Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

Sergeant Menard has announced an OUI (operating under the influence) mobilization by the Amherst Police Department. The program is being funded through a grant from the Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau, and it will take place throughout the holiday season and into the first few weeks of the new year. This means that there will be additional Amherst Police Officers on the streets and on the look-out for drunk drivers.

The holiday season can be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times of the year due to an increase in impaired drivers. In December of 2006, 1,076 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. That’s why the Amherst Police is joining with national, state and local highway safety officials to remind everyone who will be celebrating during the holidays that 'Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.'

This holiday season, don’t let your year end in an arrest or even worse - death. Make smart decisions. Plan ahead so you can assure a safe way home - before the festivities begin. For more information go to www.mass.gov/ghsb.

Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.

Captain Sullivan to Retire

Captain Timothy M. Sullivan will retire on January 1, 2008, after almost 34 years of service to the Department and to the Town of Amherst.

Tim Sullivan, a native of Northampton, joined the Amherst Police Department as a Community Service Officer in 1974, and he became a full-time Patrolman in 1975. Sullivan was assigned to the Department’s Detective Bureau as a Detective in 1986, and he was promoted to Sergeant in 1988, Lieutenant in 2000, and finally to Captain in 2003.

Sullivan resides in Hatfield with his wife, Jayne, and says he has no immediate plans for his retirement - except, of course, golfing.

Holiday Weekend Activity

The weekend before the Christmas holiday was fairly quiet, with Amherst Officers responding to 149 calls for service. There were four custodial arrests made for the following charges:

• Outstanding warrant


• Operating a Motor Vehicle under the Influence of Alcohol


• Possession of Class D Narcotic (marijuana) and Possession of Class B (Adderol - which is a Schedule II controlled substance meaning that it has been deemed to have a high potential for abuse and addiction despite genuine medical uses including ADD or ADHD).


• Possession of Class B Narcotic (crack cocaine)
  

'Twas the last night of finals…

Last night, the Amherst Police wrapped up a 3-week alcohol enforcement program that was funded by a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety. Due to our proven history of aggressively enforcing the underage drinking laws, we were one of ten police departments in the Commonwealth that was eligible to receive this grant. Officers, dressed in plain clothes, patrolled in teams of 4 or 5 over several nights. They focused their efforts at liquor stores and bars throughout town. This sting operation was very successful. Thirty people are being summonsed into court for a variety of alcohol-related offenses including but not limited to: Minor in Possession of Alcohol, Possession of a False Identification Card, and Procuring Alcohol for a Minor.

How did we fare this semester compared to others?

September to December 21st, 2007:
We criminally charged 558 persons and responded to 5950 calls.

September to December 21st, 2006:
We criminally charged 592 persons and responded to 5978 calls.

September to December 21st, 2005:
We criminally charged 492 persons and responded to 6044 calls.

United States Flag Stolen

Last night, Officer Reardon was sent to a Sunset Avenue residence for a report of a stolen United States flag. The homeowner reported that sometime since Wednesday morning the flag was stolen from outside her home and a note was left behind in its place. The note was left by someone who claimed to be from the “American Patriotic Liberation Front.” According to the note, the flag had been stolen with the intention of burning it.

We have had no other reports of flags being stolen in town or in surrounding communities. Additionally, an Internet search of this alleged group produced no leads. If you’re not on Google, do you really exist? Any citizens with information relative to this incident can either call 413-259-3000 or email the Amherst Police Department. For information on proper flag etiquette, click here.

Captain Michael R. Kent Receives Lamplighter Award

On December 7th, 2007, Captain Mike Kent, a 26-year veteran of the Amherst Police Department and the Officer-In-Charge of Patrol Operations, received the Lamplighter Award from the Campus and Community Coalition to Reduce High Risk Drinking (CCC).

The CCC, which was formed in 2004, is a diverse group of leaders from UMass and the community who come together to make a difference and change aspects of the culture that promote, support, or allow dangerous drinking. Captain Kent is an original member of the organization. When presenting Captain Kent with the Lamplighter Award, the CCC praised him for his leadership, support, and on-going commitment to address these very important community issues.

