Kathrine Alderman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Recently, the Monticello Police Department (MPD) recruited two new officers, Brianne Chappell and Francis O'Connor, into their ranks. Today, we're happy to introduce them to you and help you get to know the new people who will be helping keep our town safe.
Brianne Chappell is starting her law enforcement career here in Monticello. The MPD is her first job since she graduated from the Police Academy at Pat Thomas last year. Though initially from Clearwater and now living in Tallahassee, she wanted to work here in Monticello. She says that the Police Captain here was one of the best instructors she had while she was at the academy, “he talked really highly of this town,” Chappell states. “I also just really love Monticello, it's a beautiful place.”
Though originally working in hospitality, Chappell said that “law enforcement is something
I've always wanted to do,” so she decided to put herself through the academy and follow that dream. The reason she wants to be a police officer is for the people. “I love to be out in the community, talking to people, making people love cops again,” Chappell recounted. “I want to help everybody.”
Her ultimate goal is to just “be on the streets as long as I can be,” though she also said she would love to be a school resource officer one day. She loves kids and says she remember really looking up to her SRO when she was growing up.
Though she isn't married and has no children, she does have two dogs, Bear and Zoey, who she loves and are basically her kids.
Francis O'Connor has been in this business a little longer, 38 years, in fact, saying, “it's what I've always done, and I just wanted to continue” when asked why he entered Law Enforcement. Before moving to Monticello, O'Connor lived in New York and worked in several New York Municipal Police Departments. He moved to Monticello because he had family that lived in the town, “and I love the city of Monticello,” he said. “So this was kind of a dream job for me.” They've lived in Monticello since 2018 and owned their house here for many years, but just weren't citizens of the town yet.
This is O'Connor's ultimate goal, what he's doing where he is now. He loves working in public service and helping people; it's what he's always done and always wanted to do.
O'Conner is married, with a wife and two sons.