ATTLEBORO - Three new police officers have graduated
from the police academy, including one who was at the top of a class of 50
recruits from all over the state.
The Attleboro graduates of the 21st municipal police training academy in
Quincy are Neil T. Bailey, Yuriy P. Bukhenik and Scott A. Gemelli.
Bukhenik was named the honor graduate for maintaining the highest
cumulative average in all aspects of instruction. He also served as the
platoon leader for his class.
All three Attleboro police recruits had been hired from the state's Civil
Service list as reserve police officers on Feb. 18. Before attending the
police academy, the new officers participated in an intense in-house
training program that included instruction from members of the Attleboro
Police Department.
Attleboro Police Chief Richard Pierce attended the graduation ceremony
last week at the Great Hall at Faneuil Hall in Boston.
"All three Attleboro patrolmen did exceptionally well while attending the
police academy and I am proud of their performance.
They skillfully and proficiently negotiated the intense academic and
physical demands of the training," Pierce said.
He said they are a much needed addition to the police department.
The department is comprised of 82 police officers. Seventeen are ranking
officers and 65 are patrol officers.
False Alarm Ordinance
September 14, 2006
Recently, the City of Attleboro enacted an ordinance relative to the
regulation of residential and commercial alarms. The purpose of this new
regulation is to encourage alarm users and alarm companies to properly use
and maintain the operational effectiveness of alarm systems within the
City of Attleboro. This ordinance is necessary to improve the reliability
of alarm systems and reduce or eliminate false alarms.
This regulation governs alarm systems intended to summon the Attleboro
Police Department. An alarm registration is now required for each alarm
system. Each alarm site must be registered by
with the Attleboro Police Department. There is no fee to register your alarm.
An alarm registration form may
be obtained
here or at the Attleboro Police Department.
Moreover, a copy of the alarm ordinance may be obtained
here or at the
Attleboro Police Department.
BURGLAR ALARM REGISTRATION
FORMS
(Please do not
submit information for fire alarms)
Founded in 1998,
i-SAFE America Inc. is
the leader in Internet safety education. Available in all 50 states,
Washington, D.C.,
and Department of Defense
schools located across the world, i-SAFE is a non-profit foundation whose
mission is to educate and empower youth to make their Internet experiences
safe and responsible. The goal is to educate students on how to avoid
dangerous, inappropriate, or unlawful online behavior. i-SAFE accomplishes
this through dynamic K-12 curriculum and community outreach programs to
parents, law enforcement, and community leaders. It is the only Internet
safety foundation to combine these elements.
Since its inception,
i-SAFE America has revolutionized the way the world looks at Internet
safety education. In this day and age everyone knows students can explore
the marvels of the world and travel to the most intelligent realms of our
galaxy on the Internet. But many do not know if students are not aware,
they can become entrapped in the darkest most detestable realms of the
human imagination. Concerned people now realize awareness and true safety
online is not found in software filters - it is found in education and
community support. Educated people realize true education and community
support is found within i-SAFE America.
Recently, Officer Sue Boisse (School
Resource Officer), Officer Thomas Wellman (Dare Officer) and Officer Gil
Bechtel (Computer Crimes) completed an i-SAFE "train the trainer"
instructional course hosted by the Bristol County Sheriffs Office. These
officers will now educate fellow officers and teachers as instructors in
the i-SAFE program. They will also be teaching internet safety to the
students in the Attleboro school system.
Attleboro Police to Crackdown on Drunk Driving
during Winter Holidays
To reduce impaired driving on our roadways, the
Attleboro Police Department will join more than 270 local police
departments and the Massachusetts State Police in the Governor's Highway
Safety Bureau's (GHSB) You Drink & Drive. You Lose. Mobilization from
December 19 to January 1, 2006. The GHSB is a program of the Executive
Office of Public Safety.
"During this holiday season, we'll conduct extra traffic enforcement to
look for impaired drivers, as well as those who speed, drive aggressively,
and do not use safety belts and child safety seats, "We want everyone to
be able to have a safe and enjoyable holiday season with family and
friends."
Historically the holiday season between Thanksgiving and the New Year is
one of the deadliest and most dangerous times of the year on the nation's
roadways, primarily due to an increase in drunk driving. Alcohol was
involved in forty-three percent of the 476 motor vehicle-related
fatalities in Massachusetts in 2004. There were two motor vehicle-related
fatalities in Massachusetts during the two-day Christmas holiday period in
2004.
"To ensure a safer holiday season, we will have extra patrols across the
state looking to identify and apprehend impaired drivers as well as to
enforce all our traffic laws," said Colonel Thomas Robbins, Superintendent
of the Massachusetts State Police. "The public can help us by reporting
suspected drunk drivers with a call to 911 as well as by always wearing
their safety belts - that is definitely your best defense against a drunk
driver."
