Past News Stories (*scroll down to see more*)
Walpole Police Nationally Recognized
We are proud to announce that the Walpole Police Department, alongside Boston Police and 32 other departments nationally have been recognized for their implementation efforts by the Community Orientated Policing Services (COPS) for their work in community policing.
See the .:FULL ARTICLE HERE:.
Walpole Police Citizen Survey
The survey that many of you completed in 2014 was published late in the year and reinforces the community's support of the police. Yes, there are areas we need to continue to work on and improve, but the vast majority (97%) felt the Walpole Police was responsive to their needs. When asked how well the WPD does in providing services to the community, 96% answered either excellent or good. The citizens provided us with an overwhelming response, with over 3,000 surveys returned. View the complete survey by clicking on the link below.
>> Walpole Police Department: Citizen Survey <<
Chief Carmichael
On July 14, 2015, Deputy Chief John Carmichael was sworn in as Walpole's newest Chief of Police. Although not officially taking over the department until July 18th, Chief Carmichael was appointed by the Board of Selectmen in a packed ceremony, attended by family and friends, representatives from many surrounding police departments, and many of Walpole's sworn and civilian staff.
Chief Carmichael began his career in 1989 as a member of the Medfield Police Department before transferring to Walpole in 1996. He has held the positions of Patrol Sergeant and Detective Sergeant, before being named the department's Deputy Chief 2010.
Since arriving in Walpole, Chief Carmichael has been involved in the department's honor guard, motorcycle unit, RAD program, and DARE program. Chief Carmichael is also heavily involved in the Norfolk County Police Anti Crime task force (NORPAC), leading numerous successful operations.
Chief Carmichael has been a leading force in proactive policing and is an authority on the illegal narcotics epidemic. Chief Carmichael is well respected within the law enforcement community, the Town of Walpole, and by all members of this department. We know that he will continue to excel in this new post and uphold the virtues to which we subscribe. Please join us in congratulating Chief John Carmichael as he assumes his new role and leads the department into the future.
Change In The Firearms License Reporting
Massachusetts law now requires all firearms license holders and gun owners to reports all personal sales, transfers and surrenders of firearms through the Massachusetts Gun Transaction Portal. See the Firearms Records Bureau flyer below for more information:
>>> FIREARMS RECORDS BUREAU FLYER <<<
Public Safety Announcement About Child Car Seats
The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, through the Highway Safety Division, has recently produced an important PSA about child safety seats. During the winter months, children in car seats are often buckled in wearing heavy gear. However, this could prove dangerous and increase the risk of injury in a crash because the seatbelt is not as close to the child. This PSA is designed to remind parents and caregivers to buckle their children in without heavy coats, and then put them on when they go outside.
Information Wanted On Vandalism Suspect
Sometime in the beginning of January, a gravestone at the Rural Cemetery and the Plimpton Street Bridge were both vandalized. Both appear to be with a gold colored spray paint. On the Plimpton Bridge, it was signed "Golden Boy". The Walpole Police Department is seeking information pertaining to this incident, or anyone who may have knowledge of a person going by the nickname of "Golden Boy".
If anyone has any information please contact Detective Tim Sullivan at 508-668-1095. Tips may be made anonymously if preferred.
Walpole Police Department Report: Strategic Drug Plan
Combating the Abuse of Heroin, Prescription Painkillers and Illicit Substances. This document establishes a strategy for the Walpole Police Department in its mission to suppress drug distribution & abuse. Copies have been distributed to all police personnel, and the Walpole Police Department openly shares its strategy with the public in a spirit of candor, and because we would not be effective without the partnership of our fellow citizens.
The Town of Walpole is not immune from the opioid addiction epidemic. Between 2011 and 2013 the town has averaged 14 overdoses within each calendar year and has unfortunately experienced 12 fatal overdoses, with the vast majority of these deaths being attributed to opiate addiction. In the first eight months of 2014, the town has witnessed 8 overdoses, 7 administrations of Naloxone, with one reported fatality. It is clearly evident that opioid pain relievers are the most widely misused or abused controlled prescription drugs in the Walpole area and have historically provided a gateway to heroin use, which is a cheaper and more easily obtained substance.
Of the fatal overdoses occurring in Walpole over the past five years, the age has spanned from 20 years old to the mid-forties, indicating that education of our youth is critical in avoiding initiation to opiates. Through sound policy and strategies within the Town of Walpole, the Walpole Police Department believes we can diminish drug abuse and overdose occurrences with collaborative efforts supported by the community.
