On September 10, a ceremony was held to swear in Chief John Bonney as Abington's new police chief. The Abington Selectmen, Town Manager Scott Lambiase, Town Clerk Leanne Adams, many officers, firefighters, town staff, and many residents attended the event to welcome Chief Bonney.
Message from Chief Bonney
My first week as Chief of Police in Abington felt like a homecoming. I have never lived in Abington, never worked in Abington and frankly, I knew very few people from Abington prior to my arrival at 215 Central Street. The welcoming feel to this community is like no other. From the members of the police department to the citizens of the town, I have been taken in as one of their own.
On Tuesday night a ceremonial swearing in was held at the senior center. I was so humbled by the outpouring of support by not just family and friends, but also by community members and employees of the town that came out to support the police department in this exciting transition. Once again, I would like to thank the Town Manager and the Board of Selectmen for giving me this opportunity. The opportunity I am most thankful for is not that of simply being named Chief but being named Chief of THIS department. This agency is loaded with talent, inspiration, courage and devotion to duty.
On September 11th, I learned that when Abington says “Never Forget” those words are not just words. On a spectacular weather day, much like the one in 2001 members of our community gathered for a moving tribute to celebrate those lives lost 23 years ago. It was a well-attended event which included students from St. Bridget’s School, that stood so respectfully as Select Board Chairman Kevin Donovan spoke of the somber moments that brought our country to its knees and hit this community particularly hard.
Later in the week, I had the opportunity to tour the Middle/High School with SRO White. What a fabulous learning environment! The investment made for the students of Abington in the creation of that building was well worth it. The energy in there was electric as they hosted a sports captains’ conference for the South Shore League. Student athletes from all over the area were there taking in the incredible facility.
On Friday Deputy Chief Postell and I caught our first Green Wave Football game. A dominant performance from beginning to end. Continuing with the theme of community in our town, the Deputy Chief and I were introduced to the crowd and was flattered to receive such an incredibly warm welcome to the town.
I explained to the audience at my swearing in that I have loved this job since the first time I put the uniform on. While I am certainly proud of the protection side of the job I have given in my 22 years, it is the service side that provides the most satisfaction. The long-standing practice of the Abington Police Department has been that of Community Partners. It is one of the missions that drew me here. I promise we will have open lines of communication between the police department and the community. I am looking forward to not just meeting you all but becoming part of the fabric of this town.
~ Chief John Bonney