Donated Bike Lights to be Distributed to Cyclists

As part of the Amherst Police Department’s continued commitment to promote safe cycling, the department will once again be distributing free taillights to cyclists for their bicycles. The lights are red and mount to the rear of the bike. They can also be attached to clothing. During this initiative, beginning on March 22, 2010, officers from the Amherst Police Department Bike Patrol Unit will patrol the downtown area to identify cyclists who do not have proper lighting and offer them one of these free taillights. Massachusetts General Law requires that cyclists have both rear and front-mounted lighting that is visible from 500 feet. In addition to promoting safe cycling, this enforcement effort is designed to educate cyclists as well.

The Amherst Police Department originally purchased 100 bicycle taillight kits utilizing funds received from a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division designed to facilitate pedestrian, bicycle and motor scooter safety. During the fall semester, the Amherst Police Department successfully conducted its first bicycle light distribution initiative.

In addition to the 100 bicycle taillights originally purchased, Emily Silverman, a yoga instructor at Mama Nirvana’s New Yoga in Amherst, MA, and her students have donated an additional 60 bicycle taillight kits to the Amherst Police Department. Ms. Silverman and her students, including Amherst Police Officer Linda Newcomb and Emergency Dispatchers Jess Alvaro and Carly Kinnas, through their generous donation, have demonstrated their support of the bicycle enforcement efforts being conducted by the department and its commitment to the safety of the residents of the Town of Amherst.

In 2009, Amherst Police Officers responded to numerous bicycle accidents including two cyclist fatalities. By improving the visibility of cyclists, we hope to promote the safety of cyclists on our roadways which are shared by both cyclists and motorists alike. To qualify, cyclists need only to provide their name and address to the bicycle patrol officer. Cyclists do not have to reside in Amherst to qualify.

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Any questions regarding this program can be forwarded to Sergeant Brian Daly at (413) 259-3000 or via email.

Chris Pronovost Promoted to Captain

Chief Scott P. Livingstone announces that Lieutenant Christopher G. Pronovost was promoted to the rank of Captain effective March 22, 2010. This promotion will fill the position that was vacated with the resignation of Captain Michael R. Kent. He will be officially sworn in at the Amherst Select Board Meeting on April 12, 2010, at 6:00 p.m.

Christopher G. Pronovost was appointed as a Patrol Officer with the Amherst Police Department in February of 1990. He advanced to the rank of Sergeant in December of 1993 and was assigned as a Patrol Supervisor. In 2003, Pronovost was appointed as a supervisor in the Detective Bureau. In addition, he is an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice Department at Holyoke Community College, and he is an instructor for the Municipal Police Training Committee and the Western Massachusetts Chief’s of Police Association.

Pronovost graduated in March of 1987 from the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Academy in Agawam; he is a member of the 9th Municipal Police Officers Class. Prior to becoming an Officer in Amherst, Pronovost was a Patrol Officer for the Town of Granby, Massachusetts.

Pronovost is a graduate of Holyoke Community College, where he obtained his Associates of Science degree in Criminal Justice, and Western New England College, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Law Enforcement and a Masters degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

Christopher G. Pronovost is the son of Joan Pronovost and the late Edgar Pronovost of South Hadley, Massachusetts. He resides in Granby and has three grown children.

Community Safety Walk

Attention Lincoln Avenue, Fearing Street, McClure Street, and Sunset Avenue area residents!

On April 1, 2010, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Officer Laramee of the Amherst Police Department will lead a "safety walk" through your neighborhood.

Topics to be discussed will include: target hardening, suspect identification, neighborhood watches, personal safety, and improving relationships with your neighbors.

Those who would like to participate should plan to meet Officer Laramee at the intersection of Fearing Street and Lincoln Avenue at 7:00 pm.

For more information on this event, please contact Officer Laramee at 413-259-3008, ext. 2069, or by e-mail.

2010 Rafters College Towne Classik Announced

The 17th annual Rafters College Towne Classik will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2010. This year's race will be held, as always, at Rafters Sports Bar, on University Drive, but this year there's an added twist...

This year's race is a 5-mile road race through the streets of Amherst, but there will also be a 5K fun run/walk as well. The start and finish lines for both races will be at Rafters, and both races begin at 10:30 am.

The entry fee is $20 which goes to support the Jimmy Fund and the Amherst Police Relief Association. The first 400 entrants will receive a road race T-shirt, and there will be a free post-race BBQ at Rafters with hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, and lots of other great food and drink!

For more information, and to print the race application, visit the Amherst Police Department's Website. New this year, applicants can also register for the race through Active.com.

Come for the race or to cheer on the runners and walkers and to support the Amherst Police Department! We hope to see you there!

Dispatchers Present at 911 Heroes Ceremony

On Friday, March 12, Dispatchers Jason Rushford and Carly Kinnas attended the 911-For-Kids Massachusetts State 911 Heroes Awards Ceremony, in Dedham, Massachusetts, and they presented a lesson on when, why, and how to call 911 to more than 40 elementary school students who were there in attendance.

The ceremony was sponsored by 911-For-Kids, a national public education organization that aims to teach children how to properly call for help from the police, fire, or EMS services. Two children from Massachusetts were honored at the ceremony including a 10-year-old boy who called for an ambulance when his father was choking, and an 11-year-old girl who dialed 911 and then stayed on the phone, hiding in the basement, when a burglar came into her home attempting to steal jewelry and other items there. The ceremony also honored the dispatchers who took these calls for help.

