Middleborough police mourning loss of officer to metastatic cancer

MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass. (WLNE) — The Middleborough Police Department announced they’re mourning the loss of one of their officers.

According to the department, Lt. Angelo AJ Lapanna III passed away Sunday after more than two years battling stage-four metastatic head and neck cancer. He was 48-years-old.

Officials said Lapanna joined the Middleborough Police Department in July of 2001 as a patrol officer.

In 2019 he was promoted to sergeant and served in that role until he was promoted to lieutenant in August of this year.

Lt. Lapanna also served a 23-year-long career in the Army National Guard; with 10 years in the Military Police and 13-years as a Green Beret.

He also served two combat tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal.

“Lieutenant Lapanna dedicated more than 22 years to the department, serving and protecting the Middleborough community. We thank him and his family for his dedication and sacrifice,” Middleborough Police Chief Joseph Perkins said.