Members of the Manchester Police Department’s Communications Division were recently recognized by the New Hampshire Emergency Dispatcher’s Association. Director Cecily McNair presented the NHEDA’s 2014 “Critical Incident of the Year Award” to Manchester Police Department’s Emergency Services Dispatchers Rona Leriche and Nina Adzic, Communications Supervisor Brian Bovyn and 911 Operator Ofc. Paul Fraitzl, all of whom were working August 11, 2013, during a high-stress incident.
On that morning Muni Savyon, 54, of Manchester shot his son Joshua Savyon, 9, of Amherst in front of a counselor at the YWCA, 72 Concord St., during a visitation. Savyon then turned the gun on himself. Both father and son died.
This incident resulted in a comprehensive police response that required these emergency service dispatch personnel to ensure the communication of crucial information to officers on scene. It was through their professionalism that day that officers were able to safely and quickly respond and contain an emerging and uncertain situation.
Emergency Services Dispatcher Rona Lerichce was available to accept the award June 6 on behalf of her colleagues, and said she appreciated that the work of these often unsung heroes was recognized, explaining that while dispatchers work inside the police complex, their “hearts are on the streets” with the officers at each and every call for service.
Chief Mara praised the work of his dispatchers, noting that, “behind every good arrest, behind every emergency that police officers are answering on the street, there are dispatchers working just as hard inside.”