Recently the battle to reduce drunk driving in Massachusetts got an
important boost with the adoption of Melanie's Law. This legislation
strengthened the drunk driving laws of Massachusetts, especially the
consequences for repeat drunk drivers. Yet even first-time offenders can
be affected by this new legislation. For instance, anyone who commits
manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs is subject to a minimum mandatory five-year prison
sentence and 15-year license suspension.
The Governor's Highway Safety Bureau along with state and local police
provide the following tips to stay safer this holiday season:
Keep your cool behind the wheel: allow
extra time for unexpected traffic and weather conditions.
Obey posted speed limits.
Report suspected impaired drivers by
calling 911.
Always wear your safety belt - it's your
best defense against a drunk driver.
Don't risk it … If you plan to drive,
completely avoid alcohol or other drugs. For those under 21 the legal
alcohol limit is .02, essentially zero tolerance.
If your celebration plans involving
drinking, before you head out choose a sober designated driver or decide
to take mass transit or a taxi.
Never accept a ride with a drunk driver.
If necessary, spend the night where the
celebration is being held.
Remember your liability as a party host
and take steps to prevent guests from drinking too much as well as
keeping those underage from consuming alcoholic beverages. Be prepared
to provide a sober ride, a taxi, or a bed to a guest that has had too
much to drink.
Attleboro to use ‘Reverse 911’ system in
emergency situations
May 2005
"Attleboro residents beware! An escaped convict may be on the loose in your neighborhood!"
Once upon a time an urgent message like this would be
broadcast over a police cruiser’s loudspeaker at the expense of clarity,
efficiency and lots of overtime pay.
Nowadays, they do it with a discreet phone call.
It’s called the Reverse 911 system, and about five months ago, the
Attleboro Police Department became the fifth in the state to purchase
and install it.
As the name indicates, Reverse 911 is an emergency notification system
that allows the authorities to call you, provided your number is listed
and you don’t have a call-screening service.
The system uses computer mapping technology to target a specific
geographic area, affected or soon-to-be affected by a dangerous
situation, then saturates it with thousands of phone calls.
Privacy nuts and telemarketing foes don’t have anything to worry about;
use of the system is reserved for life-threatening emergencies only.
"People won’t be getting called for every minor incident that comes
along -- we’re mostly interested in using it for locating missing
children and natural disasters," said Sgt. James Keane. "Several weeks
ago, there was a rabid fox on the loose in the Handy Street area of the
city. It was out during the day, during school vacation -- it had
already attacked one kid and tried to attack a second. We thought that
was an appropriate use of the system."
In addition to several prerecorded warnings (for emergency evacuations,
wanted person alerts, etc.) the Reverse 911 system can be easily
programmed with custom-recorded messages/instructions.
The system, which is manufactured and marketed nationwide by Sigma
Communications of Indianapolis, Ind., costs $41,000.
Attleboro Police Chief Richard J. Pierce said the department had been
eyeing the Reverse 911 system for quite some time before it received the
grant money to purchase it.
"It was one of several items we could have used state grant money for,"
Pierce told The Times. "There were a number of options but with Reverse
911 we got the biggest bang for the buck."
The Reverse 911 system is cutting-edge interactive technology, but it
doesn’t work miracles.
Although the system was designed to leave messages on answering
machines, it will not work in homes with unlisted numbers or those
outfitted with electronic call-screening systems.
Anyone with an unlisted or unpublished phone number --including new
Attleboro residents -- who wants to be notified if his neighborhood is
menaced by a sudden natural or unnatural disaster, should call Sgt. Kyle
Heagney or Sgt. James Keane at (508) 223-2224.
"This is system we believe will improve our ability to protect the
people of Attleboro," Keane said. "Whenever we see something we could do
to increase public security, we’re going to do it.’
(read more)
Story by the Pawtucket Times
Mass. ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign television ad
Officers Graney and Paterson help get the
message out in the
Governor's Highway Safety Bureau's "Click it or Ticket" campaign.
View Television Safety Ad 6 Meg Download.
Mass. ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign starts
Friday
May 2005
If self-preservation isn’t you’re first impulse, Attleboro cops
are willing to bet that protecting your wallet is.
Chief Richard J. Pierce has announced that the Attleboro Police
Department will be on-board for the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau’s
spring Click It or Ticket campaign, which runs from May 13 to June 5.
"Those using Massachusetts roadways during this May Click It or Ticket
mobilization should drive sober and well-rested, obey posted speed
limits and be properly buckled up," Pierce said.
"We are serious about saving lives by vigorously enforcing all traffic
laws, in particular those involving safety belts and child safety seats
during this mobilization and all year-round."
The Governor’s Click It or Ticket campaign is funded by a federal
highway safety grant, and, in addition to stepped-up local and state
enforcement, includes the distribution of seatbelt safety information
and other educational initiatives.
For example, did you know that seat belts reduce the risk of death in a
car accident by a whopping 45 percent and moderate-critical injury by 50
percent?
Since the campaign’s inception is November 2002, seat belts use on
Massachusetts’ highways and byways has gone from 12 percent in 2002 to
63 percent in 2004 (a record high). Still, Massachusetts officials see
room for improvement; as of 2004, national seat belt usage hit 80
percent.