Students were treated to a parade of police and fire apparatus and a visit from Red E. Fox - one of the official 911-For-Kids mascots, and then they heard the 911 lesson presented by Dispatchers Rushford and Kinnas. The lesson provided students with tips for dialing 911 including information on calling from cell phones, helping responders find you when you don't know your exact address, and providing the information necessary for dispatchers to send help as quickly as possible. The lesson also included an opportunity for some of the students to practice calling 911 using a special phone simulator. Students were able to practice dialing the phone and they were guided through real-life scenarios.

If you have an event or a group that could benefit from the 911 public education program, or if you would like more information on how to call for help using 911, contact Dispatcher Jason Rushford or Dispatcher Carly Kinnas via e-mail or at the Amherst Public Safety Communications Center at 413-259-3000. For more information on 911-For-Kids, visit their website.

In the photo, Dispatchers Kinnas and Rushford pose with Red E. Fox.

Credit Report Assistance for Amherst Seniors

The Amherst Police Department is pleased to announce an event geared toward assisting our senior community with accessing their free credit reports online.

It is important that community members, including our retired senior community, review their credit report at least annually to assure that they have not been a victim of identity theft. Many seniors neglect to obtain their credit report as they find the process difficult or confusing. In accordance with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act), individuals may request and obtain a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).

On Monday, March 22, 2010, the Amherst S.A.L.T. Council (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together), in partnership with the Amherst Senior Center and the Amherst Police Department, will be hosting an event to assist seniors with running their credit reports online. Using the secure computers and Internet connection in the Amherst Senior Center, Amherst Police Officers will assist and guide seniors with accessing the online database to print out a current copy of their credit report. The event will be held in the Amherst Senior Center computer room from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

This event is free and pre-registration is not required. If you need more information, please contact Officer Jamie Reardon at 413-259-3000 or via email.

Sergeant Sullivan Retires

Chief Scott P. Livingstone announced the retirement of Sergeant Michael D. Sullivan, effective March 1, 2010, after almost 34 years of service to the Department and to the Town of Amherst.

Sergeant Sullivan joined the Amherst Police Department as a Community Service Officer on August 16, 1976, and he was promoted to the position of Special Police Officer on January 23, 1978. He was appointed as a Patrol Officer for the Amherst Police Department on September 1, 1978. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on September 1, 1993, and he was assigned as a patrol supervisor.

Sergeant Sullivan graduated from the Massachusetts State Police Academy, 68th Municipal Police Officer Training Class, in 1978. He is a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College, where he obtained his Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice, and Western New England College, where he received a B.A. in Law Enforcement and a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

During Sergeant Sullivan’s tenure, he has served as a member of the Department’s Crime Scene Unit and he is proficient in photography and crime scene search techniques and instruction.

During his career at the Amherst Police Department, Sergeant Sullivan has been awarded three commendations. In 1981, he was awarded a letter of commendation for reviving an individual who had ceased breathing by performing CPR, and, later that same year, he was issued an additional commendation for his outstanding professional performance that led to the arrest of three arson suspects. In 1983, Sergeant Sullivan received a commendation for his quick response and professional manner with regard to the apprehension of a perpetrator of a burglary in progress.

Sergeant Sullivan presently resides in Hatfield with his wife Mary. They have two grown sons, James and Ryan. James is a Police Officer with the University of Massachusetts Police Department. Ryan is a Captain in the U.S. Army and a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. He is currently serving with the 2nd Infantry Division, 3-2 Aviation Unit, in Iraq.

Sergeant Sullivan will continue his career in law enforcement as the Director of Public Safety at Elms College, in Chicopee, MA.

Student Arrested After Post Office Break-In

On February 27, 2010, at approximately 4:20 am, several Officers from the Amherst Police Department responded to the United States Post Office, located at 141 North Pleasant St., for the report of a building alarm. Responding Officers quickly found that entry had been gained to the building via a rear door. Officers spotted an individual fleeing from the building. He was apprehended behind a residence on Kellogg Avenue and was placed under arrest. The ensuing investigation showed that the suspect was attempting to take Post Office property from the scene, but he was scared from the scene by the responding Officers.

Arrested was:
Daniel Carley, Age 20
128 Fisher St.
Walpole, Massachusetts
Charges: Breaking & Entering/Nighttime, Attempt to Commit a Crime (Larceny)

Carley is a student at the University of Massachusetts. He is expected to be arraigned in the Eastern Hampshire District Court today.

Brothers Arrested for Larceny of Veterans Plaques

On February 8, 2010, caretakers at the North Amherst Cemetery, on East Pleasant Street, noted that dozens of brass Veterans plaques had been stolen from burial sites. The matter was reported to the Amherst Police Department. Investigators soon learned that a number of area community police departments had received similar reports from Veterans Affairs Officers. Amherst Police investigators identified two suspects, and the following arrests were made:

Mark E. Kuklewicz, Age 32
26 Lake Pleasant Rd.
Lake Pleasant, Massachusetts
Charges: Larceny Over $250, Larceny From a Grave

Stanley P. Kuklewicz, Age 37
38 East Main St.
Millers Falls, Massachusetts
Charges: Larceny Over $250, Larceny From a Grave

The two men are brothers and were both arrested in the town of Montague with the assistance of the Montague and Greenfield Police Departments. Both men are expected to be arraigned in the Eastern Hampshire District Court this afternoon.

During the investigation, investigators recovered seventy-four of the Veterans plaques. The investigation continues, and it will include coordinating with the various surrounding law enforcement agencies in an effort to locate additional Veterans plaques as well as to identify the rightful place for the recovered property.