Therefore, we present this Strategic Drug Plan, which can be viewed in it's entirety by clicking here: >> Walpole Police Department: Strategic Drug Plan <<
The plan will remain on the Walpole Police Department website, in the "Programs & Initiatives" section. In addition, as part of this plan a number of initiatives have been made available to the public through a variety of different resources:
Walpole Coalition for Alcohol and Drugs: The Walpole Police Department is significantly involved with the Walpole Coalition for Alcohol and Drugs, which is a key group of community stakeholders whose goal is to prevent or delay initiation to substances and helps reduce addiction. Citizens of all ages are encouraged to view the coalition's site and follow on Facebook at www.drugfreewalpole.com
Substance Abuse Services: Once a person suffering from a substance abuse has admitted that he or she is addicted and needs help, the department can assist in finding a treatment facility. The on-line tool for locating drug treatment programs provided by the Department of Public Health can be found at www.helpline-online.com
Educational Materials: Education materials on opioid overdose prevention are available for free from the Massachusetts Health & Human Services and the Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse at www.maclearinghouse.com
Communicating & Assisting Our Community: The Walpole Police Department uses a variety of forums to exchange information with the community we serve; the most common being the departments website located at www.walpolepd.com and FaceBook Page
Report a Tip or Tell Us About Someone Who Needs Help: Any tip or information can be sent to the department's e-mail by clicking HERE. Tips remain confidential and are forwarded to the appropriate detective for follow-up and independent police corroboration.
Drug Treatment: Citizens in need of information regarding drug treatment may find a comprehensive list of area drug treatment facilities with their addresses and phone numbers at the end of the Strategic Drug Plan, which once again can be found here: >> Walpole Police Department: Strategic Drug Plan <<
MSP K-9 Finds Drugs in Hidden Compartment
K-9 Rocky Finds Hidden Compartment with Cocaine in Walpole Yesterday. At approximately 4:30 p.m., Troopers Jay Vital and David Bouchard (81st RTT) conducted a traffic stop on Route 1 in Walpole. During the stop, Tpr. Vital observed several indicators of possible illegal narcotics activity. Tpr. Vital checked the operator and found that the operator had an active arrest warrant for Trafficking Cocaine; the operator was arrested.
Tpr. Vital then deployed K-9 Rocky for a narcotics sniff of the vehicle and Rocky alerted to the odor of narcotics at the vehicle's radio. Tpr. Vital checked this area further and discovered an aftermarket compartment built in behind the radio. Tpr. Vital opened the compartment and located approximately 76 grams of cocaine. Pictured here is K-9 Rocky and a photo of the compartment with the cocaine inside.
New "Social Host" Bylaw Passed
During the 2013 Fall Annual Town Meeting, Walpole Town Meeting Representatives voted to accept an amendment to the official Code of the Town of Walpole by adding Section 468, entitled "Social Host Responsibility" which was sponsored by The Walpole Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Awareness. Section 468, has now attained the endorsement of the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, with the exception of the recoupment of police expenses at the scene of an underage drinking event. The purpose of this new by-law is to create improved safeguards for our citizens; especially our adolescent citizens, from the issues of underage alcohol consumption and/or illicit drug use and the potential consequences that may follow.
The prohibitive activity emphasized in the by-law states; any person who owns, rents or otherwise controls any premises shall be responsible when an Open House Party (as defined in the by-law) takes place at said Premises where the person knows, or has reason to know that an Alcoholic Beverage or Drug is being unlawfully possessed, served to or consumed by Persons under the age of twenty-one (21) at these gatherings at said Premises.
The question regarding this by-law is why do we need another social host regulation, when Massachusetts already has Social Host Liability Laws? The short answer is to provide awareness, education and less punitive measures to achieve compliance with a problem that is ingrained in social norms. In Massachusetts we currently identify two types of Social Host Liability.
The first version is civil, and basically means that if a "host" which is usually the homeowner, provides alcohol, or the place to consume it for people less than 21 years of age, on their property; and as a result, property damage, injury or death occurs, the homeowner may be civilly liable and be sued for subsequent damages. In short, if a host allows an underage person to drink alcohol at their home, they may be held liable should a devastating event occur as a result.
