New False Alarm Fee Bylaw

In April, Amherst Town Meeting approved the False Alarm Fee Bylaw which assesses fees to owners of properties with repeated responses by the Amherst Police to false burglar alarms. This bylaw was recently approved by the Attorney General’s Office and fee assessments will commence April 1, 2009. The delayed implementation date of April 1, 2009, is to afford citizens ample time to work with their alarm vendors to repair or maintain malfunctioning systems. In 2008, there were 728 calls for alarms, all of which were false, that required 1,559 police responses. Of those false alarms, we responded to many of the same locations numerous times throughout the year.

The Amherst Police Department hopes that this bylaw will be an effective tool to encourage those repeat offenders to repair their faulty systems. The False Alarm Fee Bylaw addresses burglar or intrusion alarms only, and it does not include fire alarms or medical alert systems.

Beginning January 1, 2009, Amherst Officers that respond to false alarms will leave a written warning notice at the address advising the occupants of the bylaw violation and the penalties for repeat offenses in a 12-month period. As the fee assessments will begin on April 1, 2009, warning notices issued from January 1st through March 31st will not be considered a penalty.

Questions regarding the bylaw can be referred to the Amherst Police Department at 413-259-3000 or police@amherstma.gov. For frequently asked questions please visit our website, http://www.amherstpd.org/.

Clean Up After Your Dog

The community is reminded of the Town Bylaw to clean up dog waste on any public way, public recreation area, or any way unless owned or controlled by the owner/guardian of the dog (full bylaw text is here). Most Amherst residents are responsible pet owners and adhere to the bylaw; however, there was an incident at Amethyst Brook that prompts this reminder.

This afternoon, at about 4:00 pm, Officers Reardon and Lamoureux were sent to the Amethyst Brook Conservation area for a report of two men fighting. The subsequent investigation and interviews with the two involved found that a 54-year-old Belchertown man was walking his dog on the Amethyst Brook trail when the dog excreted its waste on the trail. The man’s failure to clean up after his dog was observed by a 45-year-old Amherst man who, with his 3-year-old daughter, was also out walking his dog. The Amherst man initiated a verbal confrontation over the other's failure to pick up the dog waste. The Belchertown man, according to his own statement, became angered and threw dog waste at the Amherst man. While the Amherst man was not hit with the dog waste, the Belchertown man then retrieved more and smeared the dog waste on the Amherst man’s coat. After being assaulted with the dog waste, the Amherst man struck the Belchertown man several times, throwing him to the ground. When Amherst Officers responded they were able to keep the peace after the volatile encounter between the two. Both parties were advised that they could have cross complaints for assault and battery filed on their behalf at the Belchertown District Court. At this time, both have decided against filing a complaint against the other.

Armed Intruder on Charles Lane

In addition to the two armed home invasions occurring on Meadow Street in early December, Amherst Officers responded to a Charles Lane home on Saturday, December 20, for a report of an armed intruder at the home. While investigating that incident, officers recovered an excess of 20 pounds of marijuana with a street value of more than $30,000. One resident, Michael Parker, was arrested at the scene and is being charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance. The armed intruder in the Charles Lane incident is still at large.

In addition to the above serious incidents, several other persons have been arrested on drug distribution charges:
· 12/13/08 - As the result of a motor vehicle stop, 2 persons were arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance.
· 12/15/08 - As the result of a motor vehicle stop, 1 person was arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance.
· 12/15/08 - As the result of an investigation at an Amherst residence, 2 persons were arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance.
· 12/16/08 - As a result of a motor vehicle stop, 3 persons were arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance.

Citizens are encouraged to use our Tip Line - either by calling 413-259-3344 or by using our Online Anonymous Crime Reporting site - to report on these or any other incident.

Over the Limit, Under Arrest

The Amherst Police Department will be out in force this holiday season helping to prevent drunk and impaired driving on our roadways. Funded by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Grant program, Amherst will have extra Officers on the roads most nights to enforce drunk driving and other motor vehicle laws.

Preventing impaired driving is a priority in Amherst. During the 2008 fiscal year, Amherst Officers arrested 126 persons for driving while intoxicated. This proves our commitment to this cause and illustrates the extent of the problem in our community. Statewide, there were 429 motor vehicle-related fatalities in 2006. Forty-one percent of these deaths involved the use of alcohol or other drugs. That number is equal to the national rate of 41%. In Amherst, we were fortunate to not have any fatalities due to impaired driving. We credit this to our diligent efforts to arrest these violators. Please, don’t drive impaired.

Police Request Help Solving Armed Home Invasions

The Amherst Police Department would like to remind you that anonymous tips can be reported either online at our Online Anonymous Crime Reporting site or by calling the tip line at 413-259-3344. Amherst Detectives are currently investigating two armed home invasions that occurred on Meadow Street in Amherst over the last week, and they are hoping to receive leads from the community. If you have any information about these crimes, or any other that you’d like to report, please report them online or call the tip line.

Winter Parking Ban

The Amherst Police would like to remind all citizens that the winter parking ban is now in effect. From December 1st until April 1, 2009, there will be no overnight parking allowed on any Amherst street from 2 am to 6 am. Vehicles left on town streets between these hours could be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense. The parking ban is enforced regardless of weather it is snowing. Overnight parking is allowed in the metered lot on Pray Street and also on the lower level of the parking garage. Vehicles parked there must be removed by 7 am.

Changes Within the RMV

Due to budget cuts, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) has made some changes that will affect you. Effective immediately, the RMV will no longer be mailing out notices to customers reminding them of their license renewal dates. Licensed citizens will need to remember to renew their license according to the expiration date which is printed on the front of all Massachusetts licenses. Citizens who allow their license to expire could face either civil or criminal charges for Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle as an expired license is not a valid license. Fortunately, the RMV allows most renewals to be done online at their website.

The RMV is implementing other changes as well. They will no longer be mailing notices for Mass ID renewals, vehicle inspection reminder letters for vehicles that are overdue for inspection, inspector license renewal notices, 7D license renewal notices, driver's education certificates, junior operator brochures for parents, or change of address labels. For more information, visit the RMV Website.