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Norwich Lions Honor Outgoing Chief Frank with a Lion

Details: Published: 28 February 2021 28 February 2021

Norwich Lions Honor Outgoing Chief Frank with a Lion

February 19, 2021

By Stephen Flanders

Norwich residents were understandably sad, when they learned in January that Norwich Police Chief, Jennifer Frank, would be moving on to a new job as Chief of Police in Windsor, Vermont at the end of February. The Norwich Lions Club wished to show Chief Frank the appreciation of its members and prepared some mementos for the chief to take with her to her new position, as explained in the following declaration, presented by King Lion Cheryl Brush at a brief ceremony on February 19^th at the Norwich police station, attended by Lions Demo Sofronas and Steve Flanders and by town manager, Herb Durfee.

The declaration reads:

Dear Chief Frank,

At its February 2nd meeting, the Norwich Lions Club took note of you leaving your position with the Norwich Police Department with sadness for our community, but with confidence that you will continue to benefit the citizens of Vermont in your new position in Windsor.

During your tenure on the Norwich Police force you have been a model of compassion and competency for the town’s citizens, both young and old. No one could embody the qualities of community policing better than you have done. We have seen you playing ball with kids at the Marion Cross School, developing cadets to become responsible citizens, keeping the town aware of events affecting public safety through your Facebook feed and through your informed reports on the state of the COVID-19 virus contagion. Your visibility brought comfort to the citizens of Norwich and its visitors.

As a token of our fond wishes and to always have your back, we present you with this lion to keep watch in your office and to ride patrol, as circumstances indicate.

Here’s wishing you success in your new position and wherever your career may take you. We are confident that it will be to the benefit of all whom you serve.

Brush gave the outgoing chief a stuffed lion, wearing Lions Club regalia. The chief, in turn said that the memento was doubly significant, since the lion is the symbol of law enforcement, prominently used at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The memorial cites scripture: “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1)