The second version of the Social Host Liability is within the criminal statute covered under Massachusetts General Law Ch. 138, Sec. 34, which is a criminal charge filed in the district court. MGL 138/34 forbids a person to sell, deliver, or furnish alcoholic beverages to a person less than 21 years of age. For the purposes of section 34, furnish means knowingly or intentionally, supplied, gave, provided for, or allowed an underage person to consume alcohol on the premises or property controlled by the person in charge. In other words, if a person knowingly allows an underage person to consume alcohol on their property they may be culpable of the crime of procuring liquor to person(s) less than 21 years of age.
The problem with the statewide social host law is that in order for the civil liability issue to trigger, the damage must already be done, usually the result of a serious incident perhaps resulting in fatal consequences. From a risk management perspective, the civil liability is reactive to a past situation, and does not allow for prevention, which is vital to diminish this potential situation.
In order for the criminal statute to trigger, the police must establish probable cause that the crime was committed and then execute the appropriate action. To establish a violation of the criminal law, the police must satisfy the elements of the statute, which forbids a person to sell, deliver, or furnish alcoholic beverages to a person less than 21 years of age. As previously stated, furnish means knowingly or intentionally, supplied, gave, provided for, or allowed an underage person to consume alcohol on the premises or property controlled by the person in charge. This scenario may consider the fact that a parent or guardian may be in charge and/or it may be an underage person hosting a party with no adult supervision present. The punishment for a violation of 138/34 is not more than one year in the house of correction, and/or a fine of not more than $2,000.
Experience has demonstrated that the police are hesitant to charge homeowners with violating this law because the furnishing aspect of the statute is difficult to verify. For example, police are cognizant that a parent(s) may allow their underage child to have friends at their home and alcohol is covertly introduced from an outside source without their knowledge. In some cases, the parents may not even be home, perhaps out to dinner, at a movie or away for a weekend. In contrast, parents or guardians should be aware when there are multitudes of underage persons present and kids are bringing backpacks, red cups, staying isolated from adults, and playing games consistent with alcohol consumption. This would demonstrate knowledge of the activity as well as allowing it to occur.
To further answer the question as to why we need another social host regulation, when Massachusetts already has Social Host Liability Laws? The civil law is reactive and does not educate or prevent the activity from occurring. The criminal law is cumbersome, difficult to substantiate, and allows for punitive measures based on a variety of circumstances. The Walpole by-law has a lesser burden of proof; however it also has lesser punitive measures, which allow for education, awareness, and focus on the social norms associated with underage alcohol consumption.
The by-law standard is that the homeowner or host "knows, or has reason to know" that underage drinking activity is occurring on the premises; possessed, served or consumed. If this element of the by-law is violated they are automatically issued a warning of the law for the first offense, and only if the activity occurs again within a 12 month period, will they be cited for a second offense of $150 and any subsequent offense of $300. There is no court involvement unless there is an appeal. This by-law provides the police with the opportunity to seek alternative responses to underage drinking events that merit such a response, while providing community consciousness to the overall problem, with the goal of enhancing the safety of our most influential and susceptible citizens; our adolescent community. As this by-law matures, officers will be cognizant of all of the circumstances and all of the options available in order to make informed decisions in regards to events involving underage drinking and/or drug use. With the support of the community we can make a positive impact and hopefully transform societal norms associated with underage drinking. To see Section 468, please CLICK HERE.
Armed Robbery Caught On Tape - UPDATE: CAPTURED
On June 15, 2013, at approximately 8:40pm a lone gunman entered Dunkin Donuts located at 506 High Plain St. in Walpole.
The suspect jumped the counter before going to the drive thru cash register. He then punched in an order opening the draw. While there he encountered a victim employee and pointed the gun at him and stated he was sorry. The suspect then fled out the rear door in an unknown direction.
The suspect is described as a black male, "caramel color skin", 5'9", thin, 150lbs, wearing an oversized black hooded sweatshirt with no words or markings, black ski mask covering the lower portion of his face, black gloves, blue or gray jeans, black sneakers and carrying a black semi-automatic handgun in his right hand.
UPDATE:
Isaiah Murphy, 23 (shown below), was arrested this week in connection with a string of armed robberies at Dunkin' Donuts shops. Murphy, a former employee, was arraigned on Wednesday, charged with two (2) of the robberies in Canton, and held on $200,000 bail.
