Police/Fire

Watertown’s First Police Officer of the Month Driving the WPD’s First Electric Police Car

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Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan stands next to the new Mustang Mark E electric vehicle, which is being driven in June by Officer Mike Hill. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

There’s a sleek new Watertown Police cruiser on the roads these days: an all-electric Ford Mustang. The Mustang Mark E is the first EV in the WPD’s fleet, said Police Chief Justin Hanrahan, and he is giving the opportunity to be the first drivers to the Watertown Police Department’s Officer of the Month. For the month of June 2025, the Mustang is being driven by Officer Mike Hill. “It’s sporty,” Hill said.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Faced Real-Life Scenarios in the Middlesex Sheriff’s Mobile Training Center

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Watertown Police Officer Mike Hill looks at the screen in the Middlesex Sheriff Office’s Mobile Training Center. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A trailer parked on a vacant lot in Watertown appeared quiet and tranquil from the outside, but inside Watertown Police officers faced intense situations in which they sometimes had to draw their firearms and even fire real bullets. The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office recently parked its Mobile Training Center on the former Sterritt Lumber site on Waltham Street for a week, so that the Watertown Police could take part in real world simulations with videos while using their own equipment. Lt. Kevin McManus, who oversees the WPD’s Training Division, said having the training center in town allows officers to go through some of the most realistic training while having the convenience of going through it while they are on a normal shift. The training center uses a system created by Laser Shot, and offers more than 600 different scenarios.

Police/Fire

Four Armed Robbery Suspects Caught by Watertown Police

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Watertown Police took four suspects into custody after an alleged armed robbery on an MBTA bus. See details in the announcement from the Watertown Police Department. On May 6, 2025, Watertown Police responded to a 911 call reporting an armed robbery that occurred on an MBTA bus. Watertown Police officers quickly located four suspects hiding in a backyard on Eliot Street. The investigation confirmed that the robbery took place onboard an MBTA bus within Watertown.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Arrest Boston Man for Trafficking Fentanyl

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Courtesy of the Watertown Police Department. Police arrested a Boston man for allegedly dealing fentanyl in the Watertown. See the announcement from the Watertown Police Department below. On April 22, 2025, Watertown Police, working with the Suburban Middlesex County Drug Task Force, arrested Wilkims Soto-Suazo for selling fentanyl to Watertown residents. Mr. Soto Suazo was arraigned [April 23] at Waltham District Court for Trafficking Class A Fentanyl over 36 grams (44.4 grams located).

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Arrested for Having Child Pornography, Credit Card Scam Foiled, Drink Thrown at Food Delivery Driver

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. April 1: Police received a report of a disturbance between a food delivery man and a customer. A Warren Street resident ordered food on GrubHub and when the driver arrived he asked the resident for a confirmation code. The resident said he requested a contactless delivery, and did not have a code. The driver said the resident got upset and threw a fountain drink in his face.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Arrest Man Suspected of Having Child Pornography

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A Watertown man faces charges of possession of child pornography after an investigation by Watertown Police. Police, working with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force searched a home in West Watertown on Wednesday and took Patrick Athridge into custody. Watertown Police posted the following announcement on social media on April 3, 2025 at 12:30 p.m.:

Chief Justin Hanrahan announces that on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at approximately 6:00 PM in the West End of Watertown members of the Watertown Police Department, in collaboration with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, executed a search warrant in Watertown. As a result of the investigation, Mr. Patrick Athridge was taken into custody and charged with possession of child pornography. Mr. Athridge is scheduled to be arraigned later today in Waltham District Court.

Around Town

Local Podcast Chats with Police Chief, the Library Director & a Dancer/Scientist; Also Hear the First Episode of Creative Chats

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Hear about the Watertown Police Chief’s unusual childhood, the library director’s career in books and libraries, and about a dancer/scientist in their conversations with Watertown podcast host Matt Hanna. In “Little Local Conversations,” discover the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Hanna has conversations with various businesses owners, community leaders, creatives, and other interesting folks in Watertown to learn about what they do and get to know a bit about the people behind the work. 

Justin Hanrahan

Meet Justin Hanrahan! He’s the Police Chief here in Watertown. In our conversation we get into his unconventional childhood and how the Watertown community was important in getting him through it, his early experiences in policing from protecting “boothies” to a career defining moment that instilled in him that policing is much more than just catching criminals, his rise through the ranks in Watertown and the shift in culture he’s been a part of, his impact in teaching and training departments all over the state, the changes he’s enacted in his time as chief and the programs and initiatives he’s looking forward to in the future.