Criminal Justice Hall of Fame

Sean Gannon (posthumous)
Class of 2007

The first K-9 narcotics officer for the Yarmouth Police Department, Sean Gannon died in the line of duty from a gunshot wound on April 12, 2018. A Department member since 2010, Gannon was a member of the Emergency Management Unit and the Proactive Anti-Crime Team. He was posthumously promoted to sergeant.

He began his career as a member of the Stonehill College Campus Police in 2007 and held certifications as an EMT and Life Saving Instructor. Gannon earned a master’s degree in emergency management from Mass Maritime Academy and was a graduate of the MBTA Municipal Police Academy.

Sergeant Gannon leaves a legacy of high moral integrity, infectious humor, and collaborative work with colleagues. He enjoyed travel, spending time with his family and friends, and generously donated his time to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He is profoundly missed.

William Hackenson
Class of 1973

William Hackenson recently retired after a distinguished career which included 32 years in Federal law enforcement and 12 years in security/consulting. He served as a special agent for the United States Secret Service for 26 years, with increasing levels of supervisory and training experience, earning 10 merit awards. Highlights included assignments with President Reagan at the hospital following the attempted assassination, and two with the Webster Commission, which audited the practices of the IRS and made recommendations which successfully increased its productivity.

Hackenson later spent six years as deputy assistant inspector general with the Central Intelligence Agency and the final 12 years of his career as a security consultant and contractor.

He holds a M.S. in management from National Louis University and also served as an adjunct professor of management in the Department of Forensic Sciences at George Washington University. Hackenson resides
in Boston.

Gregory Long
Class of 1992

Gregory Long was appointed last August as the superintendent-in-chief of the Boston Police Department by Police Commissioner William Gross. A 22-year veteran of the BPD, he previously held positions as superintendent of Bureau of Investigative Services, commander/lieutenant detective of the special investigations and homicide units, and commander/lieutenant of the Youth Violence Strike Force. He began his career as an officer in Mattapan and Dorchester and the Youth Violence Strike Force prior to promotions to sergeant and lieutenant. Long holds a J.D. from the New England School of Law and is a native of Dorchester.

Kenneth McCarron
Class of 1976

Kenneth McCarron retired in 2017 after 37 years as a law enforcement professional, highlighted by 21 years as a supervisory agent and special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, where he supervised up to 35 DEA personnel through complex federal drug and money laundering investigations, both domestically and abroad. In addition to accolades received from the U.S. State Department, U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, McCarron received the DEA’s highest honor for his service, the DEA Administrator’s Award for Valor after helping save the lives of 13 citizens of the Bahamas following the destruction of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. He earned a M.S. in criminology from American International College and lives in St. Augustine, Fla., with his wife of 25 years, Lori.

Matthew Nye
Class of 2002

Matthew Nye is a special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), in the Office of Mobile Security Deployments. Over the past 10 years, he has served in a number of critical overseas posts, providing protection for U.S. ambassadors and diplomatic outposts during periods of conflict and instability. Some of these postings include Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and Pakistan.

When the events of 9/11 occurred during the fall of his senior year at Westfield, Matt put a career in law enforcement on hold in order to serve in the military. He served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard, deploying in 2006, and continued to serve as a civil affairs officer in the Army Reserve after joining DSS, deploying in 2015.

Nye credits much his success to his Westfield State education, influential mentor WSU Prof. William Cook, and his supportive parents, Tom and Janine Nye, who are here today.

Barbara O’Connor
Class of 1985

Barbara O’Connor retired in 2016 after a career in law enforcement that spanned more than three decades. She served UMass Amherst’s Office of Public Safety for more than 25 years, culminating as its chief of Police for eight years. She later held similar responsibilities at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Connecticut. Both positions included additional supervisory duties for a variety of emergency planning and training initiatives. Her work on the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission after the tragic elementary school shooting led to new laws leading to enhanced school safety and practices throughout Connecticut. Her numerous accolades are highlighted by recognition as the National Association of Women’s Law Enforcement Executives Women Leader of the Year in 2013.

She holds a master’s degree in labor studies from UMass Amherst, a J.D. from Western New England School of Law and was a licensed attorney in Massachusetts until her retirement.