As a result of an ongoing investigation, the Walpole Police Detective Division will be seeking a warrant for Murphy in connection with a similar robbery at the High Plain St. Dunkin' Donuts in June.
Boyden Students & Officers Plant "Garden of Hope"
Mrs. Galvin's 3rd grade class at Boyden Elementary School decided to plant a garden this week at the South Walpole Square. The "Garden of Hope", as it is known, is in remembrance of the attacks of 9/11. The students were kind enough to invite members of the Walpole Police Department along, and the officers were immediately put to work with landscaping duties.
Below, Officer John Thayer digs a hole for some shrubbery while a couple of students decide what should be planted.
Unfortunately, our officers don't make very good gardeners, however, it was an opportunity for them to work closely with the kids, and it was a great day for the students and officers alike. After all the planting was over, Officer Hart (below) fielded a barrage of questions from the students, who asked "every question imaginable".
We would like to thank the Boyden Elementary School, Mrs. Galvin and her students for their invitation and for their work on the garden.
Walpole Officers Receive First Responder Award
At last years Night Before the Fourth celebration, Walpole Police Officer Robert Simmons collapsed in the police station. He suffered a heart attack in the middle of the roll-call room, where more than 20 officers were preparing for the event. Several Walpole Police Officers sprung into action and began life saving CPR while Officer Ian Tolland ran down, and back up, three (3) floors to retrieve an AED. That AED was used to shock Officer Simmons three (3) times, and he was eventually saved.
For their work, Officers Manganello, Moses and Tolland were awarded the Massachusetts Police Training Council's First Responder Award today, at a ceremony held at Bentley University. Also honored at the event, were Walpole Police Officers Michael Benner and Luke Parlon, who were instrumental in saving the life of a Walpole resident during a difficult incident last year. Officer Manganello was involved in both of those incidents, while Officer Ian Tolland was involved in a third incident where CPR was used to save someone's life.
Pictured below (from left) Officers Tolland, Benner, Parlon, Moses and Manganello.
The Statewide Advisory Committee for CPR/First Responders awarded these officers, and several others from around the State, with a plaque to recognize them for "going above and beyond their law enforcement duties in rendering medical assistance to a person in need." In addition, they were awarded a service pin to be proudly displayed on their uniform in recognition of their achievements.
The Walpole Police Department is very proud to have five (5) of it's officers recognized for their extraordinary actions in saving the lives of those involved. Pictured below, the recipients with their plaques and Deputy Chief John Carmichael, who was there to pin the officers.
WPD Officers Train For "Active Shooter" Scenarios
Over the past two (2) weeks, Walpole Police Officers have conducted a variety of life-like training scenarios simulating "Active Shooter" incidents. The Columbine High School tragedy is an example of an active shooter incident, where armed perpetrators enter a building and actively kill, or attempt to kill people in a confined space.
The Walpole Police have continued this ongoing training for several years, conducting in-depth training in the schools, using life-like scenarios and simunition weapons. Simunitions are similar to paintball ammunition; however, unlike paintball, officers train using their model firearm and magazines, but the rounds fire a low velocity paint cartridge.
Led by Lieutenant Fred Leland and the Walpole Police Firearms Instructors, officers engaged a variety simulated active shooter incidents. At the end of the scenarios the officers discussed the tactics used, and how they could be improved. Officers had the chance to play both "good guys" and "bad guys" to give them a perspective from both angles and increase the training experience. Training of this quality is priceless and gives officers the opportunity to improve their skills in a safe environment, using the most life-like scenarios possible.
Below is a picture of the training, and shows bystanders fleeing the area, and responding officers covering the hallway while the bystanders are searched. For more pictures, see the slideshow at the top of the page.
The "FBI" Fine Scam
We are starting to receive numerous reports of people falling for an internet scam known as the "FBI MoneyPak" scam.
HOW IT WORKS: You are browsing the internet on your computer when a window pops up on your screen that looks like this:
The popup screen is a warning, and it has the FBI logo on it. The warning says you were breaking a federal law on the internet, so the "FBI" has locked your computer, and is going to fine you. You try to close the window, but you can't. Your computer is completely locked down. The warning says you need to pay a fine before your computer will be unlocked.