Captain Kent has also presented regionally and nationally on the successes of the CCC, and he has guided other law enforcement agencies in ways to become involved in prevention efforts.

Captain Kent is pictured here (at the center) with Dr. Sally Linowski (left), the Director of the UMass Amherst Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention, and UMass Chancellor Thomas W. Cole, Jr. (right).

Man Brandishing Sword Arrested

With the help of the University Police Department, a dangerous man who was attempting to harm his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend has been apprehended.

Yesterday, at 4:00 pm, Officer Seymour responded to a South Amherst neighborhood for a report of a man brandishing a sword and threatening the residents of a home there. The man, who is a UMass student and who had fled the scene prior to Officers' arrival, was identified as Lam Bao Nguyen, 22, from Randolph, MA. Nguyen showed up at the home of his ex-girlfriend with the intent to kill her and her new boyfriend with a sword. Nguyen was physically restrained from entering the home by guests of the residents there, but he then used the sword to break the windshield and all of the windows of a vehicle parked in the driveway.

UMPD was notified and they stationed plain-clothes Officers in the area of the dormitory. At 7:00 pm, UMPD arrested Nguyen without incident when he returned to his room. Nguyen was turned over to the Amherst Police Department, and he is being charged with Threat to Commit a Crime (Murder), Malicious Destruction of a Motor Vehicle, Carrying a Dangerous Weapon (Sword), and Assault. Officers searched Nguyen’s vehicle, but the sword was not located.

2 Arrests Made for 2 Separate Burglaries

This past weekend, two men were arrested and charged with breaking and entering in two separate cases.

On Friday night, Officers responded to a North Amherst apartment where residents reported that a suspicious man had entered their home. The man fled, but he was later apprehended and identified by Officers MacLean and Corsetti who were in the area by Big Guy Liquors, on Montague Road, where they were working on an enforcement program to combat underage drinking. Officer Corsetti was familiar with the individual from past investigations, and his keen observations greatly assisted in pulling this case together.

On Saturday night, Officers responded to another North Amherst residence for a report of a male attempting to break into vehicles there. The responding Officers identified the man, who had been attempting to enter a vehicle with a slim-jim type instrument, and he was arrested.

We are unsure if these individuals are responsible for any of the dozens of vehicle and house breaks the community has endured this fall, and investigations are on-going.

One Down, One to Go

Yesterday's snowstorm called for increased staffing levels at the Amherst Police Department. A typical shift has four Officers on-duty, but that number was increased to 11 due to high levels of activity and accidents. By calling in off-duty staff and by reassigning members of the Detective Bureau, Sergeant Menard and his day-shift were calmly able to handle more than two-dozen accidents and disabled vehicles on the roadways. 'The Notch,' Bay Road, and Northampton Road (Route 9) were closed temporarily to allow State and Town Public Works crews time to address the rapidly accumulating snow.

The Communications Center, which is usually staffed by two Emergency Dispatchers, was increased to four Dispatchers on-duty to handle the amount of incoming business, emergency, and 911 calls, as well as the dispatching of both Police and Fire/EMS units to those in need. According to Dispatcher Mike Curtin, the Communications Center handled more than 10 times the normal call volume, and some of those calls to the Center could have been avoided. Many people called 911 to advise that they were stuck in traffic or to inquire about when the roads would re-open. These types of calls came in while Dispatchers were extremely busy coordinating a multi-agency response to the storm and to people needing serious help. We hope that in the future motorists will be a little more patient before calling and trust that the Amherst Public Works and Amherst Police Department are working vigorously to keep traffic moving safely.

The storm that is predicted for Saturday is expected to be even larger than this one. The community is encouraged to plan accordingly and to stay off the roads. Please!

