Chief Cotton to the Rescue

A snafu in the police department nearly left the Memorial Day parade unprotected. “Fortunately,” said Select Board Chair Dave DeHerdt, “Chief Cotton was on hand.”

In his police liaison report at tonight’s Select Board meeting, DeHerdt explained what happened. Cotton had asked Sergeant Kristina Nunez when the Memorial Day parade was scheduled to take place and was told it was at noon. Accordingly, Cotton arranged to have Officer Jarek Konopko on duty by 11 a.m.

Then the chief found that the parade was actually scheduled for 10 a.m. When he was unable to reach Konopko, Cotton arranged to have the fire department help him manage traffic to keep the parade safe. DeHerdt credited Konopko for showing up promptly at 11 a.m.

DeHerdt also reported that Cotton will appear before the Select Board next week to present his recommendations for which officers to reappoint to the police department for the new fiscal year, beginning on July 1. At the same meeting, he will be presenting preliminary designs for both a uniform patch and a paint scheme for the cruisers. The new designs will more clearly distinguish Ashfield police officers from State Police officers.

David King