Welcome Belmont's Five New Police Officers

The Belmont Police Department officially welcomed five new officers to its ranks on Monday, Nov. 18, after they successfully completed their law enforcement training at the Lowell Police Academy last week and were among 59 new officers from municipal and university departments in their graduating class. 

The officers will fill several vacant positions within the department. According to David Kale, Belmont Town Administrator, the positions are fully funded in the Fiscal 2014 budget and does not constitute "new" positions in the police department.

Anthony DeStefano, Marie McHugh, Michael Pelrine Jr., John Thompson and James Siracusa Jr. are Belmont natives and were selected last spring by the department to attend the academy.

On Monday, the officers were sworn in as Belmont police officers by Town Clerk Ellen Cushman during a brief ceremony in the Selectmen's Room at Town Hall. 

Selectman Chair Mark Paolillo, Kale, Belmont Police Chief Richard McLaughlin and Assistant Chief James MacIsaac joined family members and friends as the officers became members of the department. 

The five will now complete some additional training in Belmont with Field Training Officer before going out on patrol.