Town Meeting authorized special legislation on Monday night that would allow the town to cover the full cost of healthcare for the widow of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty. 

Officer Christopher Argentinis served as a police officer in Wareham from January 1988 until December 14, 1999, when he died after sustaining injuries. He had been involved in a foot pursuit of a drug suspect when he was struck by a State Police Cruiser as he crossed a road, and succumbed to his injuries two days later.

At the time, he was about to celebrate his tenth wedding anniversary with his wife, Maureen, and the couple was raising two young children who were 3 and 5 years old. 

In a note distributed to voters, Acting Chief John Walcek described Argentinis as a “strong man in body, mind, and soul.”

Since Argentinis’s death, the town has been covering half the cost of his widow’s health insurance. The finance committee noted in its recommendation that considering Argentinis’s sacrifice, “it is time to correct this oversight.”