Brian Person
Class of 1995

Brian Person is a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where he has served for 15 years. His career has included positions with the U.S. Marshal Service, Federal Air Marshal Service, Bureau of Prisons and Connecticut Department of Corrections. A criminal investigator in Massachusetts, he is the crisis negotiation team leader for the ATF’s Special Response Team for Region 2, and the ATF representative to the Mass. FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.  Among his many commendations include three Investigative Excellence awards, an Award of Excellence for his contributions to the Boston Marathon Bombing investigation and special recognition for his efforts on scene for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

He holds a master’s degree in human services counseling-criminal justice from Liberty University and has taught online criminal justice courses for Post University.

Person recognizes his wife, Lisa, daughter Abigail, and son Timothy for their support. Since 2007, the Person family has served as a respite foster home, devoted to working with displaced children in need from throughout Western Mass. The Persons reside in Wilbraham.

The Dr. Victor Ascolillo Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. L. Michael McCartney

The Dr. Victor Ascolillo Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to Dr. L. Michael McCartney for his efforts in creating the Department of Criminal Justice and for educating a lifetime of students in the fields of criminal justice and law.

Timothy Alben
Class of 1984
Timothy Alben ’84 retired from the Massachusetts State Police in 2015 after 32 years of service. He led the Commonwealth’s law enforcement agency as its colonel/superintendent for three years.

Robert Alberti
Class of 2014
Robert Alberti M’14 was appointed as chief of the Easthampton Police Department (EPD) in 2016, after 18 years on the force. He joined the EPD full-time in 2002, was promoted to detective in 2004 and named captain in 2013. In 2015, Alberti was accepted into the FBI National Academy and maintains FBI top secret clearance for counterterrorism and international terrorism investigations.

Edward DeMarco Jr.
Class of 1999, 2014
Edward DeMarco Jr. ’99, M’14 has served as chief of the East Windsor, Connecticut Police Department (EWPD) for 15 years, in a law enforcement career that began in 1988. Since 2012, he has also served as East Windsor’s director of emergency management.

Arlene Enos
Class of 1986
Arlene Enos ’86 is the port director of Customs and Border Protection in New Bedford, Mass., responsible for ports located in New Bedford, Fall River, and Plymouth. Directed by a mission to prevent terrorism, Enos supervises the enforcement of customs, immigration and agricultural laws, and facilitates international trade.

Mike Foyle
Class of 1995, 2006, 2011
Mike Foyle ’95, ’06, M’11 is captain of the Westfield State University Police Department, which he has faithfully served for 19 years. He has served in a variety of roles for the Department including Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, and Accreditation Manager for 11 years.

Irma Garcia-Zingarelli
Class of 1986
Irma Garcia-Zingarelli ’86 retired in 2015 from the United States Probation and Pretrial Services in Springfield, where she served as a probation officer and electronic monitoring specialist for 27 years.

Sean McDonough
Class of 1983
Sean McDonough ’83 served the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a special agent for 25 years in five domestic locations, as well as at offices in Peru and Colombia. He earned the DEA’s highest award, the “DEA Administrators Award for Excellence” for actions taken in the Peruvian jungles to rescue a U.S. Missionary family that was mistakenly shot down by the Peruvian Air Force.

Tobias Roche
Class of 1979
Tobias Roche ’79 is a licensed private investigator for his company, Private Eye Miami PLLC. His area of expertise involves international cases pertaining to money laundering, asset identification, immigration and customs, fugitives, and Interpol/OFAC matters. He has more than 30 years of federal government service, including executive and managerial positions with the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Customs Service (USCS), and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies.

Paul Zipper
Class of 1982
Paul Zipper ’82 has served the Massachusetts State Police for 31 years and currently serves as the section commander of the Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit, operating out of the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Cheryl Bassett
Class of 1988
Cheryl Bassett currently serves as a domestic operations chief for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Washington, D.C. She is responsible for managing and coordinating all operational and administrative activities in 56 HIS offices along the United States’ Southwest border.

Patrick Cahillane
Class of 1991
Patrick Cahillane was elected Sheriff of Hampshire County in 2016. He began his career in the field at the Union Street Jail in Northampton as a correctional officer. He is the only person in Western Massachusetts who holds a certificate from the American Jail Association as a Certified Jail Manager. He also served in the National Guard for six years.

Carlos Canino
Class of 1988
Carlos Canino is the Deputy Assistant Director of Field Operations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a position he was appointed to in November 2016. Currently, he is responsible for leading the men and women of ATF’s Special Operations Division, Firearms Operations Division, National Investigations Division and ATF’s National Center for Explosives Training and Research.