If Massachusetts motorists were 100 percent compliant, an estimated 88
lives, 6,000 injuries and $660 million could be saved (according to 2002
data).
"Everyone traveling on our roadways needs to always buckle up and stay
safe and comply with our law," said Edward A. Flynn, the state’s
Secretary of Public Safety. "The Click It or Ticket campaign, based on a
national model, continues to enhance our efforts to save lives, reduce
injuries and prevent economic losses from motor vehicle crashes in
Massachusetts."
Massachusetts law requires all adult drivers and passengers to wear a
seat belt. Children who are both under the age of five and weigh 40
pounds or less must be secured in a child safety seat.
For maximum safety, experts recommend that any child between 40 and 80
pounds ride in a booster seat.
All children under 12 must ride in the back seat, away from the airbag.
Motorists in violation of these requirements will be fined $25 per
unbuckled occupant.
Chief Richard Pierce announced the Attleboro
Police Department is again making a training video available to servers
of alcoholic beverages to help them prevent underage drinking.
May 2005
The videos were distributed two years ago and again
are being offered to those businesses that serve or sell alcohol.
With high school prom season approaching, it is a perfect opportunity to
reintroduce this worthwhile program, Pierce said.
The video, "Stop Underage Drinking," was developed by the Liquor
Liability Joint Underwriting Association of Massachusetts (LLJUA) in
association with the Massachusetts Police Chiefs Association. The LLJUA
is a liquor liability insurer of last resort.
"Underage drinking is one of the biggest problems we face," said Pierce.
"By making this training film available to servers of alcohol throughout
our community, we hope to reduce the incidence of underage drinking.
Anything we can do to cut down on underage drinking is a worthwhile
effort and will make our community safer."
The video is designed to help bartenders, waiters and waitresses,
package store employees, caterers and business owners understand the
techniques used by underage drinkers when they attempt to purchase
alcohol. It also explains security features in the new Massachusetts
driver’s licenses that are designed to help prevent underage drinking.
According to Pierce, "The video provides an easy and effective way to
teach servers of alcohol how to identify phony IDs, and it explains
tricks underage drinkers use to obtain alcoholic beverages." There are
currently 50 liquor licenses issued in Attleboro.
Pierce further stated the Attleboro Police Department will be conducting
"sting operations" and checks of various establishments that serve
alcoholic beverages in the near future as part of the department’s
continued effort to stop underage drinking.
For further information concerning the "Stop Underage Drinking" training
video and its distribution, contact Lt. Thomas Dion at police
headquarters at (508) 223-2233, extension 3587.
A Child is Missing
February 2005
The Attleboro Police Department is now
using "A
Child Is Missing" program. A Child Is Missing (ACIM), is a Fort
Lauderdale-based non-profit organization founded in 1996, that was created
because no community-based program existed for locating missing children,
the disabled and elderly during the crucial first hours of disappearance.
Activated only by law enforcement, the ACIM
program now serves the entire states of Florida, Rhode Island, Alaska,
Georgia, Oklahoma, Nevada, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia along
with Boulder, Colo.; and portions of Kentucky, Massachusetts and
California. As federal, state or private funding becomes available, the
ACIM program can be given to law enforcement anywhere across the nation.
Thanks to high-tech telephony, ACIM can
place 1,000 calls in sixty seconds, can process multiple cases
simultaneously, and can work without jurisdictional boundaries. When law
enforcement relays information on a missing child or vulnerable person to
ACIM, a technician records a personalized message with case details asking
residents for help in looking around. Answering machines can pick up ACIM
calls so that residents can hear the alert when returning home. ACIM
success stories abound.
This month the Attleboro Police Department
went online with the FBI to process digital fingerprints. The department
purchased
the
The Cross Match ID 500 Live Scan. The system replaces the need for ink
printing. The Cross Match ID 500 is connected to
The
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, more commonly
known as IAFIS, is a national fingerprint and criminal history system
maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Criminal Justice
Information Services (CJIS) Division.
The IAFIS provides automated fingerprint
search capabilities, latent searching capability, electronic image
storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints and responses, 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year. As a result of submitting fingerprints
electronically, agencies receive electronic responses to criminal
ten-print fingerprint submissions within two hours.
The database, which went
live in July 1999, is the culmination of 10 years' work. However, the idea
is much older. "The FBI has been creating a national fingerprint database
of subjects arrested for criminal offenses since 1924,". But before 1999,
this fingerprint library had been maintained only in hard copy form on
fingerprint cards. That made national searches next to impossible. Now,
searching a set of prints against the 45 million on file takes only a
couple of minutes.
Sex Offender Information Update
August 2004
Due to a recent court decision the
Attleboro Police Department now provides detailed information on level 3
sex offenders that either reside or work in the City of Attleboro. This
information is maintained and provided by the
Sex Offender Registry Board.
the
