Methuen Exchange Honors Police Officers Tardif, Hellman and Pilz

Honored by the Methuen Exchange Club as Police Officers of the Year were Officers Brian Hellman, Shawn Tardif and Kenneth Pilz. They were joined by Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon. (Courtesy photograph.)

Three Methuen Police officers have been named Methuen Exchange Club’s Police Officers of the Year.

Officers Shawn Tardif, Brian Hellman and Kenneth Pilz were honored at an awards dinner last week for going above and beyond the call of duty during an apartment building fire last year.

Just after 2 a.m. on Nov. 12, 2016, Tardif was on routine patrol when he noticed a large amount of thick smoke coming from the Park Street area. As Pilz walked toward Methuen Square, he noticed a Pleasant Street apartment building fully engulfed in flames. He notified dispatch and began kicking open doors in the building. The three officers awoke sleeping residents in the building and one next door and ensured all escaped safely.

“We are so proud of these three officers for their efforts in saving dozens of lives during the fire last year,” Mayor Stephen N. Zanni said.

Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon added, the officers “displayed courage and bravery in making sure that every single person and pet was safely out of those two buildings.”