21st Century Policing

OP-ED: Who Gets to Reform the Police?

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“Owning your own narrative” is a common expression used in business, in politics, and in private life where personal reputation is at stake. Owning your narrative means ensuring that what is told about you matches the way you’d like it to be told, without distortions, mischaracterization, half-truths, or false perceptions. If you are waging a battle in the arena of public opinion, and others succeed in owning your narrative, you have lost the battle. If you are paying even the slightest attention to town politics, you are aware that there is a police crisis in Watertown, centered around alleged racist behavior regarding stops, citations, and arrests. In my opinion — and I believe in the opinion of the vast majority of residents — this is an invented crisis.

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Police Log: Vehicle Stolen from Construction Site in Town, Perfume Stolen from Beauty Store

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

None

Incidents

May 3, 3:41 p.m.: The owner of a work vehicle left in Watertown was informed that the vehicle had been involved in an incident in Walpole. The 2005 Ford pickup had been parked at a construction site on Howard Street on April 30, and the following day Walpole Police stopped the vehicle and found that the driver did not have a driver’s license and it was towed. At the time, Walpole Police did not know the vehicle had been stolen. When they realized it was stolen they contacted the owner.

Police/Fire

Fire Damages Apartment in Large Complex South of the Charles River

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A fire started in an apartment in an apartment complex on Watertown Street on Wednesday, but was doused before it spread within the unit or to other apartments. The Watertown Fire Department received the fire alarm at 1:31 p.m. on Wednesday. The fire began in the kitchen area of a unit in the Watertown Square Apartments, located at 20 Watertown Street. No one was home when the fire began, but it was discovered by an alert employee, said Watertown Fire Capt. Eric Allen, the WFD’s Fire Investigator. “There was a maintenance worker that was on the roof of the building that saw smoke coming out of one of the vents,” Allen said.

Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighter Graduates from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy

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Watertown Firefighter Christopher Filder graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on May 7. The following announcement was provide by the Watertown Fire Department and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy:

Firefighter Christopher Fidler graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy Training 10 week training program on May 7, announced Watertown Fire Chief Robert Quinn. 

“Firefighter Fidler will return to work (this) week to serve the citizens of Watertown,” Quinn said. “We are very excited to have him back.” The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy provided the following information about the training that Fidler and the other graduates received:

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Deputy State Fire Marshal Maribel Fournier announced the graduation of 34 firefighters from 15 fire departments completed the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program on May 7, 2021. Class #291 trained at the Stow campus and Class #BW10 trained at the Bridgewater campus.

Arrests

Police Log: Employee Charged With Assaulting Assisted Living Center Resident, Stolen Vehicle Recovered

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Incidents

April 28, 1 p.m.: Police received a call from The Residence at Watertown Square on Summer Street after management found an employee of the assisted living center mistreating a resident. During an internal investigation on a separate matter, management found a video showing an employee being physical with an 83-year-old woman. Watertown Police reviewed the surveillance video and determined the worker’s treatment of the resident rose to the level of an assault and battery charge. Police spoke with the employee, and as a result of the investigation the employee, an 46-year-old Waltham woman, was summonsed to Waltham District Court for assault and battery on a person over 60 years of age.

Car Fire

Fire Damages Three Vehicles at Watertown Rock Climbing Gym

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A fire that began in an SUV parked in the parking lot of Central Rock Gym also damaged two vehicles parked nearby. The blaze at the gym on Acton Street was reported at 6:31 p.m. on April 26, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “Upon arrival, officers observed a 2016 Ford Edge to be fully engulfed in flames,” O’Connor said. Watertown Firefighters arrived and saw that the fire had extended to two other vehicles — a Jeep Compass and a Subaru Outback. Deputy Fire Chief Rob Iannettta was the incident commander and ordered two hoses to be used to extinguish the fire, said Watertown Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Arrest Waltham Man Who Had an Illegal Firearm, Variety of Drugs

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Watertown Police arrested a 25-year-old Waltham man found to have an unlicensed firearm and drugs. On the evening of April 27, a Palfrey Street resident called Police because he suspected two men had been attempting to break into his home. When Police arrived, the homeowner pointed out two men walking down Palfrey Street, away from the house, and officers were able to stop them, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. One was identified as Ernest Russo of Waltham. “While they were speaking with the two men, one of the officers observed Mr. Russo clutching something in his waistband,” O’Connor said.

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Police Log: Man Scammed Out of Nearly $250K, Shoplifter Caught in Home Depot Parking Lot

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

None

Incidents

April 21, 8:31 a.m.: An Oliver Street resident reported someone had opened a Sprint cell phone account in 2015 in his name, but he did not know about it until his credit was impacted in 2020. Someone got access to his personal information, including his Social Security Number, in order open the account. There was a balance of $376 on it. The account has been closed, and the resident is working with Sprint to sort out the issues.