HOW THE SCAM IS SUCCESSFUL: This scam is successful for the same reason all other internet scams are successful, a lack of understanding of how the internet works. I have spoken to people who have fallen for this, and they believed this message was legitimately from the FBI because it "looked real". It is important for people to understand that any computer savvy person could make a message like the one above in 10 minutes. Just because there is an FBI logo, does not mean it is from the FBI.
But how did they lock down your computer? Only the FBI would have power like that, right? Simple, you have a computer virus.
Here is an analogy. Your phone rings right now, and a man on the other end says he is an FBI agent. He says you need to pay him a $200 fine. If that happened, you would laugh and hang up on him. Yet when the exact same thing happens over the internet, people pay the money. This is why internet scams work. For some reason everyone believes what they read on the internet.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF: The most important thing here is common sense. Let me assure you, if you broke a federal law, the FBI isn't going to tell you about it over a computer message. They'll come to your door.
Most importantly, the #1 rule of protecting yourself from a scam; never, ever, ever, wire money to anyone. Every internet scam you will ever see ends with the same line, "please wire your money to me". They will tell you a thousand things over the internet, over email, over the phone, it doesn't matter, they all end with you wiring money to them.
WHAT IF IT HAPPENS TO ME?: Turn off your computer. Bring it to a computer expert, have them clean it up, and buy antivirus software for them to load on it before you bring your computer back home.
The best course of action here is to educate yourself and your family. Money sent to these scams; it's gone. These scams are run from overseas, and they purposely have you wire the money because once it's sent, you can't get it back. Your best bet is to report the situation to www.IC3.gov (a division of the real FBI), because they are the only ones who can pursue these cases. Then do everything you can to educate yourself and your family.
Road Trip Video
We posted the article below last month when more than 250 police officers from Massachusetts made a Christmas wish come true for a young boy.
Check out the video of the trip below, it is an amazing video created by Sgt. John Bonney of the Stoughton Police Department. If you look closely, you can see Walpole Police Officers Jim Dolan and Jim Moses, who made the trip.
Due to YouTube restrictions, the video below MAY redirect you directly to YouTube; however, the video will work by clicking "Watch on YouTube". Enjoy.
Original News Story From December
A few weeks ago, we received a request from the Virginia State Police on behalf of a sick little boy in their state. Five year old Nathan, who is battling brain cancer, is a remarkable boy whose webpage can be seen here.
Despite his illness, Nathan and his family collect and distribute holiday gifts to other sick children, and for Christmas this year, Nathan wanted more than anything to get Christmas cards from police officers. So, the Virginia State Police sent out a call for help to see if any police departments would send Nathan a card, or a photo for the holidays.
Many departments, including Walpole, participated. However, rather than mail the cards to Nathan, they are going to hand-deliver them today. Right now, hundreds of police officers from all over New England are in a giant police convoy of more than 94 police cruisers. They are on their way to visit Nathan and give him his present in person. Right now, they are passing Hershey Pennsylvania, and as you can see from the photos, there are a lot of them. The lights in the photo go as far as the eye can see, and they are all police cars headed to see Nathan.
Officers Jim Dolan and Jim Moses are representing Walpole in the convoy, and are going down to let Nathan know that everything he does for others, even while sick, is inspiring for us all.
Walpole Fares Well In Blizzard '13
Walpole did pretty well over the weekend considering Massachusetts had two (2) feet of snow dumped on it in a 24-hour period. The Blizzard of 2013 was handled in stride, with very few power outages, and no requests for shelter.
It was comparatively quiet from the police side of things. Say what you will about the Governor's driving ban, but we only had a single motor vehicle crash during the entire storm. Even minor snow storms typically generate a lot of calls for crashes or cars off the road. We did get quite a few calls about the driving ban, however, it is better to field phone calls than respond to crashes.
As for police calls, obviously our call volume was higher than normal. We received more calls during the storm than we had during any single day in 2013. During the height of the storm, we were receiving calls roughly every 3 minutes, with the busiest times being 2pm and 8pm on Friday. Most of these calls were informational in nature, however, we did receive several medicals during the storm, several requests to check on people's well-being, and a few trees down. On the whole, Walpole residents played it smart, and hunkered down for the night.
All the officers and dispatchers who worked during the storm should be commended for their dedication and hard work. In fact, the same goes for all Town departments who handled their rolls perfectly during a historic storm.
