We interrupt our series on the police station to bring you a story in keeping with coming of St. Patrick’s Day this week. The influence of the Irish immigrant population on American law enforcement cannot be understated. Fleeing extreme poverty and famine the arrivals from Ireland in the 1840s and 1850s found life in this new country almost as harsh. Anti-Catholic sentiment ran high in Puritanical bastions like Boston. Yet, the Irish found a niche in the blue-collar trades and in the ultimate blue-collar occupation, that of police officer. To celebrate their heritage and for their mutual well-being, they formed fraternities and protective leagues. The Ancient Order of Hibernians and Police Emerald Societies and Sons of Erin societies flourished. To that end the music of the tin whistle, the fiddle and the bodhrán accompanied celebrations and events. However, none was more awe-inspiring or emotion influencing than the wail and drone of the bagpipes. However, strangely enough, it is not the Irish Uillean bagpipes that are most associated with police pipe bands but rather their Scottish cousins, the Great Highland Bagpipes.
While larger police departments have the ability to field whole bands like Boston Police Gaelic Column and the Massachusetts State Police Pipes & Drums, Wilmington has relied on the interests and dedication of a few individual officers to take on that task.
The Wilmington Police Department’s bagpipers, retired Officer Paul Chalifour (2000-2007) and Sergeant Matthew Stavro (2017-Present), have taken part in a number of events over the years as representatives of the town and department. Both officers undertook the venture of becoming bagpipers because of both the history and tradition and their own Gaelic roots.
Officer Chalifour began in 2000 as piper in training with the Wilmington-based Stuart Highland Pipe Band under the tutelage of Pipe Major Ken Pfeiffer. His first public appearance for the Wilmington Police Department came in the spring of 2002 when he played for the Special Olympics Torch Run as it arrived in town for ceremonial transfer of the torch. Later that year, he played at the first anniversary of the September 11th attacks at Rotary Park. He went on to lead several Memorial Day parades while he continued to play in the private sector with the Stuart Highland Pipe Band. However, due to conflicting work schedules he was unable to maintain membership in that band and by 2005 he had resigned. He continued to play as the department’s piper until 2007. During his time as a police piper and in homage to his Scottish heritage, he wore the green Balmoral Bonnet, also known as the Tam O’Shanter. Instead of the police hat badge, he wore the badge of the Clan Macfie, his maternal grandfather’s ancestral clan. The kilt was in the Black Watch Tartan of the 42nd Highland Regiment, chosen due to the regiment’s “policing” of the Highlands for thieves and rebels. Finishing out the uniform was a horsehair sporran (ceremonial purse), diced hose (socks) and white canvas spats over black boots. The then French Blue police uniform shirt was worn as well.
After a ten-year hiatus without a bagpiper, Sergeant Matthew Stavro, who traces his Irish ancestry back to 1850s County Galway, began his own journey to becoming the department’s next piper. Joining the Irish American Police Officers Association (IAPOA) Pipes & Drums in 2017, he was instructed by world renowned Scottish bagpiper Dave Methven. Sergeant Stavro has since played publicly with the IAPOA Pipes & Drums at the Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Arlington Patriot’s Day Parade and many other St. Patrick’s Day events. In 2019, the IAPOA was the host band for National Police Week in Washington D.C. later playing at the US Capitol on Peace Officers Memorial Day. Locally, as a Wilmington Police Officer and a member of the Honor Guard, Sergeant Stavro has played at Memorial Day and Veterans Day events. Currently, his uniform consists of the Glengarry Cap, the white Wilmington Police Honor Guard shirt, a kilt in the Ramsay Tartan, a horsehair sporran, diced hose and white canvas spats over black boots. Sergeant Stavro presently continues in his dual role as a piper for both the IAPOA Pipes & Drums and the Wilmington Police Honor Guard.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!
