GPS Thefts

In recent months, the Amherst Police Department has seen an increase in the number of reports being filed for breaking and entering into motor vehicles. In many of these reports, global positioning units (GPS) seem to be the primary target for the alleged thieves.

A vast majority of these incidents appear to be crimes of opportunity where the suspect(s) entered the motor vehicles through unlocked doors. Additionally, many of the victims had left their GPS units in a conspicuous place, such as the dashboard, where the GPS could easily be seen by a potential thief.

The Amherst Police Department encourages citizens to take a few simple precautions in order to help deter these thefts. These include properly securing your vehicle by locking the doors anytime you are away from it - even for a short period of time. Additionally, be sure to properly secure all valuables - keeping them out of plain view.

To report a breaking and entering, or if you have any information regarding a breaking and entering, contact the Amherst Police Department at 413-259-3000 or the TIP LINE at 413-259-3344.

Assault on Sunset Avenue

On September 18, 2009, at approximately 1:05 am, numerous Officers were called to 213 Sunset Ave. for a report of a large-scale disturbance. Officers determined that two young men had been assaulted there. It is unclear at this time what sparked the disturbance. One of the victims had cuts and bruises and the other had severe facial injuries. He is undergoing medical treatment for these injuries, and they are not life-threatening. It is unknown at this time if a weapon was used. Both victims are students at the University of Massachusetts. The victim's names are not being released. The suspect in the assault is described as a college-aged white male with his brown hair fashioned in a Mohawk style. The matter remains under investigation with the assistance of the University of Massachusetts Police Department. Anyone who may have witnessed the assault is urged to contact the Amherst Police Department at 413-259-3000 or the TIP LINE at 413-259-3344.

Traffic Safety Vest Distribution

Visibility is essential to the safety of our pedestrians. As sunrise is coming later each morning, those on the streets at this time of the day are not as visible as they should be. In an effort to promote the safety of our citizens, the Amherst Police Department is distributing free reflective vests to those citizens they see walking or jogging the streets in low light conditions. This program of distributing free reflective vests was first done in 2007 when the owners of Eagle Crest Property, Amherst residents Erin and Jamie Cherewatti, donated 75 vests to be distributed to the public. The Cherewatti’s were also concerned about the safety of those on the streets in low light conditions and were generous enough to donate the vests towards that effort. The vests being distributed now are part of an Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division grant that the Amherst Police Department received to promote the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and those on scooters. For more information on this or any other community policing program, please contact Lt. Jennifer Gundersen at 413-259-3012 or via email.

Scott P. Livingstone, Chief of Police

The Amherst Police Department is happy to announce that on Monday, September 14th, 2009, Scott P. Livingstone was sworn in as Police Chief for the Town of Amherst.
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Chief Livingstone has been a member of the Amherst Police Department for thirty-two years. He began his career with the Department as a Community Service Officer in 1977. In 1981, he was appointed Police Officer. In 1988, he was appointed Sergeant. In 2000, he was appointed to the Detective Bureau, and later that same year he was appointed Lieutenant. In 2008, Chief Livingstone was appointed to Captain in charge of APD operations.
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Chief Livingstone is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy. He graduated with honors in 2006 from Western New England College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement. He also has an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Springfield Technical Community College.

(attached photo of Chief Livingstone being sworn in by Town Clerk Sandra Burgess, 9/14/2009)

Fatal Bicycle Accident, Montague Road

As a follow up to the fatal collision involving bicyclist Blake Goodman on September 12, 2009, the driver of the hit and run vehicle has not yet been identified and no arrests have been made. There is an update for the description of the vehicle for which investigators are searching. The vehicle that is believed to have hit Mr. Goodman is a black Geo Prizm that was produced in the 1990’s. The vehicle should have a missing passenger side mirror, damage to the passenger side panels, and possibly a broken windshield. The Massachusetts State Police laboratory has been instrumental in examining the physical evidence recovered at the scene, and investigators continue to gain information that will assist in the identification of said vehicle.

Investigators believe that additional witnesses may have been present in the area at the time of the collision due to the heavy foot traffic. The collision occurred at approximately 10:30 pm on Saturday, September 12, 2009, on Montague Road, in Amherst. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Amherst Police Department at 413-259-3000 or the CRIMETIP line at 413-259-3344.

Child Safety Day at UPS Store

On Saturday, September 26, 2009, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, the Amherst Police Department, in partnership with the UPS Store, Amherst Fire Department, University of Massachusetts Police Department, Molly Bish Foundation and the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, will be hosting a Child Safety Day. This annual event will be held at the UPS Store, located at 6 University Dr., in Amherst.

