Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/policefire/page/156/)
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Sept. 14, 6:16 p.m.: Target stopped a couple who was shoplifting. They were seen taking items off the shelf and put them in the woman’s pocketbook and into a target shopping bag. They stopped the man, but a woman with a baby carriage fled the store and was last seen heading westbound on Arsenal Street.
Editor,
As president of Local 1347 and on behalf of its membership, I would like to thank the residents of Watertown for their unwavering support over the years and particularly the past ten months. Your support helped galvanize us in our fight for fairness. Your lawn signs and our picketing, done respectfully and without incident helped us carry our message forward. This agreement fairly compensates our members for the hard work they perform day in and day out. We are honored and privileged to serve you.
When the Town Council voted to approve the new Watertown firefighters contract the standing-room only room remained subdued, with only muffled congratulations exchanged by members of the Fire Department.
More of a relief than a celebration, it demonstrated the trying times that accompanied the 6-year-plus contract impasse – particularly the 9 months since the arbitration award was rejected. Town Manager Michael Driscoll called the contract fair and fiscally responsible. Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli said he could now vote for the contract because it did not contain a 3 percent raise in years when other town unions took no raises. Councilor Aaron Dushku said he realized the Council’s decision to reject the arbitration award angered people, but he thinks the new contract is fair. “It is a compromise we made,” Dushku said.
Firefighters had to wait more than six years, plus nine months since the arbitration award was rejected, but they have a new contract approved by the Town Council Tuesday and a healthy raise. The amount in the contract may seem much larger than the arbitration award – $4.68 million vs. $2 million – but there are some key differences. First of all, the new contract is for seven years, while the arbitration award funding included four years. The additional years accounts for nearly $2.6 million of the $4.6 million difference.
Police arrested an employee of a massage business in Watertown on prostitution charges.
Watertown Police conducted a sting on Orange Tree Body Works, 220 Waverley Ave., on Sept. 18. They had received several complaints and tips from concerned citizens about the activity at the business. Police arrested one employee after the sting, Bi Ou, on a charge of sexual conduct for a fee. “The Watertown Police Department would like to thank the public for their help in keeping our community safe,” the police said in the announcement of the arrest.
The Watertown Firefighters have a contract after more than six years after the Town Council approved the agreement Tuesday night.
The unanimous vote to approve the agreement negotiated by town officials and the Local 1347 Fire Union comes nearly nine months after the Town Council rejected an arbitration award that would have settled the contract impasse. The agreement covers seven years, from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2016. The firefighters will receive 19 percent in salary increases, but did not receive an increase for the first two years. That is in line with the agreements other town and school unions made during that time. In all the contract will cost the town $4.675 million, said Town Manager Michael Driscoll.
The Watertown Police ended the summer with a chilly bath to help fight ALS. On Friday, dozens of members of the Watertown Police, and their family members, took the ice bucket challenge. The icy water chilled some, but one said it felt nice after being out directing traffic on Galen Street all day. The Watertown Police have one of their own to thank for taking the challenge. Officer Patricia Grady presented the idea to interim Police Chief Raymond DuPuis.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Sept. 10, 3:46 p.m: Target security stopped a man who put numerous items in a cart and tried to leave without paying. He had $320.80 worth of merchandise. The 27-year-old man from Randolph was arrested on a charge of shoplifting over $100.