Master Police Officer Miguel Cebollero has a lengthy list of reasons to pat himself on the back.
For starters, he's the longest serving patrol officer in the Concord Police Department's history. It's a record he'll take with him – he retired on Saturday after working for the department for 31 years.
As an instructor in the DARE program and GREAT (a former Concord PD program that educated kids about gang resistance), he made sure kids grew up to be good eggs. He received letters of commendation, a New Hampshire congressional law enforcement award, was recognized for distinguished unit action and got two certificates of merit. He served as a field training officer for many years, training countless police officers. Additionally, he served as a member of the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged in 1971.
The list goes on, but don't expect to see Cebollero reaching over his shoulder to give himself props anytime soon. He's much too humble for that, which is one of the reasons the police department will be sad to see him go.
“It's bittersweet,” said Deputy Chief John Duval. “One of the biggest things (we'll miss) is Miguel's common sense and humanistic approach to solving problems. . . . He connected to people in an empathic way.”
Cebollero also had mixed emotions about his retirement. “There's a part of me that wants to stay on, and then there's a time to say, 'Hey, it's time to let someone else in.' (Being a police officer) is a younger person's job,” he said.
After a five-year stint with the Fitchburg, Mass., police, Cebollero was hired as a probationary officer in 1979 by then-chief David Walchak. The chief had concerns about Cebollero sticking around, he said.
Walchak told Cebollero it was common for officers come and go after getting their experience in Concord, then move on to bigger cities, like Manchester – something he said still happens today.
“I told him if he hired me, I'd stay,” Cebollero said, adding that Walchak retired long before he did. “I have a very powerful sense of responsibility to the community.”
Born in Puerto Rico and currently a resident of Franklin, he refers to Concord as his home. It's not only the city he's protected over the past three decades, but it's where he raised his three kids, now ages 26, 33 and 34.
Even with plenty of upcoming free time on his hands, he has no plans to leave Concord behind. “I'm going to take some time to just focus,” Cebollero said. “I'm not leaving New Hampshire anytime soon.”