All families that attend will receive a Child Identification Kit for each one of their children. The kits consist of a photograph of the child’s head and shoulders in addition to the child’s fingerprints. The ID kits will be provided free of charge.

The Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office will have their iris scan equipment at the event as well. Part of the Children’s Identification and Location Database (CHILD) Project, the Hampshire County iris scan equipment is a valuable tool to help identify and locate missing children through the use of Recognition Biometric Technology.

During the event, the Amherst Police Department and the University of Massachusetts Police Department Child Passenger Safety Seat technicians will be available to inspect and install child passenger safety seats correctly to assure the safest ride for our children. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for children 2-14 years of age. This is largely due to non use or improper use of child passenger safety seats.

Additionally, the Amherst Fire Department Firefighters will be available for tours of their equipment.

Amherst Police Chief Scott P. Livingstone and our partners in this event are committed to keeping our children safe. The Child Safety Day will take place rain or shine. For more information, please contact Amherst Police Detective Gabe Ting at 413-259-3000 or UPS Store owner Mr. Dan Feldman at 413-549-1070.

This event is funded in part by the Community Policing Grant Program from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

Detective Janet Lopez is Deployed

Detective Janet Lopez, a member of the Amherst Police Department since January 19, 1999, has been deployed to Iraq with her Massachusetts National Guard Unit. Detective Lopez, a member of the 747th Military Police Company based out of Ware, Massachusetts, joined the National Guard in 1995. She currently holds the rank of Sergeant First Class and is assigned as a Platoon Sergeant in her Military Police Company. Detective Lopez began this deployment to Iraq on July 5, 2009, and she is expected to be overseas until mid-2010. This is Detective Lopez’s second deployment; she was in Afghanistan in 2003.
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A graduate of Belchertown High School in 1996, Detective Lopez currently resides in Springfield with her 17-month-old son, Angelo. Detective Lopez’s parents, Mayra and Dana DiCocco, also of Springfield, are caring for her son during her deployment.
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During her ten years with the Amherst Police Department, Detective Lopez was assigned to the patrol division for six years before being reassigned to the Detective Bureau on January 5, 2005. In her current position, Detective Lopez is the Department's Court Liaison Officer. She is an Adventure Ropes Course Instructor, a Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician, a Defensive Tactics Instructor, and she is a member of the Amherst Police Department’s Warrant Entry Team.
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The Amherst Police Department is honoring Detective Lopez for her service to our Country and to the Town of Amherst by placing a service star banner, with her badge number sewn on it, in the Department's roll call room.

New Laws to Protect Cyclists

The Amherst Police Department is committed to the safety of our citizens. As part of our on-going campaign to protect bicyclists and the motoring public, we are reminding all motorists of the newly enacted laws that were instituted to protect cyclists.

· Motorist cannot “Door” cyclists. This means that before opening the doors to a vehicle, motorists must make sure that this action does not interfere with the flow of traffic, whether it be vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists. MGL C.90§14

· Motorists cannot “Right-Hook” cyclists after passing them. Simply put, after passing a cyclist travelling in the same direction, motorists cannot make a right turn unless they are a safe distance away from that cyclist. MGL C.90§14

· Motorists cannot “Squeeze Out” a cyclist. If a motorist cannot overtake and pass a cyclist at a safe distance in the same lane, a motorist must either use the adjacent lane, if it can be done safely, or wait for a safe opportunity to do so. MGL C.90§14

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· After overtaking and passing a cyclist, a motorist cannot return to the right lane until it is safe to do so. MGL C.89§2

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These violations could result in a $50 fine.

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During fiscal year 2008, Amherst Police responded to 14 incidents of motor vehicle crashes that included bicyclists. Of those 14 accidents, 11 caused injury to the bicyclist. This represents a 22% increase from the previous fiscal year. The Amherst Police Department has received a $7,000 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division to fund programs that enforce these laws and educate the public, including pedestrians, motorists and cyclists, of these laws that are designed to keep us all safe. We hope that with this grant funding, we will see a decrease in injuries to the cyclists in town.
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Questions regarding this ongoing campaign to protect bicyclists and the motoring public can be forwarded to Sergeant Brian Daly at 413-259-3000 or via email. For additional information on local efforts to promote safe bicycling, see the MassBike Website.

