‘A calling, not a job’

As current and past law enforcement colleagues, family members and well-wishers looked on, Craig Comiskey ended his 30-plus years as a Middlesex Police Department officer.

Comiskey, retiring as a captain, was thanked in a last radio call, saluted by other MPD members, and got serenaded by a bagpiper at a walk-out ceremony held at police headquarters on Friday, May 30.

Addressing those who came to witness his MPD career’s conclusion, Comiskey remembered his late father enticing he and his brother to do chores, by calling it “big guy stuff.”

“Years later, who knew I did big guy stuff for 30 and a half years?” Comiskey said of police work. “Stuff nobody else wanted to do. It’s a calling, it’s not a job.”

When Comiseky began his MPD career in January 1995, Bill Clinton was president, the New York Yankees had not yet started their 1990s dynasty, and the internet’s world-changing potential was mostly just an idea.

Yes. three decades is a long time. In Comiskey’s case, an amazing personal feat spanned the length of his career. He never took a sick day as an MPD officer, even during the covid pandemic.

“It was a heck of a ride,” Comiskey said of his more than 30 years of service. “I loved every moment of it.”

Former Police Chief James Benson “took a chance on hiring me back in 1995,” Comiskey remembered. 

Comiskey called current Chief Matt Geist “a great leader, mentor and boss.” “He continually challenged me throughout my career to make me better than I am,” Comiskey added. “Most of all, he is my friend.”

Middlesex police work, Comiskey noted, gave him a chance to serve the town where he grew up. He thanked his family, and briefly got emotional while remembering his deceased father, who was a more than 30-year borough firefighter.

“I know he’d be proud as hell right now,” Comiskey said. He called on MPD officers to continue supporting each other and new recruits as a law enforcement family.

Comiskey was promoted to sergeant in 2013 and then to lieutenant in 2017. He achieved the rank of captain in 2021.

Geist said it is “remarkable” that Comiskey never took a sick day. “This job is tough on your body, your family, everything,” Geist told Inside – Middlesex the day before Comiskey’s departure. “Some days are really hard.”

Although the retiring captain “persevered,” there was more to his police service than perfect attendance, the chief noted.

Comiskey showed “resilience and devotion” to the MPD’s mission, according to Geist. 

“A police officer always answers the call,” Geist said. “He just went above and beyond.”

Geist applauded Comiskey’s attention to detail and recalled there were times he’d text his captain about a MPD matter at 3 a.m. and received a response.

“He’s been a good friend and a loyal police officer,” Geist added. “He’s never afraid to tell me his opinion on things. He’s a positive light.”

As Comiskey’s retirement date drew nearer, he was intent on sharing his years of knowledge with subordinates, according to Geist, because he wanted to leave the MPD a better place.

“Craig is a great example, I have a lot of respect for him,” the chief concluded. “He’s easy to give accolades to. He deserves them.”

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