’s Public Safety Building.
Lincoln police were also heavily involved in the effort to apprehend the suspects in Watertown on April 18, and the Board of Selectmen thanked eight of the officers in person at the board’s May 6 meeting.
The immediate response and assistance from the Lincoln police “showed how willing our officers are to go into harm’s way and stay as long as possible, so we wanted to have a public saying of thanks for what you do,” said First Selectman Peter Braun.
At the selectmen’s meeting, Police Chief Kevin Mooney recapped the department’s work in Watertown, including several days of 12-hour shifts in Boston By Officer Robert Surette, Lincoln’s SWAT team representative. Officers Sean Kennedy and Ian Spencer took up perimeter posts, while other Linciln officers helped in responding to the numerous calls of suspicious persons from frightened residents. Mooney himself, a Watertown native, directly assisted Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau.
“We think of ourselves as a small town wth small-town issues, but this event showed that we’re part of a much greater community, and the police force stood up for that in exemplary fashion. It’s just awe-inspiring what you all did,” said Selectman Renel Fredriksen.
Thee days after Collier was shot, Selectman Noah Eckhouse participated in a Patriots Day march and ceremony at Lincoln’s Old Burial Ground. “It was 238 years almost to the day afterwards that we had, effectively, the sons of Lincoln once again responding to the call,” said Eckhouse, noting that Lincoln Minute Men were among the first on the scene at the Battle of Concord in 1775.
“You went down there without hesitation, and that’s something I’ll never forget. I’m proud of you all,” Eckhouse told the Lincoln police officers.
“When we’ve required stuff and proved the need for it, the town has alwways supported us, and that doesn’t go unnoticed by all of us here, so thank you,” Mooney said.
Braun also paid tribute to the Lincoln police and the marathon bombing victims at the board’s April 23 meeting, the first to be held after the bombing. “It’s appropriate for us, on behalf of the town of Lincoln, to pay our respects and send our condolences to the families and friends of those who died and those who survived but suffered greivous injuries. The events affected all of us in a variety of ways, but we send our deepest thoughts to those who suffered directly and acutely,” Braun said.
Twelve Lincoln Police officers were among the thousands of law enforcement officials from around the country who attended Collier’s memorial service at MIT on April 24.
Anyone who would like to contribute to the memorial effort may send a contribution to the Lincoln Police Association, Attn. Sean Collier Memorial, 169 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Any excess funds received will be forwarded to the Sean Collier Memorial Scholarship Fund that was recently established at Wilmington High School, which Collier attended.