In between their calls, we asked a few officers to document the storm using their cameras, and you can see a few great photos by Officer Thayer in the slideshow above. Officer Thayer also knows the golden rule of policing, when they ask you to go document how much snow we received, it's the new guy that has to climb the snow bank, not you.
Below, Officer Crown scientifically measures the snow depths in Walpole, his report was "we got a lot".
Are You Missing Packages Sent Via U.S. Mail?
As a result of a joint investigation between the United States Postal Service Inspector General's Office and the Walpole Police Department, a part time postal employee was arrested for tampering with packages and stealing the contents, including numerous gift cards (pictured below).
The suspect would target expensive items, such as iPhone's, GPS systems, Amazon Kindle's, and the above mentioned gift cards that passed through the post office where she worked.
If you mailed one of these items, or were expecting to receive one of these items via the U.S. Mail, and are currently missing your packages, please contact the Walpole Police Detectives at (508) 668-1095, and ask to speak with Detective Kelleher.
Another Successful R.A.D. Class Wraps Up
The Walpole Police Department recently wrapped up another successful month of it's popular Rape Aggression Defense class (R.A.D.), which you can read more about on the R.A.D. Page.
The Rape Aggression Defense System is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. R.A.D. is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.
The R.A.D. program is led by Officer Jackie Hazeldine, and her team of Walpole Police Officers, who are all certified instructors. They start off with classroom instruction, and then move into hands-on training with specially equipped officers as seen in the photo below. From left, Officers Lagoa, Thayer and Parlon take a rest from getting beat up.
The R.A.D. classes are held twice a year, meeting once a week for 4 weeks. Officer Hazeldine reports they had another great turnout for this class, and they are working to schedule another class in early Summer. When classes are scheduled, they are announced here on WalpolePD.com, so keep an eye out, or you can "like us" on the Walpole R.A.D. Facebook page to receive updates.
Officer Hazeldine also had some exciting news to report. The R.A.D. program applied for a grant with the Wal-Mart Local Community Giving Program, and was awarded funds for new equipment. Combined with a generous donation from the Walpole Junior Women's Club, they will be able to buy new student equipment for the next class.
In addition, with the popularity of the adult class, the R.A.D. Team is looking into expanding the program to include a class geared toward children. These classes would focus more on "stranger danger" scenarios, and how pre-teen children can identify and protect themselves from potentially dangerous situations. This program is in the works, so keep an eye here for more details.
Walpole Officers Travel to NY for Hurricane Relief
Three (3) Walpole Police Officers spent part of their Veterans Day weekend bringing much needed emergency supplies to the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Walpole Police Officers Steve Foley, Jim Moses (both pictured to the left in front of a mound of donations) and Jackie Hazeldine collected donations from fellow officers and were able to buy hundreds of dollars worth of supplies from Wal-Mart, who also generously donated to the cause.
From there, they joined with Stoughton, Sharon and Brockton Police and were able to fill 2 box trucks full of donations. Everything from winter clothing, to food and water was packed into box
trucks, and Officers Foley and Moses took the road trip down to Staten Island with several officers from the other departments. The Stoughton Police were able to coordinate with local charities prior to the trip, and once there, they met up and were able to distribute the goods to the needy families still reeling from Hurricane Sandy.
Officer Foley said some of the people they spoke with had not seen any government assistance to date, and that they have been depending on the generosity of normal, every day citizens who have banded together to organize events just like this one. The Walpole Police Department would like to thank Officers Foley, Moses and Hazeldine, as well as their counterparts from Stoughton, Sharon and Brockton, for their self-less devotion to helping others.
To see some of the photos from their trip, simply scroll up and look at the slide show at the top of the page.
Patrolman Save Fellow Officer
CBS News Reporter Jim Armstrong stopped by last night to interview several of the Patrolman who helped save a fellow officer who suffered a heart attack during the Night Before the 4th festivities. Seen right, is Deputy Chief John Carmichael recalling the event for the cameras.
For those who have not heard, on July 3rd, dozens of officers were gathering in the roll-call room for an event briefing before the annual parade and fireworks display. Before the briefing began, veteran Walpole Police Officer Robert Simmons started having a heart attack.
Many officers sprung in to action; moving Officer Simmons to the floor, clearing the room, starting CPR, removing his equipment and running for the defibrillator stored on the first floor of the police station.