Towing of Vehicles Likely

With today's pending snowstorm, the Amherst Department of Public Works may request vehicles be towed from Town streets to make proper snow removal possible. No warnings will be issued, and vehicles will be towed immediately. While the Amherst Police Department typically tries to warn parking-ban violators for their first offense, this is not possible during a snowstorm and vehicles will be towed regardless of whether they've been warned. This is necessary to allow DPW crews to plow. (Parking violators' vehicles are usually ticketed for their second offense and then ticketed and towed for any subsequent offenses.) The Town's overnight parking ban runs from December 1 to April 1, and no overnight parking is allowed on any Town street between the hours of 2:00 am and 6:00 am regardless of the weather. Overnight parking is allowed in the metered lot on Pray Street and on the lower level of the parking garage where vehicles must be removed by 7:00 am.

Last week, dozens of homeowners were issued warnings for their failure to clear sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours of a storm. If homeowners do not comply, $100 fines can be assessed. It is a true safety hazard that we take very seriously. Please read the Town's ByLaw if you are unfamiliar with this requirement.

Lastly, if you do not have to, please don't drive in the snow. During this year's first storm, the Amherst Police responded to 20 crashes in less than three hours. It wasn't fun - for us or for the people who were involved.

Menorah Stolen from Town Common

The Menorah that is displayed on the Town Common was stolen last night, just as it has been taken in year's past. The Amherst Police received a call at approximately 1:40 am from an Amherst College student stating he had just witnessed people running through the Amherst College campus with a large Menorah. At the same time, Officer Batchelor discovered that the Menorah from the Common was missing. Both Amherst Police and Amherst College Police searched the Amherst College campus for the missing Menorah. It was later recovered by Officers and returned to the Town Common. At this time there are no suspects.

Radio Upgrade Necessary for Dispatch

The Amherst Public Safety Communications Center has undergone a very necessary upgrade, replacing out-dated radio equipment with a new digital, modular system. The upgrade to the Motorola MCC 5500 system was essential as it replaces 30-year-old analog radio controls that had become so antiquated that technicians could no longer obtain replacement parts for it.

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The Motorola MCC 5500 radio equipment allows for the expansion of radio channels and makes inter-agency communication more effective as Dispatchers are able to both monitor and communicate with other Dispatch Centers with the click of a computer mouse. Perhaps the most important feature of the equipment is the advanced emergency panic alarm that can be activated and utilized by both Amherst Police Officers and Firefighters in the event of an emergency. This alarm is an important safety feature for when Officers or Firefighters may not be able to speak over the radio but may need to communicate that they need assistance or are in danger. The alarm activates a portion of the radio’s PC-based display screen and indicates which unit needs help.

The $200,000 cost of the upgrade, which also included renovation of the Dispatch consoles and cabinetry housing the equipment, was funded by the Town of Amherst through the Town’s capital projects budget. The Center, which is located on the third floor of the Police Department on Main Street, when fully staffed, employs twelve full-time Emergency Dispatchers and the Director. There is a minimum of two Dispatchers on-duty at all times, with increased staffing at night and on weekends as well as during times of anticipated higher levels of activity. Renovation to the console provides an additional answering point and now allows for up to four Dispatchers to be on-duty at a time. All four positions are complete with the state’s enhanced 911 system and mapping equipment. The Center’s renovation includes support equipment for the radio system as well as an uninterruptible power source in case of power loss to the building.

Assault With Bottle Could Have Been Avoided

A noise disturbance evolved into a serious physical assault at a the Mill Valley Apartments early Sunday, December 9th, 2007. According to witness and victim accounts of the incident, a married couple, who live at Mill Valley, had been disturbed by the neighbor’s guests, who were outside talking and being loud in front of their apartment building. The wife yelled out the window requesting that these people quiet down, and, allegedly obscenities and other vulgarities were exchanged between her and the noisy neighbors. This caused her husband to take offense. He then went outside and engaged them in a fight. The wife, seeing this ruckus taking place outside, armed herself with a bottle (of olive oil - not our typical Amherst bottle fight!) and went outside where she struck two of the individuals over the head. Officers Newcomb, Arocho, Gallagher and Humber arrive to the scene and tried to make sense of the incident, spending more than two hours interviewing suspects, witnesses and victims. The wife, a 37-year-old UMass student, was arrested and charged with two counts of Assault and Battery. Charges will also be filed against her husband for A&B and Mayhem (for biting one of the victims). The first victim of the bottle attack, a 21-year-old UMass student, was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and was released. The second victim declined medical attention.

