Volume 13, Number 3
Plainville’s Only Weekly Newspaper
www.plainvillecitizen.com
Thursday, Januar y 16, 2014
Roche remembered for his strength, humor Former Plainville police Chief dies at age 82 By Julie Sopchak
Colleagues remember him as a strict man, with high morals and standards, but Last week, friends and also as a very personable family said goodbye to guy with a great sense of humor. former Roche’s never-boring Plainville life’s journey saw him serve police four years in the U.S. Army Chief Frank during the Korean War. He Roche, who even stepped into the ring as died Jan. 7 a professional boxer. at the age of Roche died from com82. plications brought on by Roche pneumonia. spent 37 Roche “We just go way back. Did years with the department, serving a lot of things together,” said as chief from 1975 to 1995. retired Plainville police Lt. The Plainville Citizen
Joseph Aivaz, who started his career at PPD with Roche in 1958, and worked with him until retiring in 1992. The two became fast friends, even taking on a second job together as roofers. Aivaz said his colleague was down to Earth and open-minded. “He was a no nonsense guy,” Aivaz said. “If you were wrong he’d let you know you were wrong, and if you were right he’d let you know you were right.” Plainville police Capt. Brian Mullins joined the
PPD in 1978 while Roche was chief. Mullins said although Roche had a tough exterior, he “expected and demanded” that officers treat the public fairly, and with respect, while enforcing the law. “He was service-oriented long before it became fashionable to be so.” A graduate of the FBI National Academy in 1974, Roche later became certified in fingerprinting, according to Aivaz, the first in the Plainville department to do so. “He was always proud
when he made a case on fingerprints,” Aivaz said. “And he was quite the expert in that field.” In 1955, Roche married his wife, Mary. They met while working in the same department at Pratt & Whitney. “He was a very good husband and a very good father,” Mary said. Mary stayed overnight with her beau the day he passed. “During the night we talked and we got things all settled,” she said. See Roche / Page 19
Students, faculty excited for FIRST program By Julie Sopchak The Plainville Citizen
Plainville High School Principal Steven LePage gave his annual State of PHS report to the Board of Education at Monday’s meeting. Complete with a model ship, explaining PHS’ role as the “flagship” school of Plainville Community Schools, LePage gave a thorough presentation of the school’s accomplishments and goals. He said he did not personally come up with the “flagship” designation, but that it came through colleagues. “It has just built and grown,”
LePage said. Perhaps the most informative glimpse into life at PHS came through the students themselves, particularly those who are members of the robotics program at the school. Currently, students participate in VEX robotics, a small-scale production of robot building and programming. During the meeting, students demonstrated one of the VEX robot creations. Controlled by what looked like an Xbox 360 controller, the robot whizzed around stage and secured a
petition. Through Robotics 1, a new course at the high school, students will build and program a robot to the specifications given by FIRST. “Once everyone realized we’d have to come together as a team, it made everyone really excited,” PHS student John Crowe said. “The purpose of going through the robotics course is to get them involved in the training system set forward.” With much encouragement and by FIRST,” David Gaignard, faculty work, students will now have the member, said. Crowe, who is leader of the build opportunity to participate in FIRST Robotics as Team 5129, the Digital team – responsible for the frameDevils. FIRST is a global competition that builds larger robots for comSee FIRST / Page 6 Coke bottle in its arm, carrying it around. “This is a great opportunity for the kids to learn on just a smaller level and work out some of the kinks,” Mark Chase, faculty member, said. “To get their hands and feet wet and move
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