Child Abduction Response Team adds Boardman officers

staff report

BOARDMAN — Eight police officers, the social services manager and four chaplains from the Boardman Police Department have been assigned to join Sheriff Randall Wellington’s new regional Child Abduction Response Team, Patrick J. Berarducci, township police chief, has announced.

The team’s purpose is to provide a rapid response anywhere in the region should a child be abducted. Rapid search and rescue response is critical because an abductor intending to kill a child generally commits the murder within three hours after the abduction, Berarducci said.

The Boardman officers will be led by Capt. Jack Nichols, a 30-year police veteran and a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Others assigned to undergo training and join the CART team are Sgts. Glen Riddle and Charles Hillman; Detectives Gerry Kaminski, Richard Romeo and Doug Flara; canine officers Brian Cioni and Daryn Tallman and their dogs, Robbie and Yuma; and Jennifer Gray, social services manager in the family services unit.

Also assigned are the Revs. Ash Welch of Boardman United Methodist Church, Robert Quaintance of Good Hope Lutheran Church, David Joachim of Westminster Presbyterian Church and Lori Valenzisi of Bridge of Hope Lutheran Church.

The township fire and road departments will also work with the team when it is activated for an incident in Boardman.