Son Of Wounded Woburn Officer Sworn In As Reserve Patrolman
WOBURN (CBS) - Following an official swearing-in ceremony presided over by Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin on Monday night, 27-year-old Robert Denapoli, Jr. has taken one step closer to following in his father's footsteps. He is also following in family tradition, becoming the third generation in his family to join the Woburn Police Department.
His maternal grandfather was a police officer in Woburn, and his father, Robert Denapoli, is working his way to an eventual return to the force. The older Denapoli is recovering after being shot four times during a botched robbery of a jewelry store early last September.
Even after his father's incident, the younger Denapoli "never flinched" in his desire to join the police department, according to Woburn Chief Robert Ferullo.
WBZ-TV's Jim Armstrong reports
State Representative Jim Dwyer was on-hand for the ceremony, which described as "a proud moment for [Denapoli, Jr.] and his mom and his dad and his family."
Denapoli joins the ranks as a "reserve patrolman", meaning he likely still has years of training ahead of him before becoming a full-time patrol officer. He was one of eleven such reserves to become part of the Woburn force tonight.