The Chelsea Police Department said goodbye to five longtime members this week. Officers and colleagues gathered at the Brown Jug to honor Officer Bernard “Bernie” Grayson, Officer Richard “Richie” Rossetti, Officer Mark O’Connor, Officer Robert Moschella Jr. and Animal Control Officer Joao Teixeira, the department said on Facebook.
The department called it “a special evening of sharing memories, catching up, and recognizing the dedication each has brought to their work over the years.” It told the five: “You will always be part of the Chelsea Police family.” The department did not say how long each had served.
Faith & Blue at Revive Community Church
The department’s Faith & Blue series, which we covered earlier this month, made its fifth stop on October 16 at Revive Community Church, led by Pastor Diego Netto. Police, city councillors, faith leaders and residents attended, along with Pastor Keila Velez and Pastor Francisco Quiles.
The night included a panel with Netto, City Manager Fidel Maltez and Captain Tom McLain, who commands the department’s patrol division. The department said Netto’s questions focused on “law enforcement’s relationship with Chelsea residents, community trust, and strengthening partnerships between the police and the people we serve.” The series’ sixth stop was set for People’s AME Church on Wednesday, October 21.
Remembering Patrolman John McKenzie
Earlier this month, the department marked the anniversary of the death of Patrolman John James McKenzie, who died on October 13, 1924. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, McKenzie was directing traffic at Broadway and Eleanor Street on August 6, 1924, when a driver failed to stop and struck him and another officer. The driver kept going and abandoned the car on Shurtleff Street. McKenzie, 52, was taken to Chelsea Memorial Hospital with severe head injuries and died two months later. He had served 18 years and left his wife, five sons and two daughters. The driver was sentenced to one year for leaving the scene. The department credited the photo it shared to McKenzie’s grandson, John Malone.
Sip and Howl at the Williams School
The department also gave a shout-out to Sip and Howl, which it described as a new classroom entrepreneurship program at the Williams School building where students “get a taste of running a business while building teamwork, confidence, and practical skills.”
Coming up: Trunk or Treat
Police and community partners host Trunk or Treat in Chelsea Square on Friday, October 30, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., with decorated trunks, inflatables, face painting, a pumpkin patch, music and a Halloween activity from the police. The city is showing Hocus Pocus in the square at 6:15 p.m. More events are in our Chelsea calendar.