Officer Simmons was hooked up to the defibrillator, retrieved by Officer Tolland (left), and a shock was given with no response. He was shocked a second time "and he sat up like nothing had happened", said Officer Moses during the CBS interviews. The Walpole Fire Department Medics were quickly on scene, and Officer Simmons was transported to the hospital. Officer Simmons is doing well, and is back on his feet. An ironic twist to this story is Officer Simmons is in charge of the defibrillators, and responsible for their purchase and maintenance.
Officers Manganello, Moses, Tolland, and countless others are credited with saving a fellow officer's life. The entire Town of Walpole should be proud of their quick-thinking and decisive action, and the Walpole Police Department is grateful for the work of everyone in the room that day.
.: See the story here, courtesy of Jim Armstrong and WBZ-TV Channel 4 :.
Tragedy in Newtown
The events last Friday are sad beyond comprehension and hopefully, as a nation, we can work to reduce school violence in the coming months and years.
In the meantime, I want all Walpole residents to know their police department takes the issue of school safety to heart. We work with School Superintendent Lynch, the principals, and all the staff on a regular basis to share ideas and concerns. We are here as a resource to our community so please do not hesitate to call with concerns of public safety.
We are including some tips below as one resource to help parents talk to their children about this tragedy. The Walpole Schools have this, and other resources, on their web page which can be found at the following link: www.walpole.k12.ma.us.
Schools are still the safest place for children but we need to continue work together to make them even safer. Thank you.
Richard B. Stillman
Chief of Police
Talking With Your Children About Traumatic Events
Here are some tips for talking with your children when they have witnessed or heard about traumatic events:
Listen to your children: Ask what have they heard about the traumatic event. What do they think happened? Let them tell you in their own words and answer their questions. Don't assume you know what they are feeling or what their questions will be. The easiest way to have this conversation might be while they are engaged in an activity: drawing, sitting on a swing, or driving with you in the car. Details that may be obvious to adults may not be to children. For example a child may see a school shooting on television and assume it happened in his or her neighborhood not hundreds of miles away. Be truthful but don't tell them more information than they can handle for their age.
Focus on their safety: Once you understand their perception of the traumatic event, be clear that you will keep them safe and let them know adults (school, police, etc.) are working hard to make sure they will stay safe. School age children may be assured to know the shooter or persons responsible for this tragedy are dead or have been arrested and do not present a danger to your child or his or her school.
Pay attention to your reactions: Your children will be watching you carefully and taking their cues from you. If you can manage your anxiety about the traumatic event your children will be more easily reassured.
Monitor your child's access to media: It will help if young children do not watch news reports or see the front page of the newspaper. Young children who watch a traumatic event on the TV news may think the event is still ongoing or happening again.
Watch for behavior changes: Your children may show you through their behavior they are still struggling with what they have heard or seen. They may have physical complaints or regressive behaviors often including nightmares, insomnia or bed wetting. They may feel guilty that they are responsible for the event, and need to be reassured that they are not responsible.
Maintain your routines: Sticking to your daily structure of activities: mealtimes, bedtime rituals, etc. reduces anxiety and helps children feel more in control.
Keep the door open: Encourage your children to come to you with any questions or concerns and do not assume the questions will stop after a few days. Let them know their fears and questions are normal and you will always make time for them. Remind them all questions are welcome.
Consider this a teachable moment: For older children this traumatic event may lead to a discussion about ways they can help others who have experienced a tragedy. You can also ask them if they know how to keep themselves safe when they are away from home. Traumatic events make us feel like we have lost control so any constructive activities we engage in make us feel less vulnerable.
Website for Help with Substance Abuse
Part of our duties in the enforcement of drug laws includes education, prevention, treatment and enforcement mechanisms. Treatment is an important component of diminishing drug use and ancillary crime, so we thought it would be a good idea to put this fantastic website up as a resource for individuals or families to seek treatment.
The Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline provides free and confidential information and referrals for alcohol and other drug abuse problems and related concerns. The Helpline is committed to linking consumers with comprehensive, accurate, and current information about treatment and prevention services throughout Massachusetts.
Click the link below to visit the website:
Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Website
Students Taught About Alcohol
Members of the Walpole Police Department taught Walpole's 8th Grade Students about the effects and dangers of alcohol last week. Using a curriculum created by the Walpole Coalition for Alcohol & Drug Awareness, students were taught about the age of onset, the effects of alcohol, and the consequences of using alcohol. They were also given valuable lessons like how to spot and avoid peer pressure.
