Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/policefire/)
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Feb. 16: An officer spotted a vehicle traveling at 45 mph in a 30 zone on Common Street. The vehicle then made a right on a red at a no turn on red intersection. Officer Colton Bailey pulled the vehicle over and discovered the driver had a warrant for driving on a suspended license — a subsequent offense.
Watertown will cancel the contract with Flock Safety to install license plate reading cameras in the City, and City Manager George Proakis told the City Council he wants to continue to have discussions about when it is appropriate for the Watertown Police to use technology in its investigations. The City signed a contract last year with Flock with plans to install eight cameras. Proakis announced the end of the contract at the Jan. 27 City Council meeting, but said he would like the City Council to discuss use of technology by the Watertown Police Department. The cameras became a topic of discussion in recent months as more communities install them, and others have removed them due to concerns about how the data collected by the cameras is being used, and who has access to it.
Watertown firefighters put out a fire in a chimney on Mt. Auburn Street. (Photo from the Watertown Fire Department)
The Watertown Fire Department used special equipment to battle a fire that started in a chimney on Sunday on Mt. Auburn Street, and also sent out a warning for residents with fireplaces. The WFD sent out the following announcement on social media:
This morning companies extinguished a chimney fire on Mount Auburn Street.
Members of the Watertown Police Department discussed different technology used by the WPD, including a proposal to use the Flock Safety cameras. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
A room full of residents expressed their concerns about the Watertown Police Department’s proposed use of Flock Safety cameras in town, with the biggest issues about how the images collected by the license plate capturing system would be used outside Watertown and who would have access. As the debate over whether cameras should be used in the City, legislation at the state level could help reduce concerns. The Flock cameras were one of several technologies available to the Watertown Police discussed during the Tech Talk at Hosmer School on Wednesday night. While body cameras, tasers, an AI-assisted police bulletin network, and other equipment interested the 30 or so in attendance, the Flock cameras garnered the most attention in the meeting that lasted nearly three hours.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Jan. 13: Police received a report of a suspicious car idling on Melendy Avenue. Officer Francis Yannizzi responded and saw the vehicle. When he approached the vehicle drove off.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Jan. 1: A woman took $530 worth of apparel, health and beauty products and cleaning supplies from Target. Jan. 2: A man purchased two shopping carts worth of merchandise from Home Depot.
The Polar Plunge will return to Watertown on Feb. 7, 2026, and the Watertown Police seek to raise even more this year fro the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. Participants will take a cold dip into the mobile plunge tank that will be set up in Bond Square at Arsenal Yards, said Watertown Police Officer Michael Scafidi. “Last year we had just over 50 participants and raised over $20,000 for Special Olympics of Massachusetts,” Scafidi said. “This year we are aiming for ’26K in ’26’!”
The Watertown Police will discuss the technology used by the WPD at the event on Jan. 21. Topics will include the cameras that can take pictures of license plates, body cameras, and more. See more info in the announcement from the Watertown Police, below. Tech Talk is just over two weeks away!
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Dec. 21: A man took $100 worth of merchandise from the Stop & Shop on Pleasant Street. Dec. 21: A vehicle ran a stop sign and collided with a Watertown Police cruiser at the intersection of Bemis Street and Edenfield Avenue.