Commissioner’s Commendation: Officer Thomas Griffiths

On Monday March 15, 2010 Anne Wilcox of the Area B-3 Community Service Office received a telephone call from an elderly female citizen, Mrs. Joan McCoy.  Ms McCoy explained to Mrs. Wilcox that she didn’t know who she could turn to for help.  She had already called everyone she knew and no one was able to help.

 Ms. McCoy stated her basement was flooded which caused her furnace to go out and she was cold.  She had a pump but did not know how to use it and she was unable to leave her home because she cares for her husband who is in a wheelchair and her daughter who has brain cancer.  Mrs. Wilcox contracted Police Officer Thomas Griffiths who also works in the Community Service Officer at B-3.

Officer Griffiths immediately responded to Ms. McCoy’s home to see if he could be of assistance.  When he arrived he found the basement flooded, he waded into the water in full uniform and proceeded to connect Ms. McCoy’s pump.  Only after he had assembled the pump did he learn it was broken.  Unwilling to leave Ms. McCoy without heat Officer Griffiths contacted a friend who is a plumber and arranged for the basement to be pumped out and the heat to be restored. 

Officer Griffiths also ordered another pump for Ms. McCoy which was paid for by him and the other officers in the community service office.  It was later discovered by the Community Services Office that Officer Griffiths had assisted a number of elderly citizens with flooding and heat problems during this crisis.

The next day Officer Griffiths checked each house to ensure that the heat was working properly and the basements were not flooded.

Officer Griffith’s exemplary performance in clearing out the flooded basements and providing heat to the McCoy family and other elderly citizens of Boston is in keeping with the highest tradition and standards of the Boston Police Department.  He was therefore awarded a Commissioner’s Commendation on June 29, 2010.