2nd Arrest Made in Bank Robbery

On April 26, 2011, at approximately 9:54 am, a second arrest was made in relation to the Bank of America robbery. The bank robbery had been reported to the Amherst Police Department on April 25, 2011, and William Oldershaw had been placed under arrest at that time. Oldershaw’s accomplice to this robbery was found to be Shayna J. Henckel-Miller. Henckel-Miller had been with Oldershaw at the time of the robbery, she helped him prepare the demand letter, and she had fled with him.

Shayna J. Henckel-Miller, Age 19
36 Hedgerow Lane
Amherst, Massachusetts

Charge: Unarmed Robbery

Henckel-Miller is being held at the Eastern Hampshire District Court and is expected to be arraigned later this afternoon.

This investigation is ongoing.

National Prescription Take Back Day

The Amherst Police Department and Amherst Health Department, in partnership with the Amherst SALT (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together) Council, Hampshire/Franklin TRIAD program, Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, Hampshire and Franklin County Sheriff’s Departments, and other local police departments are working with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to mount a massive Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 30, 2011.

More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to a national survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Every day, some 2,500 teenagers use prescription drugs to get high for the first time. Most of the prescription drugs being abused are obtained from family and friends - sometimes from their medicine cabinets without their knowledge.

Participants, throughout the two counties, will be hosting the event at locations within their communities to provide citizens with a responsible way to dispose of prescription medication. The Amherst location is the Wildwood School, 71 Strong St., from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. During this four-hour event, community members are encouraged to bring prescription and non-prescription medication to the drop-off site at the Wildwood School. It is anonymous, and the pills can be in their original containers. We cannot accept needles, syringes, lancets, thermometers, IV bags, chemo drugs or liquids of any type.

For more information, contact Health Director Julie Federman at 413-259-3077 or via email or Amherst Police Captain Jennifer Gundersen at 413-259-3012 or via email. For more information on this nationwide event, go to http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/.

Man Arrested for Bank of America Robbery

On April 25, 2011, the Bank of America, located at 1 South Pleasant Street in Amherst, was robbed. Bank employees called 911 at 10:54 to report that a male had just entered the bank and presented a note stating that the bank was being robbed and demanding money. No weapon was displayed. The suspect fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money and was seen by witnesses entering a taxi cab.
Responding officers located a taxi on West Street in the area of Bay Road. The occupant of that vehicle was identified as William W. Oldershaw. He was subsequently identified and arrested.

William W. Oldershaw, age 24
42 Amherst Rd.
Sunderland, Massachusetts 01375
Charge: Unarmed Robbery

Oldershaw will be held at the Hampshire County House of Corrections in lieu of $2,500 cash bail. He is expected to be arraigned tomorrow morning at the Eastern Hampshire District Court.

The matter remains under investigation.

2011 APD Open House

In honor of National Police Week, the Amherst Police Department will once again host an "Open House" on Saturday, May 21, 2011.

The Amherst Police Department will open its doors from 10 am to 2 pm on this day. The event is free, and there is no registration required to attend.

Amherst Police Officers from the Uniformed Patrol Division and the Detective Bureau will give tours of the station, display some of the equipment that the Officers use, and explain the mission of the Amherst Police Department as well. Free refreshments, including coffee and pastries, will also be available.

Officers will also be on-hand to enroll children in the “Kid Care” identification program. Members of the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office will be there as well to use an iris scanner to take digital photographs of your children’s eyes.

For more information contact Sergeant Jesus Arocho at 413-259-3828 or via email.

2011 Amherst and UMass Police Youth Adventure Academy

The Amherst and The University of Massachusetts Police Departments are pleased to announce the dates of the fourth annual Police Youth Adventure Academy!

The 2011 Amherst and UMass Police Youth Adventure Academy is a one-week program being held Monday, July 18th, to Friday, July 22nd, 2011, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Youth entering the 6th, 7th, or 8th grades are eligible to attend. The academy is FREE and size is limited to 20 youth. Preference will be given to Amherst residents and UMass-affiliated families (where a parent/guardian is an employees or student at UMass, for example).

Similar to a Citizens Police Academy, students will attend morning classroom sessions held at both the Amherst and UMass Police Departments with lectures, role-plays and interactive demonstrations by Amherst and UMass Police Officers in the areas of law, crime scene investigation, defensive tactics, patrol procedures and Internet safety to name just a few. Most afternoon sessions will be held at our Adventure-Based Ropes Course at the Norwottuck Range where we will promote teamwork, communication and strategy building.

For more information please visit the 2011 Youth Adventure Academy webpage or contact Officer Todd Lang at 413-259-3000.

Child Passenger Car Seat Installations

The Amherst Police Department is committed to the safety of our children. Motor vehicle crashes pose a tremendous risk for children. When properly installed, child safety seats reduce the risk of death in a motor vehicle crash by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers. Safety belts reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a motor vehicle crash by up to 50%. This is where the Amherst Police Department can help.

The Amherst Police Department conducts Child Passenger Car Seat Inspections on the 3rd Saturday of each month. The next scheduled inspection day is Saturday, April 16, 2011, by appointment only. Open to Amherst residents only, our certified technicians will thoroughly inspect child passenger car seats for wear and effectiveness and install them properly to assure the safest ride for our children. To schedule a 30-minute appointment either e-mail the Amherst Police Department or call 413-259-3355. This program is open to Amherst residents only.

The Amherst Police Department has received funding from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division for the equipment necessary to complete the inspections and installations. Questions regarding this program can be forwarded to Officer Felipe Feliciano via email or call (413) 259-3000.

2011 Rafters College Towne Classik Announced

The 18th annual Rafters College Towne Classik will be held on Sunday, May 22, 2011. This year's race will be held, as always, at Rafters Sports Bar, on University Drive.

This year, the race will be 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 10:00 am.

The entry fee for early registration is $20 which goes to support the Jimmy Fund and the Amherst Police Relief Association. The first 400 applicants 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 everyone!

For more information, and to register online, visit the Rafters Road Race web page.

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!