Lesson Learned? Call 413-259-3000 and we'll respond, like we do more than 1,000 times a year, to address your noisy neighbors. Don't take matters into your own hands!

That was the excitement of the weekend, with officers responding to 209 calls for service from Friday to Monday morning.

Lost Elderly Man Found in Amherst

This morning, at 2:00 am, Amherst Officers Russell and Batchelor stopped a motor vehicle that was being operated erratically. The operator of the vehicle, an 87-year-old Hollis, NH, man was found to be confused and disoriented. The Officers were concerned for the man's safety and questioned him extensively. Paramedics from the Amherst Fire Department were also requested to assess his medical condition. Officer Batchelor soon learned that the Hollis Police Department had been looking for the man, who is an Alzheimer’s patient, as he had wandered from his Hollis, NH, home and had been driving aimlessly from New Hampshire to Massachusetts. The man, who had been entered into the national criminal justice database as "endangered," had been missing for approximately 12 hours. The man was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for observation and to await the arrival of his grandchildren. Without a doubt, Officer Russell and Officer Batchelor's keen observations assured that this man returned home unharmed.

Wintertime can be very dangerous for our elder population, and citizens are encouraged to take advantage of the collaborative programs that are offered including the Amherst Senior Center, the Hampshire County Sheriffs TRIAD, and the Amherst SALT Council (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together). These programs, as well as the R U OK Program, the Safe Return Program, and the What’s Your Number Program, can help you and the Amherst Police Department keep your elderly family members safe. For more information, please visit the Amherst SALT/TRIAD website.

Weekend Activity Includes Threat with Firearm

On Saturday morning at approximately 1:00 am, five Amherst Officers responded to Olympia Drive for a report of an assault with a firearm. Upon arrival, it was learned that two residents of a North Amherst fraternity were threatened with a hand gun when they attempted to remove unwanted guests from their residence. An extensive investigation was conducted that included interviews of several witnesses and suspects. The investigation is on-going at this time. Citizens are requested to contact the investigating Officer, Detective Tina Knightly, if they have any information relative to this incident. Detective Knightly can be reached at 413-259-3015 or at knightlyc@amherstma.gov.

From Friday, November 30th, to Monday, December 3rd, Amherst Officers responded to 204 calls for service. Nineteen people were either taken into custody or are being summonsed into court for criminal offenses.

Amherst Police Go Undercover

The Amherst Police Department has secured a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division that will allow for the posting of extra Officers, who are ordinarily in uniform, onto the streets in plain clothes. These extra patrols will take place during the month of December. The primary purpose of these patrols is to pro-actively enforce both drug law and underage alcohol violations, however, Officers will not be limited to that role. Officers will be out on foot both in neighborhoods and in the apartment complexes enforcing the underage alcohol laws, but hope our increased presence will deter, detect, and apprehend those who have been breaking into area vehicles, businesses, and homes. Normal staffing levels do not generally permit for such assignment.

The first of four such patrols took place between the late evening and early morning hours of Saturday, December 1 into Sunday, December 2. Officers Jackson, Reardon, MacLean, Batchelor, and Corsetti were overseen by Sergeant Daly. During the six hours allotted, arrests were made and several more people will be summonsed into court for the following offenses: Person Under 21 Possess Liquor (8), Sell/Deliver Liquor to a Person Under 21 (3), Possession of a Class D Substance, to wit Marijuana (2, one being a subsequent offense), TBL of Open Container of Alcohol (5), and Operating Under the Influence (1).

One Amherst resident, who is not a student, was arrested on a warrant for Possession of a Class D Substance with Intent to Distribute (Marijuana). The warrant was issued for a prior Amherst case. This person was also found to be in possession of Marijuana at the time of arrest and will be charged accordingly.