Fire Department

Brush Fire Ignited by Fire Pit Burns Part of an Abandoned Property

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Firefighters extinguished a fire that started on an abandoned property off of Pleasant Street Thursday evening. 

Watertown Fire Prevention Officer Capt. Ryan Nicholson said the blaze started with a fire pit made on a piece of land behind the Launch Building. “It started from careless extinguishment of a fire pit,” Nicholson said. The fire occurred at a building on property formerly owned by Raytheon, but mostly burned a brush and wood covered area of about 500 square feet, Nicholson said. The Fire Department had difficulty locating the fire at first, because it is on abandoned property, Nicholson said. When they got there they had to break open a lock to get into a gate.

Arrests

Police Log: Pair Nabbed With Bags Full of Stolen Cellphones, Clothes

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
July 11, 12:10 a.m.: An officer driving near Bemis Park spotted two people he recognized from previous incidents and noticed the woman acting suspiciously. She was standing in front of Bemis Market and then crouched behind a car and appeared to be attempting to hide from the officer. At the same time a car alarm went off. The woman was seen walking quickly away from the vehicle.

Police/Fire

Watertown Fire Department Douses Three Fires in Three Days

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Watertown Firefighters tackled three house fires in three days, dousing all before major damage could be done. 

The first fire occurred on Saturday, July 16. The Fire Department received a call around 9:55 p.m that there was a fire at a Mason Road home. Smoke was seen coming from the front porch of the home, and firefighters extinguished the flames before they could do more damage. Watertown Fire Inspector Capt. Ryan Nicholson said the cause of the fire was electrical wiring. Fire at the Village Condos
On Sunday, July 17, a fire was reported when smoke was seen coming out of the front door of the condominium at the Village Condominiums on Belmont Street.

Around Town

Kids Can Hang Out With Cops at Watertown Boys & Girls Club Event

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Watertown Boys & Girls Club and the Watertown Police Department are teaming up to encourage youth in the community to get to know their local police officers. Join them Thursday, July 28 from 5-7 p.m. at the Club for a night of fun with the Watertown police force, including dodgeball games, swimming, and a pizza party. Let’s show the youth of Watertown that police officers are here to support them! The event is free for all. Ages 7 to 18 are welcome and Boys & Girls Club membership is not required.

Police/Fire

Man Arrested After Wielding Machete During Road Rage Incident

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A road rage incident took an unusual turn when a man upset with another driver pulled a machete from his car and threatened the other driver in the Home Depot parking lot. 

At 2:45 p.m. on July 11, a man called police to report being threatened by another driver, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The man who reported the incident told police he was being tailgated while driving on Arsenal Street. He then pulled into the mall parking lot, and the suspect followed him. “The victim stopped at a stop sign in the parking lot, and the arrestee drove around the car and parked in front of him,” O’Connor said. “The man reversed his truck and backed into the the vehicle intentionally, causing minor damage.”

Police/Fire

Police Seek Help Identifying Man Flashing People on Charles River Path

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Watertown Police are assisting in locating a man who reportedly exposed himself on the Charles River Path in Waltham in recent weeks. 

Waltham Police are leading the investigation into the flasher, and Watertown and Newton police departments are providing help. Details on exactly where the incidents occurred were not released by Waltham Police. If you have information on the man exposing himself along the path, contact Waltham Police at 781-314-3600, or the Watertown Police Department at 617-972-6500.  

Arrests

Police Log: Delivery Man Attacked, Employee Caught Stealing $12K

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
July 4, 12:08 a.m.: A driver called police after seeing a vehicle weaving back and forth over the center line on Pleasant Street at Main Street. An officer arrived and pulled over the vehicle. The driver would not listen to the officer who was trying to explain why he pulled the driver over. The driver threw his hands in the air and shouted at the officer, who asked the him to stop yelling.

Police/Fire

Residents Come Out to Thank Watertown Police During a Tough Time for Cops

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Some Police Departments in America have had some difficult and testing times recently, but Thursday evening a group of about 30 people came out to an event to support the Watertown Police Department in their efforts to avoid troubles facing other departments. The ceremony was held in the evening sun on the plaza next to Town Hall. Organizer Marilyn Petitto Devaney said that she abhors the killing of black men by police, but added that for each bad police officer, there are millions of good ones, including those in Watertown. “We are here for only one purpose – to collectively say thank you to our Watertown Police officers, and say that we support them,” Petitto Devaney said.  

Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn remembered the five officers killed in Dallas by a man saying he was retaliating for recent killing of black men by police in Minnesota and Louisiana.