The Methuen Police Department has named Detective John Delano as their police officer of the year. The Methuen Police released the following statement this afternoon:
“It is with great pleasure that the Methuen Police Department announces our Police Officer of the year for 2013. As we are all well aware, there are several Methuen Police Officers who deserve this honor, however, it is believed by many that Detective John Delano has performed above and beyond.”
The following story dictates Detective Delano’s professional dedication to his career and to the citizens of Methuen.
In the late winter and early spring of 2013 the Merrimack Valley area was being targeted with a string of bank robberies that had reached a fever pitch, there were fifteen in total. Each robbery was progressively becoming more violent, sometimes with handguns being pointed into the faces of helpless bank employees.
Detective Delano was assigned by Chief Solomon to work solely on apprehending those individuals responsible for the robberies. Detective Delano worked tirelessly on this assignment. He assisted in creating a joint task force that included area police departments as well as federal agencies. He also realized the importance of working with bank management and employees in not only them helping in catching the individuals involved, but also on educating them on there safety and on what actions they should take during these robberies. He did this by assisting in hosting a luncheon at the Methuen Police Department to discuss issues as well as traveling to each bank in the city on numerous occasions.
After a three month investigation, Detective Delano got his “guy” on Tuesday April 23rd 2013, when the task force Officers arrested The Merrimack Valley Bandit “Rafael Beamud Jr “ and charged him with the fifteen bank robberies.
On May 5th 2010 at 0300 hours Detective Delano responded to investigate a brutal attack on a women were she had been kidnapped at gunpoint and violently raped. As Detective Delano process the crime scene, collected evidence and interviewed the women, he knew that whomever had committed this attack was a savage serial rapist. John worked endlessly on trying to solve this case knowing that this vicious rapist would strike again. In October Detective Pilz was investigating another kidnapping and assault case that had occurred in the city. Detective Delano was clever enough to read between the lines and notice several key facts that were consistent with his earlier case. This time, the detectives had a suspect. Detective Delano put together a photo array and showed it to his earlier victim. Upon the victim seeing the photo she immediately began to shake, cry loudly and yell “THAT’S HIM!” John knew he had his guy. Detective Delano attained a warrant and the suspect was arrested.
This case does not end here. The suspect soon made bail and was back on the street. Detective Delano knew it was only time before he would strike again. Over two years later, Detective Delano was at a hearing involving the suspect. The suspect was still free on bail. Detective Delano watched as the suspect exited the courthouse during a recess in the court proceedings. After smoking and discarding a cigarette, the suspect returned to the courthouse.
What the suspect didn’t realize was that he had just provided Detective Delano with the last piece of evidence John needed. John walked over to the discarded cigarette; the same brand that was John had recovered at the original crime scene two years earlier that he had submitted for DNA testing. The DNA was a match. In September 2013, three years after the case began, the suspect was found guilty of this brutal assault and was sentenced to over 15 years in state prison. I believe this investigation alone by Detective Delano has saved countless area women from being victims of this monster.
Thank You Detective Delano for your dedication and service to the Methuen Police Department and the Citizens of the City of Methuen. Congratulations on achieving the honor of Police Officer of the Year.
Anyone interested in attending the Methuen Exchange Club’s Celebration and Award Ceremony, it is Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at 6pm at the Merrimack Golf Course 210 Howe Street Methuen, Ma. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by contacting Linda Buell (978) 618-1828.