Police/Fire

Council Approves First Part of $4 Million Police, Fire Radio Upgrades

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Watertown’s Police and Fire departments will be getting new portable radios as part of upgrades to the first responder radio system that has become unreliable. On Tuesday night, the Town Council approved borrowing $1.77 million to fund the first of two phases in the $4 million plan to upgrade the Townwide radio infrastructure. The second phase is planned to be completed next year. The system is used by the Police, Fire and Department of Public Works to communicate. The system also links Watertown’s first responders with police and fire departments in nearby communities, as well as regional fire and police organizations.

Police/Fire

Man Acting Suspiciously Toward Girl Reported at Watertown Park

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A mother called Watertown Police after a man appeared to be filming her young daughter and acting suspiciously at Fillippello Park. The incident occurred at about 11:50 a.m. on Jan. 7, and was reported shortly before 3 p.m. that day, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The woman said she was at the tot lot in the East End park with her 2-year-old daughter at the time. “While she was she there, she became aware of an adult male who appeared to be filming, FaceTiming or something else on his phone and she felt he was filming her child,” O’Connor said.

Police/Fire

Man Robbed While Walking Down Street in Watertown

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A Watertown man reported being robbed while walking down Pleasant Street in Watertown, and lost his cell phone. On Dec. 30 at 7:42 p.m. Watertown Police received a report of a man who had been robbed, according to Police Lt. James O’Connor. The man said he had been listening to music on his headphones as he walked down Pleasant Street. Another man approached him and asked if he “had any weed to smoke,” O’Connor said.

Break-in

UPDATED: Watertown Police Looking for Information About Break-in

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{Update: the previous version of the story incorrectly stated that the break-in occurred in a home.}

The Watertown Police seek information about the break-in of a business that took place the evening of Dec. 28. The WPD sent out the following announcement:

This is a message from the Watertown Police Department. During the hours of 11 p.m. on Monday, December 28th, and 8 a.m. Tuesday, December 29th, a breaking and entering occurred to a business in the 200 block of Waverley Avenue. If you have any information, whether you saw, or heard, something, or have home video surveillance that may have captured this incident, please contact 617-972-6541.

Business

Hundreds of Toys Collected by Mall for Watertown Police Gift Drive

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Retired Watertown Police Officer Dave Collins and Patricia Stenson, the General Manager of the Watertown Mall, pictured with the gifts donated to the Whooley Foundation at the Watertown Mall. This December, the Watertown Mall collected gifts to donate to the Watertown Police Department’s Whooley Foundation, which makes sure no children in Watertown go without a Christmas present. The last day of gift collection was Dec. 21 and a total of 165 gifts were donated. Retired Watertown Police Officer Dave Collins, who helps run the Whooley Foundation, welcomed Patricia Stenson, the General Manager of the Watertown Mall, with the gifts collected at the Mall.

Around Town

Watertown Temporarily Lifting Winter Parking Ban

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Watertown’s winter parking ban will be temporarily lifted for the holiday season, which allows residents to park on the street overnight unless weather requires plowing. The Watertown Police Department sent out the following announcement:

With the Holidays fast approaching, the Watertown Police Department recognizes the need for additional overnight parking. Chief of Police Michael P. Lawn has announced that effective December 24, 2020 officers will temporarily stop enforcing the All Night Parking Ban – barring any snowfall that would require plowing or sanding. Should there be a snow event please refer to the town website for available off-street parking locations. 

Chief Lawn still encourages all homeowners to use available off-street parking during the overnight hours. Enforcement of the All Night Parking Ban will resume on January 4, 2021.

Holidays

Watertown Police Increasing Patrols for Impaired Drivers During Holidays

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Police Department:

The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research (OGR) awarded the Watertown Police a grant to increase the number of impaired driving patrols during the holiday season. The Watertown Police join other departments across the state and the State Police in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign. “When an impaired driver is behind the wheel, everyone is at risk,” said Chief Lawn of the Watertown Police Department. “These funds will increase our traffic enforcement presence over the holidays. Regardless of the type or level of impairment, if a driver is dangerously operating their vehicle, they will be stopped.”

Around Town

Teen’s Stolen Scooter Replaced by Watertown Police

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A teenage boy from Watertown had his motorized scooter stolen from his place of work recently, but he didn’t have to go without wheels for very long. Darius, 19, reported his scooter missing one day after working at Home Depot. The teen had saved up to buy the scooter by working at the store. When the Watertown Police heard about the incident they bought him a replacement scooter through the WPD’s Sonny Whooley Foundation, which provides gifts to children during the Holidays, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. See more details, and an interview with Darius and one of the officers who gave him the scooter in this WHDH Channel 7 report.