Police/Fire

Watertown Man Arrested for Wearing ‘Ammo Belt’ on MBTA Bus

By |

The \”ammo belt\” worn by a Watertown man, and which landed him in hot water. Boston Police arrested a Watertown man after he boarded an MBTA bus wearing a what appeared to be a strip of ammunition around his waist. On Friday at about 4:20 p.m police responded to a bus that pulled over at Cambridge and Harvard streets in Brighton, according to the Boston Police Department’s website, BPDNews.com. {See and update on the case by clicking here}. “Officers learned that the driver had pulled the bus over as passengers began calling 911 when a male suspect boarded the bus with what appeared to be military grade ammunition strapped around his waist,” said the police report.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Attacks 2 Police Officers, Shoplifters Try to Take Big Items from Target

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
June 29, 10:01 p.m.: A motor vehicle accident occurred on Landon Avenue and when police arrived they detected an odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath. The driver suffered injuries and was taken to Mount Auburn Hospital for treatment. Police later discovered the driver had prescriptions pills. The 54-year-old Watertown woman was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving under the influence of drugs.

Around Town

Local Reporter Gets Award for Piece on Fire that Killed Fire Lt. Ed Walsh

By |

A radio report on the fire that killed two Boston firefighters, including Watertown native Ed Walsh, won a national award, and was made by a local man. 

WBUR’s Bruce Gellerman – who lives in Watertown – won first place in the PRNDI (Public Radio News Director Incorporated) Awards in the Nationally Edited Breaking News category. His story, “Two Boston Firefighters Die In Nine-Alarm Blaze,” chronicled the deadly Back Bay fire that killed Boston Fire Lt. Ed Walsh and Firefighter Michael Kennedy in March 2014. Listen to the story by clicking here. While Walsh worked in Boston, he was laid to rest and honored in his hometown of Watertown with great fanfare. Thousands of firefighters gathered in Watertown, shutting down Main Street for the wake and funeral (see photos here). The PRNDI awards recognize excellent journalism produced in 2014 in new arts and sports feature categories as well as or multimedia, nationally edited, and student work.

Police/Fire

Pregnant Woman Struck by Car While Crossing Mt. Auburn St.

By |

A pregnant woman went to hospital after being struck by a car while crossing Mt. Auburn Street. 

The incident occurred in front of the St. James Armenian Church near School Street on June 24 shortly before 8 p.m., said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. “The 26-year-old female had just gotten off the bus and was crossing in the crosswalk when she was struck by a motor vehicle operated by a 19-year-old male from Waltham,” Lawn said. Watertown Firefighters and EMTs responded to the incident and treated the woman, said Deputy Fire Chief Bob Quinn.

Government

LETTER: Former Council President Reacts to Firefighter Contract Dispute

By |

Editor,

I am writing regarding the Bullet Points [see below for full text] presented by the Town Manager, on June 9, 2015, that was clearly crafted by Kopelman and Paige and accepted by eight of nine of the Watertown’s Town Council regarding the role of the Council. Clearly the Town Council is the duly elected appropriating body of the “City, Known as the Town of Watertown.” Interestingly, either by omission or deliberate, the Town Attorney, or should I bluntly state, The Manager’s Attorney fails to include in the Manager’s discourse that the Town Council is also the elected Policy Making Body for the Town. It is my impression that the Councilors may not be as knowledgeable of the Charter as one would expect and/or are shielding themselves behind a permeable shield that is easily penetrated. In the many years I served on the Council/School Committee, we provided policy guidance and direction to the Town Manager and School Superintendent on matters of collective bargaining with our valued public servants.

Government

Town Manager Appoints a Provisional Police Chief to Replace Deveau

By |

With Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau retiring, the Police Department will be led by an provisional Police Chief. Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced last week that he has appointed Capt. Raymond DuPuis to serve as provisional chief until a new one is appointed. DuPuis will start his new role on July 8. DuPuis has been in the department since 1983 and was in the same Police Academy class as Deveau. Currently, DuPuis is one of two captains on the Watertown Police Department and leads the bureau of field operations.He oversees the Patrol and Traffic Divisions as well as the Public Safety Dispatchers.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Two Teenage Girls Attack Counselor at Target and More

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
June 22, 6:36 a.m.: Police arrested a man who was wanted for a warrant. The 25-year-old Watertown man was arrested for the warrant from Dedham District Court for a probation violation for a GPS device violation. June 22, 1:20 p.m.: Detectives spotted a man driving who they knew had a suspended license. The 27-year-old Brighton man was charged with driving with an suspended license, driving an uninsured motor vehicle, driving an unregistered motor vehicle and driving with a revoked registration.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Watertown Police Chief Has Some Regrets About Handling of Capture of Bomber

By |

Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau told the Boston Globe about some of the regrets he had about how the capture of Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokar Tsarnaev was handled in April 2013. Deveau said that many of the officers that responded after the shootout got in the way. He also said most were not trained in SWAT tactics, which led to some confusion during the capture of Tsarnaev in the boat on Franklin Street, reports the Globe’s Jaclyn Reiss. When the call went out that the suspect was in the boat, there was confusion with who was in charge of what, Deveau said. Also, many did not have proper equipment for such a tactical situation.