12/16/2021
This past Tuesday, at our December meeting, the Community Advisory Council gave out our annual awards for Community Police Citizen, Business, and Officer of the Year. This year we were proud to honor What's Brewin Cafe, BPD civilian staff members Lisa Maccario (Mental Health Clinician) and Cindy Baez (Domestic Violence Advocate), and Captain Richard Russo.
Kevin and Lindsay Shin, of What’s Brewin Café, have been big supporters of the Beverly Police Department over the years and have volunteered on numerous occasions to assist with community events, contributing to the success of each event by providing food, drink, and good company. Kevin and Lindsay exemplify what it means to be good community partners and we appreciate all that they have provided for the community.
Lisa Maccario has worked with the Beverly Police Department for the last 4 years as part of the BPD Jail Diversion Program, responding with officers to calls involving people in crisis and following up on occasions when she cannot respond directly. She has displayed a passion for working with the police and the community, helping numerous people in the community get connected to the services and support that they need, and has been an invaluable asset to our officers and our community.
Cindy Baez has worked with the Beverly Police Department for the past 5 years as a Domestic Violence Victim Advocate. As part of the BPD Domestic Violence Unit, she has assisted numerous victims of domestic violence with navigating the court system, safety planning, and obtaining support services. Additionally, she has collaborated with the schools to speak to children about domestic violence and coordinated all events for Domestic Violence Awareness Month every November. Like Lisa, Cindy has been an invaluable asset to our officers and our community.
And finally, Captain Russo, a 21 year veteran of the Beverly Police Department. He has worked tirelessly in support of our officers, putting them in the best position to succeed, and most recently helped the police department navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, making sure officers had all the safety equipment needed to provide uninterrupted service to the community at a time of great need. As a leader in the department, Capt. Russo sets an example for all officers to follow.
Additionally, Officer Justin Zwicker received the AAA Traffic Safety Hero Award. Officer Zwicker, currently assigned to the BPD traffic unit, set a great example for others to follow as the Beverly Police Department received the Gold Award from AAA for overall traffic safety and we were proud to be able to honor him at our meeting as well.
We would like to thank all of our winners for their dedication and contributions which improve public safety and quality of life in our community.