Students were given a chance to experience the effects of alcohol first hand, as they tested out "beer goggles" which simulate the intoxicating feelings of alcohol. In the photograph above, Deputy Chief John Carmichael and Patrolman John Thayer have students perform some simple tasks with the "beer goggles" on, or at least they attempt the tasks. These exercises give the students a respect for just how dangerous alcohol impairment can be.
Rash of Car Breaks
During the month of October twelve (12) vehicles were reportedly broken in to, and items stolen from cars parked right in people's driveways. Items that are commonly stolen are change, sunglasses and electronics; like laptops and GPS systems.
Of the twelve (12) vehicles, none were reportedly locked, and none were damaged to gain entry. In addition, these types of crimes generate very little eye-witness information, making investigating the crimes very difficult.
The moral of the story here; crime prevention is the best weapon to fight crimes like this. Car breaks are a crime of opportunity. History tells us that the culprits are not career criminals with the desire to smash windows or the skill to "slim-jim" your locks. They will select the easy, unlocked, targets and pass by the locked ones.
The Walpole Police Department responds to, and investigates each of these reports; and we have had some success in the past apprehending suspects. However, these cases are notoriously difficult to solve. You can help protect yourself by following these 5 simple crime prevention tips:
(1) Lock your doors and roll up all windows.
(2) Yes, even in your driveway!!! We hear this all the time. Your driveway offers no protection. If a criminal is going to rob you, they aren't really going to worry about trespassing on your private property.
(3) Don't keep valuables in your car. Bring your laptops inside at night, or at the very least don't leave anything out in the open.
(4) Be wary of people roaming the neighborhood. We have reports of past suspects using trash day as a cover for roaming neighborhoods. If they are spotted, they can just say they were collecting cans or something. Report any suspicious activity in your neighborhood to the police.
(5) Lock your doors and roll up all windows.
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy hit Walpole on Monday, causing a variety of problems and an increase in activity for Town departments. In anticipation for the storm, the Emergency Operations Center was staffed with representatives from each department to help coordinate responses, and extra staff was called in for essential personnel (i.e. police, fire, dpw).
All-in-all it was a smooth operation. The police department alone fielded more than 200 telephone calls (33 of which were 911). These calls generated more than 60 unique incidents during the storms busiest period from 8am to 8pm. Calls came in rather steadily throughout the day until about 3pm when the call volume skyrocketed to about 30 calls per hour. When you consider the average call is a little more than 1 minute in length, that means calls were pretty much non-stop during this hour.
The majority of the calls were the basic storm damage; trees down, wires down etc. Washington Street, in South Walpole, experienced the most wide-spread outages as a transformer came crashing to the ground in flames at roughly 3:30pm. A large section of Washington St. had to be shut down to traffic, and an even larger section of the power grid had to be shut-off so the electric company could solve the problem. Below you can see the transformer burning in the background as Officer Moses braves the weather to stop traffic.
You can check out a few more photos in the slideshow at the top of the page. A round of applause should go out to all the members of the various town departments, who spent all day and night bouncing from call-to-call to check downed wires, protect the motoring public, and clearing trees from the road. Police, Fire, and all the various Public Works crews worked tirelessly to keep Walpole in pretty great shape.
Sobriety Checkpoint
The Walpole Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police conducted a Sobriety Checkpoint this weekend along Route 1 in Walpole (pictured below).
The purpose of the checkpoint is to "further educate the motoring public and strengthen the public's awareness to the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways."
The sobriety checkpoint was a success, resulting in eight (8) arrests for OUI while promoting, and stressing the importance of keeping our roads safe from impaired drivers.
Walpole Coalition for Alcohol & Drug Awareness
The Walpole Recreation Department was kind enough to invite over members of the Walpole Police Department for a little photo-op to promote the Walpole Coalition for Alcohol & Drug Awareness.
The program involves a number organizations around town, who have come together to tackle the problem of underage drinking and drug use. As part of the program, the Recreation Department holds a variety of events where kids get a chance to interact with members of the Walpole Police Department (and destroy them in dodgeball games). Take a look at the slide-show above and you will see some good examples. However, it is events and interactions like these that allow members of the Recreation Department, Police Department and many other involved groups, to build relationships and create an atmosphere for learning about the dangers of substance abuse.