Cops In Shops

The Amherst Police Department will be conducting an increased enforcement initiative to deter underage and excessive “binge” drinking. Working in partnership with several retail liquor stores in town, Amherst Police Officers will be working in the liquor stores - posing as store employees or customers - in order to identify underage persons attempting to purchase alcohol and also of-age persons who are purchasing alcohol for someone else who is underage.

The mobilization, titled “Cops in Shops,” is being conducted in September, 2009. This program has been very successful in past years as Amherst Police Officers have confiscated and criminally charged dozens of individuals both for attempting to purchase alcohol with a fake ID or for attempting to procure alcohol for persons under the age of 21. In 2008-2009, the Amherst Police criminally charged 413 persons for being minors in possession of alcohol, 246 for violating the town by-law banning open containers of alcohol on public property, and 192 for operating under the influence.

In addition to the enforcement aspect of Cops in Shops, there is an educational awareness component to this program. With the start of the new academic year, Officers will share their expertise with students and educate them on the effects and the behavior changes associated with alcohol abuse. Officers will also educate the students on the town by-law prohibiting open containers of alcohol on public property, keg permits, and operating under the influence.

For questions regarding this enforcement initiative please contact Sergeant Jerry Millar at 413-259-3000 or email him at millarj@amherstma.gov.

This initiative is funded by the Executive Office of Public Safety Community Policing Grant Funds.

Town By-Law / Massachusetts General Law Educational Initiative

The Amherst Police Department, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Police Department, will be conducting an educational initiative September 14th through September 17, 2009. Throughout this period, Officers will disseminate literature and educate the college community on the Amherst Town By-Laws and Massachusetts General Laws pertaining to alcohol, noise and unlawful assembly.

Officers will target residential areas, both on and off campus, disseminating information and speaking with residents regarding open containers of alcohol in public, minors in possession of alcohol, keg possession, complaints of excessive noise, and riotous behavior. The goal of this initiative is to curb excessive drinking and noise disturbances in order to improve the quality of life within the community we serve.

The Amherst Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety of all town residents, the safeguarding of all constitutional guarantees, and the protection of property. This can be accomplished by the education and enforcement of all applicable Town By-Laws, Massachusetts General Laws and the rapid suppression of any and all riotous activities.

For questions regarding this enforcement initiative please contact Amherst Police Department Sergeant William N. Menard at 413-259-3000 or University of Massachusetts Police Lieutenant Thomas O'Donnell at 413-545-3578.

This initiative is funded by the Executive Office of Public Safety Community Policing Grant Funds.

APD Reminds Public of Newly Enacted Bicycle Laws

At the Amherst Police Department, the safety of our community is our number one priority. With this in mind, we would like to remind our citizens that new bicycle laws went into effect on April 15, 2009. Attached is a list of all of the new bicycle laws and the possible fines associated with them. While all of the new bicycle laws are vital to the promotion of safe and responsible cycling, two laws that we’d like to highlight include the requirement for proper lighting and/or reflectors for cyclists operating after sundown and the requirement for cyclists to use hand signals when stopping and turning.

With the new academic year approaching, our bicycling community will increase substantially. Motorists are reminded that they too are required to obey laws and to be courteous when sharing the road with cyclists. Laws that we’d like to highlight include the requirement for motorists to give the right of way to a cyclist, as they would to a motor vehicle, at a rotary or intersection. In addition, motorists, when turning left, must yield to an oncoming cyclist that is travelling straight. Lastly, we’d like to remind motorists that there are many cyclists riding “recumbent” style bicycles that may not be as visible as other bicycles. Please drive with caution.

In Amherst, during fiscal year 2008, there were 14 incidents of motor vehicle crashes that included bicyclists. Eleven of those caused injury to the cyclist. This was an increase of 22% from the previous fiscal year. In an effort to improve the safety of our cycling population, the Amherst Police Department will be distributing safety information and materials to the cycling community throughout September and October. Funded by a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division, Amherst Officers will be educating the community on the new laws and they will also conduct enforcement initiatives that will target both motorists and cyclists that do not adhere to these laws. The goal of the enforcement will be to educate the public on the bicycle laws; this education will largely consist of community interaction vs. monetary fines. We are working closely with the Town of Amherst Bicycle Sub-Committee to identify mutual concerns regarding bicycle safety, and our efforts will be a product of this collaboration.

Questions regarding this educational and enforcement initiative can be forwarded to either Officer Phil Feliciano or Sgt. Brian Daly at 413-259-3000.