From left, Tewksbury Police School Resource Officer Stephanie Casino, Tewksbury Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Reagan, Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus, Tewksbury Police Deputy Chief of Special Services and Investigations Alysia Columbus, Tewksbury Police School Resource Officer James Ryser, and Tewksbury Town Manager John Curran, with comfort dogs Waffles and Pancake. (Photo Courtesy The Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc.)
WAKEFIELD — Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce that Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Patrick A. Schettini Jr. Memorial Award.
The award was presented on Tuesday, Nov. 18, during MPY’s conference, “Challenges and Solutions in School Safety and Security,” held at Minuteman High School in Lexington.
The Schettini Award is given each year to an active police chief, fire chief, or school superintendent from an MPY member district who reflects Dr. Schettini’s commitment to student health and safety, while meeting the complex demands of the 21st Century.
Chief Columbus was nominated by Billerica Police Chief Roy Frost, himself a previous Schettini Award recipient.
“Chief Ryan Columbus is a colleague and mentor to so many Chiefs in Middlesex County,” said Chief Frost. “This is in no small part due to his commitment and outreach to youth in health and safety. Chief Columbus leads by example, organizing numerous community events to build positive relationships with youth. Chief Columbus has done an amazing job overcoming the challenges of the 21st Century related to the health and safety of today’s youth.”
Chief Columbus has served as a police officer since 1998 and has led the Tewksbury Police Department as Chief since 2020. A lifelong Tewksbury resident and graduate of the Tewksbury school system, he holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Anna Maria College. He joined the department in 2000 and has nearly 25 years of service, including more than 22 years in leadership roles. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, where he served as a staff sergeant in security forces. He has served as Vice President of the Middlesex County Chiefs of Police Association since 2020.
Under his leadership, Tewksbury Police achieved accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission for the first time in its history. Chief Columbus has also strengthened community policing efforts, including joining the International Association of Chiefs of Police Trust Building Campaign. He has made officer wellness a priority, which earned him the 2025 Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association Health and Wellness Leadership Award.
Several past Schettini Award recipients attended the presentation, including former Minuteman Technical High School Superintendent Ed Bouquillon, Holliston Fire Chief Michael Cassidy, Woburn School Superintendent Matt Crowley, Billerica Police Chief Roy Frost, former Nashoba Valley Technical School Superintendent and MPY Board of Directors Chair Dr. Judith Klimkiewicz, Tri-Town Superintendent Scott Morrison, and Sudbury Police Chief Scott Nix.
“Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth is proud to recognize Chief Columbus for his leadership, service, and commitment to the health and safety of young people throughout Middlesex County,” said MPY Executive Director Margie Daniels. “Chief Columbus understands the modern challenges that students face and the need for strong partnerships between law enforcement, schools, and families. MPY is honored to recognize his dedication and the meaningful impact he has had on youth in Tewksbury and across Middlesex County.”
About the Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides training, fosters collaboration and develops programming to increase the health and safety of students. MPY is committed to bringing cutting-edge information and high-quality trainings to constituents and endeavors to provide solution-oriented, community-based, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing and ideally eliminating risky behaviors for youth. MPY programming reaches nearly 6,000 educators per year in Massachusetts, spread across approximately 300 districts, with more than 190 webinars and over a dozen conferences and seminars.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth is governed by a Board of Directors made up of school superintendents, police and fire chiefs, and other community leaders who work closely with MPY staff to deliver this mission. To learn more, visit: massachusettspartnershipsforyouth.com.
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