PAX Centurion - Summer 2014

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • Summer 2014 • Page 29 Wishing a fond farewell By Mark A. Bruno T he Boston Police Department has lost a well-respected vet- eran. Captain FrankArmstrong has retired after a stellar career. He was well liked by the rank and file officers who served under him. Always a fair man, he was never afraid to speak his mind. Going toe-to-toe with the brass over various issues was not uncommon for CaptainArmstrong. His kindness and self-generosity to various charities he has been involved with personally over the years are a testament to his good character. His sense of humor and friendly smile will be missed by all. He cared for many and helped those in need. I consider him a good friend and will always remember him for the gentleman he is. A husband, father, and family man. He rose through the ranks in a profession that can sometimes be harsh on family life. Having had many heartfelt discussions with him, I could tell you that his family was placed above all else in his life. An absolute true measure of a man is how he treats and values his family; Captain Armstrong is the barometer we should all follow. There are so many stories I am sure we all could tell about Captain Armstrong. I’ve decided to share a few of my own. The good Captain always had a sense of humor. While visiting him in his office over in C-11, I was admiring the mural of the world on the wall behind his desk. I couldn’t help notice something that looked out of place – which looked like it may have been in SouthAmerica. Upon looking at it closer, it appeared to be a picture of someone’s head which was upside down. With a step closer and a slight tilt of my head, I could see it was Deputy Chief, or Superintendent-in-Chief Robert Dun- ford. CaptainArmstrong immediately cleared this matter up by tell- ing me that he and Bob are great friends, but every now and then they disagree on certain matters. He told me when this happens he places the picture of the Chief’s head in another country to show there is turmoil existing between them. He said that when he turns the head upside down there is serious friction between the two; much like you would fly anAmerican Flag a certain way during a conflict I guess! He tells me all this with a straight face and then a smile at the end to let me know it is all in good fun! My next encounter happened at a party the Captain attended after being informed the day before that he had been transferred to Central Supplies from C-11. Most probably would have not shown up after this transfer, but not CaptainArmstrong! He comes walking into the party with a brick of paper and a box of pencils in tow and kindly informs everyone, “If anyone needs paper or pencils I have plenty!” Everyone cracked up laughing! He was so good at turning a negative into a positive. The good Reverend Eugene Rivers and several of his associates threatened to have CaptainArmstrong transferred and he politely told them he wished they would because he had been trying for years to get out! The Reverend stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to say to this response. The fact is, he cared about his neighborhood and the people he served. I have never heard a bad word spoken about how he treated his officers. He would always discuss things with me as equals, never once talking down to me. This to me is what will always define a good leader – the relation- ship he has with his subordinates. Never forgetting where he came from as he climbed the ladder of success will be how many will remember him as he embarks on a new career. The most defining moment in his career will be how he had his assigned officers along with himself at the Boston Marathon tragedy stand guard over two of the victims, Mar- tin Richard and Lingzi Lu, while the crime scene was processed around them. All of the officers assigned to stand watch over these two young victims did so with a heavy heart. CaptainArmstrong, as a parent, understood what the families of these victims must have been going through. Knowing their child was lying in the middle of Boylston Street and could not be removed until all the evidence was gathered was heart wrenching for them. The only consolation he could give the families was to let them know their children were not alone. It was an act of kindness that will long be remembered by both victim’s families, and the Captain and his officers who stood watch. This is the softer side of police that the public does not see. This is the defining moment in Captain FrankArmstrong’s career. He is a husband, father, officer and a gentleman; a real, cop’s cop. A person I am proud to call a friend. Thank you for your service.