Page 4 - FE Blue Spring 2019
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Remembering Mark’s Sacrifice
Thousands of runners and walkers turn out to honor Charbo
By Major Richard Ball became a member of the
Commanding Officer, Troop H State Police Honor Guard
and in everything he did,
On March 24, 2019 the friends he represented himself and
and family of Trooper Mark the MSP impeccably.
Charbonnier held a road race in Mark’s personal life
honor of the 25th Anniversary of was just as successful.
his ultimate sacrifice. He got married to his
Mark was shot and killed in the best friend and settled in
line of duty in September of 1994; Norwell. Always a city
he was 31 years old and had been kid, he organized pickup
a Trooper for six years. He was basketball games in his
born and raised in Dorchester, one suburban driveway yet still Colonel Gilpin with Steven Charbonnier,
of six children, the second oldest managed to befriend his Mark’s brother.
son of a Boston Police Officer neighbors. He soon set his
and a stay-at-home mom. Mark sights on law school and memory to help other public
was taught to work hard, to be earned his law degree from New servants and their sons and
honest and to treat people right. England School of Law. daughters with education
He developed character, courage, Shortly before his last patrol, expenses, especially those who
and integrity, and he possessed Mark interviewed for a homicide wished to attend the New England
natural leadership ability. He had job in what the State Police School of Law and Wentworth
charisma, made friends easily, Detective Units that, at that time, Institute of Technology. As
and kept them for were known as expected, the outpouring of love
life, becoming a Crime Prevention and support for the Charbonnier
mentor to many. and Control units, family was monumental.
He went on to or CPAC for The golf tournaments continue
college, became short. Word was to this day and sell out three golf
a software that his transfer courses. Charbo’s Run ran for
programmer and was imminent. ten years and grew to become
got a fantastic job Mark was one of the premier road races in
making big money. always moving Massachusetts, featuring as many
Mark was one forward, always as 8,000 registered runners. The
of those people improving, always Mark Charbonnier Scholarship
who made a The MSP Honor Guard. contributing, and Fund was quickly and successfully
positive impression always leading by established and has since helped
and impact everywhere he went – example. hundreds of
he would have succeeded greatly After deserving
in the corporate world. But he Mark’s death, recipients.
had bigger plans and wanted to his friends This year’s
contribute to the greater good with and family 25th Anniver-
the ultimate goal of becoming a organized sary Charbo’s
criminal court judge. road races Run was
A calling to serve with the and golf designed to
Massachusetts State Police came tournaments be an event
first, though. Mark graduated from in his honor of honor and
the 69th Recruit Training Troop with the intent remembrance,
and immediately solidified his of creating a and was truly
reputation as an outstanding road scholarship Trooper Chris Joslyn, gets a a huge >>>
Trooper, a worker, a cop’s cop. He fund in his handshake at the start line.
4 French and Electric Blue
