Officer Don DeMiranda, (l), Officer Ryan Moore (r)
FALMOUTH – Officials in Falmouth have approved disability retirement for the two police officers shot just over a year ago and are asking Governor Charlie Baker to file legislation that would allow them to receive 100 percent of their pay.
Officers Ryan Moore and Donald DeMiranda were shot after responding to reports of man breaking bottles in the street last July.
Malik Koval is accused of shooting the officers on Ashley Dr. just off Route 28.
Officers tried to engage the suspect and were impeded by two other individuals. The suspect allegedly ran into a nearby home and returned with a gun before firing at the officers.
DeMiranda was shot in the chest; however the bullet was stopped by his vest. A second round hit him in the shoulder area.
Moore was struck in the neck area causing a grazing wound.
Earlier this month, the board of selectmen approved disability retirement for the two officers.
State Representative David Vieira (R-Falmouth), who also supports the disability retirement, delivered a signed letter from the board to Gov. Baker asking him to file the required special legislation for the 100 percent disability retirement.
Town Manager Julian Suso says the officers have made the effort to try and return to the department.
“Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons and different cases, including working with a number of medical professionals, neither one of these two officers is going to return to active duty,” Suso said.
Suso said without the legislation, it can take several months or even years for the officers to receive disability retirement benefits.
He said there is also a challenge to the department, as it ties up a position that cannot be filled with an active duty police officer.
“This would allow the process to be expedited,” Suso said.
Selectman Megan English-Braga said the board supports the officers.
“They performed at the highest level during this event, have done the best that they can to ascertain whether or not they can come back into service, and have weighed that very heavily with assistance of personnel at the police department, medical professionals and their families,” English-Braga said.
English-Braga said the two officers deserve the highest level of support.
“They should have that 100 percent retirement benefit because they have certainly given a significant amount to this community,” she said.
Vieira said the passage of a bill would allow the officers to receive 100 percent of their pay, as opposed to 80 percent if they claimed standard disability.
At the normal retirement age, the officers would get their maximum retirement benefits, which will be a percentage of their salary.
The benefits would be provided through the town’s retirement system.
The language of the bill would be similar to that of a bill passed in December that provided disability retirement for Yarmouth Detective Christopher Van Ness, who was at the scene when Sgt. Sean Gannon was killed on duty while serving an arrest warrant in Marstons Mills last April.
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