Saugus PD fully staffed

SAUGUS – With Sgt. John Coburn back on duty the Police Department is at a level it hasn’t seen in quite some time – no one is out on injury duty.”We have a full compliment,” said Town Manager Andrew Bisignani. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that.”Lt. Mike Annese said Coburn came back to work Wednesday and with Richard Brunelle retiring it put the department back in the pink. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a manpower shortage, however, the department is still down roughly 10 officers but those who are on the job are on the job.”It’s not like a few years ago when we had 10 or 11 people out, that was awful, but it’s good to have everyone back,” Annese said.After eight and half months Coburn said he is thrilled to be back on the job.Coburn was in the midst of booking an out of control suspect last December when he had a cardiac episode that left him unconscious with no pulse and not breathing. Fortunately he was not alone in the booking room and quick thinking by his colleagues saved his life. Not only did the entire on duty Police Department pitch in with CPR but nearby firefighters, who double as trained Emergency Medical Technicians also jumped in to save a man they consider one of their own.Coburn said Thursday it was their quick action that not only saved his life but also resulted in his now perfect health.”I had a quadruple bypass after that,” he said. “They had to perform CPR for 13 minutes but I have absolutely no heart damage.”Officers such as Sgt. Leonard Campanello, who is now a lieutenant, Sgt. Anthony LoPresti, newly promoted Sgt. David Gecoya, along with patrolman Michael Richards and several firefighters all performed such textbook CPR it left no lingering damage to his heart.Bisignani said Coburn could have used the heart attack as his ticket to early retirement but he was glad to see him back.”It’s an inspiration,” he said. “It sends a great message.”Coburn said at age 51, “I’ll be 52 next week,” he is simply too young to retire.”I feel great and I have a young family to look after,” he said. “It’s great to be back. I’ll only say I was out for eight and half months and I was in for 15 minutes and felt like I was only gone a day.”