LAKEVILLE, MASS. (WHDH) - The Lakeville Police Department shared a touching video Thursday of a longtime officer sending his final transmission after 26 years on the force.
The video featured Officer Antonio Amaral, who officially retired at 3 p.m.
In an accompanying post on Facebook, police say Amaral “meritoriously served the Town and the citizens of Lakeville with dedication, honor, and integrity for 26 years” and “was well-known for his no-nonsense approach to motor vehicle law enforcement. However, most knew him as the dedicated and compassionate officer that he truly was.”
Since the post, hundreds have shared it and written comments to Amaral wishing him a happy retirement.
“As time went on I gave people breaks and they realized that and they have issues, and I tried to help them the best way we can,” Amaral said.
His supervisor, Sgt. Ryan Malteis, was once a rookie on the force Amaral took under his wing.
“Whether it be a co-worker, a victim of some type of crime or even criminal for that matter, he treated everyone with respect,” Malteis said.
Although Amaral responds to ‘Ticket Tony,’ his fellow officers have some other nicknames for him.
“You will always be remembered as Ticket Tony, Officer Amaral, TA, and some other names that the FCC won’t allow me to broadcast,” the video said.
Amaral struggled to put his career into words, but his fellow officers picked him up.
They added, “You will always be called as a friend Tony. You will be missed. Enjoy your well-earned retirement.”
Click Here to watch a video of his emotional sendoff into retirement.
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