Longboat hires part-time police officer

The sunny weather motivated John Michael Bobianski and his family to move from Massachusetts to Longboat Key.

But it was the lure of getting back into law enforcement that drew Bobianski, a veteran police officer, out of retirement and into a part-time position with the Longboat Key police force.

“I’ve worked for police since I have been 19 years old,” said Bobianski, 55, a native of Springfield, Mass., where he was a member of that city’s police department for 33 years. “It gets in your blood,” he said.

Bobianski became the newest member of the Longboat Key police force when he was sworn in Wednesday by Police Chief Pete Cumming.

“He has exceptional qualifications,” Cumming said of his new hire. “We have a growing community and he was best suited for the job.”

Bobianski’s hiring also coincides with the start of the season, when the population of Longboat triples.

Bobianski, a resident of Longboat since January, will work 24 hours a week. With his hiring, Longboat’s police force now has one part-time officer, 18-full time officers, and one volunteer who serves mostly as a boat patrolman.

He retired as a lieutenant with the Major Crimes Investigative Unit of the Springfield, Mass.  police department earlier this year. He has also served as the department’s Tactical Response Team Leader, Training Supervisor and a firearms instructor. He completed crossover police certification at the Law Enforcement Academy at St. Petersburg College and has passed the Florida Law Enforcement Exam.

"We love the small town feel and the fantastic beaches," he said. "Most surprising is how empty the beaches are, but the traffic congestion during the season is very surprising."

Bobianski and his wife, Katy, are the parents of three children; Megan, 28, who lives in Osprey; Ryan, 25, of Longboat, and Kacie, 24, also of Longboat. The Bobianskis also have a grandson, Christopher, 

“He is the light of our lives,” Bobianski said of his grandson.