MAYOR DEPEÑA SWEARS IN FIVE NEW LAWRENCE POLICE OFFICERS

MAYOR DEPEÑA SWEARS IN FIVE
NEW LAWRENCE POLICE OFFICERS

Lawrence MA, (Tuesday, February 18, 2025) – Mayor Brian A. DePeña, along with Acting Chief Melix
Bonilla, today swore in five new Police Officers. The new officers are Héctor Frías, Jivannette Jusino,
Michael Tavárez, Guilbert Báez, Axter Pizarro. These new officers graduated this past Friday February 14 th
from the Northern Essex Community College Police Academy in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
The curriculum for this academy is designed and directed by the Massachusetts Police Training Council. This
twenty-six-week academy consists of several different areas of police training such as coursework in Criminal
law, Criminal Procedure, First Aid, and CPR and a variety of other courses designed to prepare the new
officers to better serve the community.
Additionally, these new officers took part in hands-on training in Physical Fitness, Defensive Tactics,
Emergency Vehicle Driving Training, and Firearms.
The officers are now taking part in a twelve-week in-house Field Training Program. With the addition of
these five officers, the current number of sworn officers in the Lawrence Police Department is one hundred
and forty-nine.
"The City of Lawrence is pleased to welcome these five new officers to the Lawrence Police Department.
Their dedication and rigorous training will help strengthen public safety in our community. We thank them
for their service and wish them success in their careers,” said Mayor Brian A. DePeña.
Provisional Chief Bonilla expressed enthusiasm about welcoming five new officers to the department, stating,
"It is always a great day when we welcome new police officers to the department. I am confident that these
five new officers possess the necessary qualities that will make them a positive addition to our department."