John “Jack” Flynn
Class of 1979
John “Jack” Flynn serves as the chief administrative officer for the Massachusetts State Police. His service has included: direct care and custody services, public safety law, and public safety administration.

William Hogan III
Class of 1977
William Hogan III is currently a partner in the Boston-based law firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. He practices in the areas of business litigation, governmental relations, administrative law, and sports business law.

Janine Mauldin
Class of 2003
In 2016, Janine Mauldin was promoted to patrol sergeant in the Nantucket Police Department. She built her career there, serving first as a summer special officer and then as a full-time officer.

Marian McGovern
Class of 1988
In December 2009, Marian McGovern was appointed as the first woman Superintendent and Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police by Gov. Deval Patrick, a position she served until her retirement in 2012. Her 33-year career began when she joined the Massachusetts State Police and served as a road trooper and drill instructor.

Genaro Medina Jr.
Class of 1997
Genaro Medina Jr. is currently assigned as the special agent/task force coordinator for the Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force. His career in the field began in September 1992 when he worked for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department.

Nicole “Nikki” Noble
Class of 2008
Nicole “Nikki” Noble is currently a senior intelligence research specialist for the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations. She previously served as an analyst at the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) in Washington, D.C. for seven years.

James Scripture Jr.
Class of 1989
James Scripture Jr. is currently an assistant professor at Bay Path University in Longmeadow where he teaches Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics. Before he started teaching, he served as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 36 years.

Colonel John Aho, USMC (Ret.)
Class of 1985
Colonel John Aho, USMC (Ret.) currently serves as a senior strategic policy analyst for American Systems Corporation, supporting the Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapons Program.

Special Agent Dale Armstrong
Class of 1985
Dale Armstrong began his law enforcement career in 1986 as a criminal investigator with the U.S. Customs Service in Marathon, Florida where he conducted narcotics investigations and operated a high-speed narcotics interceptor vessel.

Judge David J. Dacyczyn
Class of 1982
Associate Justice, Probate and Family Courts in Berkshire, Hampshire and Hampden counties.

Edward P. Deveau
Class of 1978
Watertown Police Chief Edward P. Deveau retired in 2015 after fourteen years as chief and 32 years on the force. He was thrust into the national spotlight following the dramatic shoot-out with the Boston Marathon bombers, and the 20-hour search for convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Special Agent Michael J. Devine
Class of 1982
In 2013, Devine retired from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with twenty-four years of service. This tenure included a decade long assignment to the Counter Intelligence Division of the Los Angeles Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

William Fallon
Class of 1989
William Fallon was appointed to the Senior Executive Service and appointed as Assistant Director for the USMS Training Division (TD). Mr. Fallon joined the USMS in June, 1988 and was first assigned as a Deputy U.S. Marshal (DUSM) in the District of Massachusetts.

Colonel (ret.) Thomas Foley
Class of 1976
Thomas Foley was appointed Colonel/Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police in 2001. Previously, he was selected to serve in the State Police Intelligence Unit and participated in the investigation that removed James “Whitey” Bulger and associates from their reign of terror and held them accountable for numerous murders.

Sergeant Jeremy Forbes
Class of 1995
Sergeant Jeremy Forbes is with the Maine State Police and a proud graduate of Westfield State University’s Criminal Justice program. One of his career highlights was being nominated seven times, and awarded Maine State Police Trooper of the Year, 2004 and 2012 - only the second trooper in history to receive this prestigious honor twice.

Captain Raymond Gonsalves
Class of 1991
Captain Raymond Gonsalves joined the Massachusetts Department of Correction in 1991 as a Correction Officer. During his twenty-five year career he has served the Department of Correction in many roles.

Chief Jody Kasper
Class of 1991, 2001, 2006
Chief Jody Kasper has been with the Northampton Police Department since 1998. She began her career as a bike patrol officer, then served as a detective for six years and ran the detective bureau as its lieutenant. After almost two decades on the force, she was sworn in as Northampton’s first female police chief.

Agent Thomas O’Connor
Class of 1990
Following graduation from Quantico FBI Academy, SA O’Connor was assigned to the Washington Field Office (WFO) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). He has been serving on the JTTF for 19 years and has investigated cases of both Domestic and International Terrorism.