METHUEN — Mayor James P. Jajuga and Chief Joseph Solomon are pleased to announce that two officers have earned the Methuen Exchange Club Police Officer of the Year Award.
Officers Matthew St. Jean and Michael Robidoux were presented with the award at a ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 13, which they earned as a result of their lifesaving actions responding to a call last spring.
On June 5, both officers were dispatched to a home on Linton Avenue, where a resident’s family reported that a man was choking. Upon arrival, officers found the man unresponsive in a chair in the kitchen, and Officer St. Jean immediately began administering the Heimlich maneuver while Officer Robidoux prepared a breathing assistance device.
The officers’ efforts proved successful, as the food stuck in the man’s throat became dislodged and he began to breathe on his own. He was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital and recovered fully from the incident.
“The quick and decisive actions of Officers Robidoux and St. Jean likely saved this man’s life,” Chief Solomon said. “I’m incredibly proud of the contribution they make each time they put on their uniforms, and I’m grateful that their work that day helped prevent a tragedy and allowed a resident to return home to his family.”
Officer St. Jean grew up in Lowell and subsequently attended UMass Lowell, where he met his wife, Erin. The two now live in Methuen with their two daughters. He began his law enforcement career in 2013 with the Massachusetts Department of Correction before graduating from the first class at the Methuen Police Academy. He serves the Methuen Police Department as a patrol officer and field training officer.
Officer Robidoux grew up in Methuen and attended Methuen High School before earning an associate’s degree from Northern Essex Community College. He has been a reserve officer with the Methuen Police Department since 2015, and graduated from the Methuen Police Academy in February.
“These officers relied on their extensive training and acted quickly to assist a person in serious danger, so I want to congratulate them both on this well-deserved award,” Mayor Jajuga said. “Their experience is proof that our first responders face unexpected circumstances each and every day, and their preparedness and determination to assist those in need makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”