Police Send Care Package to National Guard

Medford Police Officer and Army Sergeant Charles Hartnett with his fellow Medford officers. Medford and several other area police departments raised some cash for a massive care package to be sent overseas to the Massachusetts National Guard. Pictured from left to right are Officers Leo A. Sacco III, Kenneth Hickey, Alan Wise, Elisabeth Chiribi, Charles Hartnett, Rory Lockowitz, Jack Buckley, and Harold MacGilvray. Courtesy photo.

– Allison Goldsberry

Seven area police departments traded their uniforms for athletic gear and raised $1,000 in a friendly softball tournament to purchase a care package for their brethren serving overseas.

The Medford Police Patrolman’s Association worked with the Greater Boston Police Softball League to raise the money for a care package that is being sent to Iraq for the Massachusetts Army National Guard 972nd Military Police Company.

The care package was presented on Tuesday afternoon to Medford Police Officer Charles Hartnett, an Army Sergeant, by Medford Police Chief Leo Sacco, Lieutenant Paul Covino, and Hartnett’s 12th Weymouth Municipal Police Academy classmates Elisabeth Chiribi, Kenneth Hickey, Rory Lockowitz, Leo Sacco III, and Alan Wise.

Arlington, Chelsea, Malden, Medford, Reading, Saugus, and Transit police participated in the softball tournament and helped raise money. Keyspan’s United Steel Workers of America Local 12012 also put together a team and helped raise some cash. The tournament, held at Tufts Park in South Medford, was sponsored by Avellino’s Restaurant and Lopriore’s Insurance.

Officer Hartnett can be reached at chartnett@medfordpolice.com while he is in Iraq and he welcomes your messages, so be sure to send him some words of support!