Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/policefire/page/92/)
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Aug. 6, 5:57 p.m.: A man was spotted in Target taking items and putting them in a backpack. Before leaving he grabbed a bike and tried to roll it out of the store without paying for it, or for the items in his backpack. Security stopped him and found men’s clothing and two prepaid cellphones.
This fall, the Watertown Police Department will once again host the Citizen Police Academy, and residents are invited to register. The 2018 Citizen Police Academy will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 18, and will run one night a week for eight weeks from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Applications must be received by Sept. 10, 2018. Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn sent out the following letter:
As the Watertown Police Department advances its community policing efforts, it is important to have citizen-police interaction and cooperation.
A Waltham man is paying a big price for texting while driving. When he was pulled over in Watertown, police discovered drugs, cash and items used by drug dealers. On Aug. 9, at 7:38 p.m., a police officer spotted a driver run a stop sign on Bridge Street near Bemis Park, and noticed the driver was texting while driving. After pulling the vehicle over, Police spoke to the driver — later identified as Andrew Lam of Waltham — and discovered he did not have a driver’s license, and he also was holding a small zip lock bag containing a white powder.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest
July 30, 12:16 p.m.: An employee of Newlywed Foods on Grove Street got upset when he was told that he would have to change shifts. During the meeting with human resources when he was told the news, the man became upset, raised his voice and continued to yell at the company officials. The officials decided to fire the man, who got more upset. He threatened to harm an employee and to damage the building.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Police Department:
The Watertown Police Department will increase impaired driving patrols on local roads with grant funds from the Highway Safety Division of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). Watertown Police will join local departments across the state as well as the Massachusetts State Police in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization and public information campaign. This year’s campaign will urge drivers drinking alcohol or using marijuana and other drugs to plan ahead and designate a sober driver, use a ride-share service or take public transportation. “Impaired drivers create dangerous situations for everyone around them,” said Chief Lawn. “This grant will help increase our efforts during the busy summer travel season to keep our roads free of impaired drivers and avoid tragedies.”
“Getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, using marijuana or both is one of the most dangerous things drivers can do,” said Jeff Larason, Director of the Highway Safety Division.
A Watertown man faces criminal charges after leaving his pistol sitting on top of a vehicle in his driveway.
Late on the morning of Aug. 5, Watertown Police received a report of a firearm sitting on the hood of a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home on Waltham Street, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “(Officers) located a 9 mm loaded pistol on the hood of a Jeep Cherokee,” said O’Connor, who added that it had a magazine loaded and a round in the chamber. Police knocked on the door of the home and a 15-year-old boy answered, but he did not own the pistol. The home, O’Connor said, is also close to Bemis Park.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
July 24, 2:47 p.m.: Police received multiple calls from concerned people about a man who was acting strange and carrying a knife on Patten Street, off Mt. Auburn Street. Officers located the man, who was still carrying a knife in one hand and a kitchen stool in the other. The officers were able to calm the man and he put the knife down.
Watertown Police Officer David Gilchrist did not want a big deal made about his last shift before retirement, so his fellow officers gave him a final farewell via the Police Radio. Gilchrist, who worked on the overnight shift his entire career, completed his last shift Wednesday morning after serving the residents of Watertown for more than 32 years. The Watertown Police captured this moment and shared it on its Facebook page. See and hear it below: