Revere Police Officers Sgt. Jackie Dean, Brendon Leslie and Christopher Panzini recognized at 40th Annual Trooper George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery

On October 10, 2023, State Representatives Jessica Giannino (D-Revere) and Jeffrey Turco (D-Winthrop) attended the 40^th Annual Trooper George L. Hanna Awards for Bravery in Worcester, where three Revere Police Officers were recognized. Officer Brendon Leslie was awarded the highest honor, the Medal of Honor. Sargent Jackie Dean and Officer Christopher Panzini were awarded Medals of Valor. Sgt. Dean was unable to attend.

The Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery is an annual award ceremony named after Trooper George L. Hanna, who lost his life serving the Commonwealth on February 26, 1983. Trooper Hanna began his career on October 15, 1974, and served for nearly 10 years with the Massachusetts State Police. On Saturday, February 26, 1983, Trooper Hanna conducted a motor vehicle stop in the town of Auburn. Three men and two women were in the vehicle, and when Trooper Hanna removed the occupants for questioning, he was instantaneously shot six times by one of the male suspects. He died later that evening in a Worcester hospital, leaving behind his wife, Marilyn, and three children: Deborah, Kimberly and Michael. His three assailants are serving life sentences.

The Hanna Awards, which have been held annually since 1983, have become a symbol of prestige, within both the law enforcement community and the Commonwealth as a whole. It’s an opportunity to publicly recognize the bravery of members of the law enforcement community who put their lives on the line by dedicating themselves to safety throughout Massachusetts. This year the event took place at Mechanic’s Hall in Worcester.

On the evening of Friday, April 8, 2022, Officer Brendon Leslie and Officer Christopher Panzini were on patrol in separate, marked police cruisers when they observed a man acting erratically in the middle of Broadway: obstructing traffic and waving his arms in the air near a bus stop. Leslie radioed Revere Control and was advised that the two officers conduct a well-being check and further investigate what the suspect was doing in the middle of the roadway.

The officers parked in a nearby lot to observe the suspect, who was about 10 to 15 yards away. Using supplemental lights on his cruiser, Leslie immediately observed that the suspect was armed with a handgun. Leslie radioed other responding units that the suspect was armed, exited his police vehicle, drew his firearm, taking cover behind the police vehicle, and issued verbal commands to “Drop the gun!” The suspect refused and continued standing in the middle of the roadway, waving the firearm and posing a significant danger to the officers, motorists and pedestrians.

Sergeant Jackie Dean arrived on the scene to support Leslie and Panzini – working to de-escalate and achieve a peaceful surrender – when the suspect raised his firearm and fired one round at Sergeant Dean in his police vehicle. The suspect subsequently turned toward Leslie and Panzini and began firing at them. Leslie fired one round at the suspect, striking him in the lower leg. With the suspect wounded on the ground, Dean pinned the subject down while Leslie kicked the firearm out of the suspect’s reach. The trio placed the suspect into custody without further incident.

For their heroic actions that day to confront an armed individual posing a serious and immediate threat to public safety, the Selection Committee confers the George L. Hanna Medal of Honor to Officer Brendon Leslie, and the Medal of Valor to Officer Christopher Panzini and Sergeant Jackie Dean.

“It filled me with pride to attend the awards and have an opportunity to thank and recognize my Revere High School classmates for their bravery and valor,” said Representative Giannino. “Revere is so lucky to have selfless officers like Sgt. Dean, Officer Leslie, and Officer Panzini serving and protecting us. Because of their training and quick thinking, tragedy was prevented that day.”

“Massachusetts is home to the best trained law enforcement officers in the country. The Hanna awards is both a time of sadness in which we remember the evil that exists in our society but it is also a time to celebrate the everyday acts of valor and bravery displayed by law enforcement. This year was particularly special as we witnessed three Revere officers being honored in front of the entire Commonwealth,” said Representative Turco.

“The City of Revere Police Department is extremely proud of these officers for their bravery and heroic actions,” said Police Chief Dave Callahan.