Methuen Police Department
Quinn Public Safety Building
90 Hampshire Street • Methuen, Massachusetts 01844
October 15, 2012
Officer Brian Hellman Named #Methuen Exchange Clubs
Police Officer of the Year
On Saturday, December 17, 2011 at approximately 2:30 a.m. the Methuen Police Department was faced with one of its most challenging nights of service as four major incidents lit the emergency 911 console.
At approximately 2:30 A.M. Officer Dore and Officer Shawn Moore were investigating a domestic violence incident where a suspect barricaded himself within a home,
while at the very same time, Officer’s Elvin Alarcon and Jason Lenotte were investigating a home invasion where 3 suspects were subsequently apprehended at the scene.
At this very moment, several 911 calls for service echoed the police department communications center reporting three males had beaten and attempted to rob two males at the Elm Crest Apartments. Officer Hellman was the only available officer and he was detailed to this call for service alone. Within seconds of Officer Hellman’s arrival on scene, he was face to face with two suspects armed with firearms who retreated to the rear of a residence. Facing a potential ambush, he confronted two suspects, subsequently holding them at bay until back up arrived. Officer Moore arrived shortly and both suspects being taken into custody without incident.
Captain Haggar reviewed this incident and determined there were several elements that distinguished Officer Hellman’s service that night:
1) His ability to handle this crisis with command presence, thus deescalating the situation to a peaceful ending.
2) His demonstrating your ability to resolve conflict.
3) His actions avoiding the necessity of utilizing deadly force.
Officer Hellman’s dedication to the law enforcement profession and specifically to the City of Methuen is highly commendable.
Based on the above facts Officer Hellman was unanimously chosen as the 2012 Police Officer of the Year.