GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Police Department has bestowed honors upon 11 members who went above and beyond the call of duty.

Deputy Chief William Gordon, Detective Jay Butynski and Officers Emily Rowell, Jedadiah Henry, Patrick Merrigan and Patricia West received the commander’s commendations during a ceremony at Terrazza Ristorante on Monday while Officers Timothy Cooley, Taylor Granger, Brent Griffin, Nicholas Limoges and Aaron McCloud got exceptional/meritorious service awards. Rowell, Henry and West also received Lifesaving Awards.

“The last [awards banquet] was in 2020 ... outside, in the middle of winter,” Chief Robert Haigh Jr. said, referring to COVID-19 pandemic precautions. “This was a lot nicer, to get everybody together and get to do it there.”

Haigh said it speaks to his officers’ character that they persevered through the department’s budgetary struggles over the past year or so.

“I just hope people really appreciate them as much as I do,” he said. “They work tremendously hard in a time where … all eyes are on you.”

According to the department’s recommendation letters, Gordon saved a man’s life on July 12 by pulling him onto a rescue boat after the man became stuck on the boat barrier while trying to cross the Connecticut River between Turners Falls and Gill.

Butynski, who was promoted to sergeant, was the lead investigator for the first wiretap investigation conducted by the Northwestern District Attorney’s Anti-Crime Task Force, resulting in the seizure of at least 4 kilograms of cocaine, at least 20 felony convictions, 30- to 40-year sentences for seven defendants, and the forfeiture of at least $80,000 in drug proceeds, according to Haigh. Soon after this, Butynski led another investigation resulting in the task force achieving another record-breaking seizure, in which at least 2 kilograms of cocaine, 1,170 bags of heroin, and at least $136,900 of drug proceeds were seized from various spots in Greenfield.

Rowell responded to a call of an “impending suicide” on the French King Highway on May 26, 2021, and found a man actively hanging himself with a rope from the back porch. She untied the rope and lowered the man to the ground, where he regained consciousness. The man reportedly made a full recovery after being taken to the hospital.

“It is in moments such as this in which Officer Rowell shows her exemplary work in responding to high-stress situations as a police officer,” Sgt. Megan Cloutier wrote in a commendation letter.

Henry saved the life of a man who had stabbed himself in the neck with a knife on Davis Street on March 20. He arrived to find the man face down in a pool of blood and applied pressure to the open wound until additional emergency services arrived.

Merrigan and Griffin received their honors for non-violently disarming a man with a gun in a situation on Jan. 2.

“[They] both exercised extreme patience and compassion,” Lt. Todd Dodge wrote.

West responded to a medical emergency near the intersection of Vernon and Cleveland streets on Oct. 9, 2022, and identified a potential cardiac arrest. She started CPR until other personnel arrived. The patient regained his pulse after roughly eight minutes.

McCloud was recognized for neutralizing a man who was actively pointing a firearm at responding officers. At potentially great risk to himself, he sprinted toward the man and tackled him to the ground from behind. The gun flew out of the man’s hand during the tackle and the man was placed into custody.

Granger, Cooley and Limoges saved the life of a distraught man attempting to burn down a barn while hiding inside it and requesting that officers shoot him.

“The heroic actions of these three officers indeed saved the life [of] this distraught man,” Haigh wrote in a commendation letter.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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