By GAIL LOWE
WAKEFIELD—Three female officers from the Wakefield Police Department attended a Women in Business luncheon hosted by the Wakefield Lynnfield Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at the Quannapowitt Yacht Club off North Ave. to speak about their professional roles in the community.
The guest speakers were Patrol Officers Micayla Botelho, Meaghan Roberto and School Resource Officer Kelley Tobyne. Officer Roberto works in day operations and among their other duties, she and Officer Tobyne hold Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training sessions for residents. They agree that the transition from watching women who are unable to defend themselves at the beginning of the sessions to women with confidence at the end is gratifying.
According to a report issued by Wakefield’s Chief of Police Steven A. Skory in June 2022, RAD is “internationally recognized for quality and organizational commitment to excellence and balances the needs of women to acquire self-defense education in a relatively short period with the lifelong commitment required for physical skill mastery. RAD instructors share life-saving information with confidence, knowing that their lessons will be continuously reinforced.”
Officer Tobyne talked about her presence at the Galvin Middle School and her special relationship with K9 Samy, an English Labrador that makes her home with Tobyne. Samy received training to be a comfort dog, and her specialty is to help reduce anxiety in adults and children.
Tobyne and Samy are members of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) and as members of the NEMLEC Critical Incident Stress Management team, the two assist first responders from NEMLEC communities by providing crisis intervention following traumatic calls for service and other critical incidents.
On the job since 2009, Officer Tobyne also works to foster mental wellness among the population and said that it is not uncommon for police to commit three to four people daily to a hospital for a mental wellness check. She also commented that those who are mentally challenged have built respect for Wakefield’s officers. “They trust us more now,” she commented.
Patrol Officer Botelho joined the Wakefield Police Department in December 2020 and shared with her audience that she has always been interested in criminal justice and holds a degree in the field from Westfield State University. In response to a question about being on the streets during her night shifts, she said she has been trained to be on alert at all times but forming respectful relationships with people whose paths she crosses is another important component of remaining safe. “Being alert becomes ingrained in you,” she said. Botelho also assists in self-defense sessions for women and children.
Asked if the rising disrespect for police officers nationwide has affected Wakefield, Officer Roberto said that it has not, as many officers have ties to the town. “There is no disrespect here,” she said.
Approximately 30 businesswomen attended the networking luncheon on Wednesday, October 18. Meetings are held bi-monthly and the next one will be at Floramo’s restaurant in Greenwood, 1099 Main St. on Wednesday, Dec. 20.
The Chamber’s mission is to make a difference in the Wakefield and Lynnfield communities by promoting the general business interests and the civic, economic and social welfare of the people while supporting local businesses by offering referrals and responding to local, state and national issues that affect the business environment.