Meet Rochester’s Sergeant Catherine Connolly

ROCHESTER — Having been an interim, acting sergeant since January, Catherine Connolly has been promoted to permanent sergeant at the Rochester Police Department. 

At a Select Board meeting on Monday, June 1 Police Chief Michael Assad recommended Connolly for the job and she was instated. 

Connolly said she always wanted to be in law enforcement, but never pursued it. She worked at a veterinary clinic thinking she would be a vet one day, but then decided to go into law enforcement. 

“I thought growing up I'd be a veterinarian because of all the animals that I have,” Connolly said. “But instead it turned into wanting to help people.”

The sergeant began serving Rochester in 2022 as a patrol officer. Before coming to Rochester she attended the reserve academy in 2015, served on the mounted unit at the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department then worked for Bridgewater State University and the town of Berkley. 

As a sergeant, Connolly covers the midnight to 8 a.m. shift and has a leadership responsibility on the team. She is also on the Community Engagement team where she organizes which officers will cover, volunteer and attend public events. 

Connolly said she enjoys the community aspect of town policing. She said she loves that she has relationships with residents and they help the department do their job. 

“I think it's great to have a community relationship with your town to work as one,” Connolly said. 

She explained that many residents watch out for each other and inform the police if there is any suspicious activity happening in town. 

Connolly said the size of Rochester is perfect for her since the call volume is smaller so she can spend more time making relationships with residents. 

“I'm just very grateful that I'm here working in a town that's beautiful and the community loves us,” she said.