Three new Dartmouth police officers sworn in

The Dartmouth Police Department has added three new officers to its ranks.

At the Feb. 25 Select Board meeting, officers Clifford Merchant, Christopher McLaughlin-Sniger, and Stacy Neronha were officially sworn in to their new positions. The new officers all graduated from the Plymouth Police Academy on Feb. 22.

“We wish you all the best, but more importantly, we wish you to be safe out there,” said Select Board Chairman Shawn McDonald. “We will support you in any way we can. We will support you all of the time.”

Both Merchant and McLaughlin-Sniger are Dartmouth High grads. Merchant was raised in Dartmouth, while Christopher has been a town resident since 2004.

McLaughlin-Sniger holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Bridgewater State University, and is a mixed martial arts fighter when he’s not on the job. He set a record at the Plymouth Police Academy for the most number of pushups at 119.

Merchant graduated with a criminology and criminal justice degree from UMass Boston, and served in the U.S. Army. During his time at the Plymouth Police Academy, he made a name for himself in both academics and his physical fitness in the rope climb.

Neronha holds a master’s degree in environmental policy management from the American Military University, and is a sergeant in the Massachusetts National Guard. The former corrections officer also set a record during training for the most pull-ups at 11 during her PT evaluation.

The police department also added a new special police officer to its ranks: Marc Maynard. After 26 years of service, Maynard retired in Dec. 2018.