Former Westfield Police Chief Lawrence Valliere (center with plaque) was recognized for his 41 years of service to the city as a police officer during a ceremony Tuesday afternoon in City Council Chambers. He is joined by (from left) state Sen. John Velis, Mayor Michael McCabe, Joan Valliere, state Rep. Kelly Pease, current Police Chief Jerome Pitoniak, and Police Commissioner Richard Sypek.
Reminder Publishing photo by Cliff Clark
WESTFIELD — As former Police Chief Lawrence Valliere stood in the City Council Chambers after being recognized by state and local officials for his 41 years of police work, he recounted a conversation with another former Westfield police chief, John Camerota, with his friends, family and mother looking on.
“He said, ‘Did you make a difference in this city?’” Valliere said of the conversation he and Camerota had soon after Valliere retired last January.
“‘Yes,’ I told him,” Valliere said.
“I believe you did, too,” Valliere said Camerota told him.
And there was no doubt he did, as Mayor Michael McCabe, current Police Chief Jerome Pitoniak, Police Commission Chair Richard Sypek, state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) and state Rep. Kelly Pease (R-Westfield) made clear during the ceremony.
“He was there during George Floyd [protests], the calls to defund the police and COVID,” said McCabe who served alongside Valliere as a captain in the police force.
“And he was in the office every single day. It’s real credit to him” McCabe said, after presenting to Valliere a city citation recognizing his years of the service to the department.
Pitoniak said that when he began his career at the department, he didn’t see Valliere much, but soon they began working together when both were assigned to the midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
“Always the best shift,” Pitoniak said with a smile as several officers in the chambers laughed out loud.
But Pitoniak said he recognized something about Valliere almost immediately.
“He always had a nose for crime. He was great street cop, and he taught me a lot,” said Pitoniak who was named as the department’s new chief when Valliere retired.
Velis spoke of the memories he had of Valliere, and like McCabe, those days after the Black Lives Matter protests and the calls to defund the police.
“Everything was going on … policing was changing right before our eyes,” Velis said.
Velis also said that when he needed answers to questions about the force, Valliere was always there to help, “and there were also a lot of laughs.”
And he, like the others who spoke, commented on Valliere being a police officer for 41 years.
“Forty-one years is a long time. It’s a difficult job and to do it for that long is special,” Velis said before he offered a certificate of recognition from the state Senate.
Pease told Valliere it was a pleasure working with him and gave him props for his leadership while chief.
“Our police force is one of the best in the state. You helped it stay steady and true to [its] mission,” Pease said, before also presenting him with a recognition of service from the state Legislature.
Police Commissioner Richard Sypek opened the ceremony with a few words.
“How do you thank someone who put their life on the line for 41 years?” Sypek said.
He also said he enjoyed working the Valliere, who helped him understand his role as a commissioner.
“Thank you. You’ll never be forgotten by me and the citizens of Westfield,” Sypek said.
After all the kind words, Valliere spoke of his experience as the department’s leader.
“We just kept pushing forward as a department,” he said.
And speaking of the department as a whole, before and after, his tenure as chief.
“We’ve always gone the extra mile. Dug a little deeper, while having that caring demeanor. It’s always been there. I just promoted it,” he said.
He recognized everyone in attendance and made sure they knew he was grateful for the opportunity to serve.
He also spoke of his mother, Joan, who was in the audience with other family members.
He then made a joke that he was going to open an attraction at next year’s Big E to have people try to guess his mother’s age.
“She’s 91,” he said, before asking her stand and also be recognized.
He said she was there when he was first sworn in as a police officer in 1983, and for each subsequent promotion and swearing in.
“She was there at the beginning and to witness the end of my career,” he said looking at her.
Acknowledging the sacrifice his family made while he was serving, Valliere said he now has more time to spend with his family.
