Page 12 - Summer 2017 Final
P. 12

Women’s Law Enforcement Group



           Honors Sergeant Donna Losardo




               Earlier this year, Sergeant Donna M. Losardo  widespread  Taser  Issue/Recertification  Program.
        was presented with the Excellence in Performance  The sergeant has personally  trained hundreds
        Award during the Spirit of MAWLE Award Ceremony  of department members in  Taser  issue and
        held  at Stonehill  College.  Sergeant Losardo  and  recertification classes. Sergeant Losardo has also
        her  fellow  award recipients were  recognized  been instrumental in the department’s defensive
        by  the  Massachusetts  Association  of  Women  in  tactics  and  de-escalation  training  programs.
        Law  Enforcement  (MAWLE)  for  excelling  in  the
        areas of Community Service, Courage, Excellence                In October 2016, the MSP hosted the First
        in  Performance,  Leadership,  and  Mentoring.         Annual  New  England  State  Police  Administrators
                                                                         Conference - Women in Law Enforcement
                                                                         Leadership      Conference       at     the
                                                                         Academy. The mission  was to promote
                                                                         professionalism among women who serve
                                                                         in the field of law enforcement through
                                                                         education,  training,  mentoring  and
                                                                         encouragement. More  than 160  female
                                                                         state troopers from all six New England
                                                                         State Police agencies attended.  Sergeant
                                                                         Losardo was instrumental in the planning
                                                                         and logistics of this successful conference.

                                                                              Sergeant     Losardo      has     also
                                                                         dedicated  much  of  her  own  time  to
                                                                         fundraising  events  in  her  community
                                                                         as well  as those which support  the

               Sergeant  Losardo,  a  24-year  member          families  of  fallen  law  enforcement  officers.
        of  the  Massachusetts  State  Police,  has                    In  2012,  Sergeant  Losardo  completed  the
        dedicated the majority of her career to training,      Police Unity Tour with Chapter 37, which begins
        and,  in  fact,  will  serve  as  drill  sergeant  for   each year on May 9th.  Chapter 37 starts with a
        the  upcoming  83rd  Recruit  Training  Troop.         Memorial ceremony at the World Trade Center in

               In  1996,  Sergeant  Losardo  became  a  drill   honor of the 72 law enforcement officers killed in
        instructor at the State Police Academy, a position     the line of duty on Sept. 11, 2001.  The Chapter then
        that  required  tremendous  commitment  and            rides to New Jersey to join with the rest of the Tour,
        dedication; she worked 16-hour shifts for months       a four-day, 300-mile cycling event with more than
        on end.  During her ten-year stay at the Academy,      1,200 riders. The Tour ends in Washington, D.C. at
        Sergeant  Losardo  advanced  from  assistant  drill    the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
        instructor during the 73rd Recruit Training Troop,             Sergeant Losardo also has twice participated
        to platoon leader during the 74th and 77th Recruit     in the first Springfield Police Department Ride to
        Training Troops, to senior drill instructor for the 78th.  Remember,  a  charity  event  organized  to  honor

               In July 2016, Sergeant Losardo returned to      Springfield  Officer  Kevin  Ambrose,  killed  in  the
        the Academy to spearhead the department’s first        line of duty on June 4, 2012.  The ride begins at
                                                               Tower Square in Springfield and travels 106 miles,

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