Four officers sworn in by Chief David Mara at the Manchester PAL/Michael Briggs Center.
More than 100 family members, fellow officers and city officials gathered in the Michael J. Briggs Community Center at the Police Athletic Center in Manchester as four new officers were sworn in.
During the brief ceremony, which was part of a larger commendation awards ceremony held afterwards, Chief David Mara noted that the four officers joining the force came to Manchester in the same way that Officer Michael Briggs did, as a sworn officer from another police force.
“Today we have four new officers, and they were all actually police officers somewhere else before – just like Michael Briggs was. He came to us in the same manner you did,” Mara said. “Because of that, we not only have the opportunity to get you on the street quicker because turn around is higher and training is shorter, but we also get to examine the body of work that you’ve already had as police officers. During a lengthy background investigation we were able to determine that these are good police officers that were very productive in the communities they came from, and we’re happy to have them here.”
Briggs was a correctional officer for the town of Epsom before joining Manchester Police Department in 1998. He was killed in the line of duty in 2006.
Mara said he wanted the four new officers to focus on getting to know the people in their community.
“It’s not all about enforcement. What we want you to do is reach out to the people you’re protecting. Get to know the people on your route. Get to know what the issues are in your neighborhoods. We want you to be a representative and ambassador, not only for us, for the city,” Mara said.
Officer Barry L. Charest, 34, of New Boston, NH, is a graduate of Goffstown High School class of 1999. Officer Charest earned an Associates degree in Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts from the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont in 2001. He has served with the U.S. Army Reserves since 2001 and currently holds the rank of Sergeant 1st Class.
He is a graduate of the 163rd NH Police Academy and has been a police officer with the Weare, NH, Police Department since 2013. He and his wife, Marissa, have four children.
Officer Glen D. Chislett, 37, was born in Quebec, Canada, and became a U.S. citizen in 1992. He is a graduate Contoocook Valley Regional High School, class of 1995. He earned an Associates degree in Criminal Justice from Hesser College, in 1999.
He is a graduate of the 159th NH Police Academy and has been an officer with the Allenstown Police Department since 2012. Officer Chislett and his wife, Jennifer, have two children.
Officer Brian J. Fleming, 33, grew up in Candia and is a graduate of Manchester Central High School, class of 2000. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, from the University of New Hampshire in 2004. Officer Fleming is a graduate of the 140th NH Police Academy. He began his career in law enforcement in 2006, first working as a police officer with the Epsom Police Department, and then was hired by the Bedford Police Department in 2009. Officer Fleming and his wife, Lyndsey, have two children.
Officer Tyler J. Gagne, 29 grew up in Rochester and is a graduate of Spaulding High School, class of 2003. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Saint Anselm College, in 2007. He is a graduate of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and served as a police officer with the York, Maine, Police Department from 2007 to 2013.
He has most recently been employed as an investigator with the NH Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement. He and his wife, Andrea, have one child.
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