Police/Fire

Watertown Police Warn Motorists to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

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Now through Sept. 7, the Watertown Police Department will team up with
Massachusetts State Police and more than 191 eligible local police departments across the state to curb impaired driving and save lives. The high-visibility campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, is funded by a federal grant administered through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS/HSD), according to an announcement from the Watertown Police Department. During the upcoming enforcement period, there will be a special emphasis on drunk-driving enforcement. Local drivers should expect to see more patrol vehicles, OUI checkpoints, and increased messaging about this reckless crime. In 2013, there were 10,076 people killed across the country in drunk-driving crashes.

Around Town

Police Log: Car and Motorcycle Stolen, Group Missing 43 iPhones

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. 
Arrests
Aug. 12, 10:34 p.m.: Officers were on Patten Street looking for a suspect in a different investigation when they stopped a black truck. They found the driver had a revoked license. They also discovered that the female passenger had a warrant for her arrest. The driver, a 33-year-old man from Taunton, was arrested on a charge of driving with a revoked license.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Traffic Stop Finds Cocaine, Clothes Stolen From Moving Couple

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Aug. 3, 10:36 p.m.: A Dexter Avenue resident called to report a man who had followed them home from a restaurant after they had gotten into an argument with him. The suspect left the area when police arrived. Officers followed him and pulled him over on Laurel Street for failing to signal when turning.

Letters

LETTER: Former Council President Seeks Alternate Way to Choose Police Chief

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Dear Editor,

During this past Tuesday night’s Town Council Meeting, several Councilors questioned the search/appointment process the Town Manager explained that he favored. Evidently, he stated that the process that he wished to employ is utilized in several other communities. Since the community is well served by an interim appointment , there should be not be a rush to appoint another Police Chief. The vacancy offers the Council the opportunity to refer the matter to the Public Safety Sub-Committee. The Public Safety Sub-Committee can conduct public hearings so that they can hear from the taxpayers and residents of Watertown regarding the appointment process and the qualities they wish to see in a Police Chief.

Government

Selection Process for Watertown’s Next Police Chief Revealed

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Watertown’s next Police Chief will be chosen from among the ranks of the current Police Department, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said when he revealed the selection process. On Tuesday night, Driscoll told the Town Council about his plans to replace recently retired Edward Deveau. He said the town will use the Civil Service process, and the finalists will be chosen using an assessment center as the only ranking device. During an assessment center, the candidates are asked to react to real world situations in an oral exam. “I spoke with the (state) Human Resources Division and the most popular method  used was the assessment center as the sole ranking device,” Driscoll said.

Police/Fire

Watertown Brothers, Brighton Man Busted on Drug Charges

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Watertown and Belmont Police, working with a drug task force, arrested three men on drug charges. On August 7, 2015, Watertown Police along with Belmont Detectives assigned to the Suburban Middlesex County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 31 Thayer Road in Watertown. Immediately following the search at 31 Thayer Road, detectives arrested Daniel McDonough, a resident of 31 Thayer Road, on Trapelo Road in Belmont. At the time of his arrest Mr. McDonough was in the possession of an estimated 3 grams of heroin. Police also arrested Michael Hayes of Allston.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Items Taken from Best Buy at Night, Drunken Man Nabbed at Home Depot

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
July 28, 6:17 p.m.: The state Probation Department contacted Watertown Police about a man violating probation out of Lowell District Court. Officers served a warrant and arrested a 47-year-old Watertown man on Lyons Court. July 28, 8:55 p.m.: Employees at Home Depot spotted a man stumbling around the store and appeared to be drunk. When Police arrived they located the man in the parking lot.

Arrests

Two Newton Teens Caught Breaking into Cars in Watertown

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Watertown Police caught two teens from Newton breaking into cars in Watertown’s South End. 

On July 31 at 12:27 a.m., police received a report of two people walking down Union Street and pulling on car door handles, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “On the other end of (Union) Street officers located one suspect inside a vehicle and the other suspect in close proximity to the vehicle,” O’Connor said. After investigating the scene, police determined that several other vehicles on Union Street had been broken into. The two teen-age boys, a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old – both from Newton, were arrested and each face seven counts of nighttime breaking and entering a vehicle for a felony, two counts of larceny over $250 and one count of attempting to commit a crime, O’Connor said.