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.

Police/Fire

Police Seek Suspect in Two Home Break-ins in Watertown

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Two Watertown homes were broken into on Saturday afternoon, and Watertown Police seek a suspect who might have been involved in other recent break-ins. The two break-ins took place on Avon and Sunnybank roads between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 21, according to a Watertown Police Department’s Twitter post. WPD is investigating 2 house breaks that occurred yesterday between 4-8pm on Avon Rd & Sunnybank Rd. Please report any unusual activity.

Police/Fire

Police Warn of Door-to-Door Sales Scam in Watertown

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Watertown Police warn residents to beware after two incidents reported by residents who bought magazines from door-to-door sales people who turned out to be scammers. The two incidents involved three scammers who knocked on doors saying they were selling magazines to raise money. One said it was for the Watertown Boys & Girls Club and the other was for domestic violence shelters but there are no such efforts, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. He added that incidents were part of a larger scam that has impacted several Metro Boston communities. At 5:54 p.m. on Nov.

Government

Former Detective Suing Watertown Police Department, Police Union for Sexual Discrimination

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A former Watertown Police officer has sued the Watertown Police Department and the Police union for “gender discrimination and retaliation” after she was forced to leave the department. The suit also alleged that it was due in part to an intimate relationship she was having with a superior officer. A copy of the civil suit filed in Middlesex Superior Court was obtained by the Boston Herald, which ran a story and a column on Tuesday evening. See the story here. The suit said that former WPD detective Kathleen Donohue faced “sexually charged comments,” and “dangerous rumors” about false affairs, the Herald reports.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Gun Pointed at Man Leafletting Houses, Man Busted for Stealing Axe Body Spray

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest

Oct. 31, 11:58 a.m.: Police received a report of a man who had just shoplifted at CVS in Watertown Square. The man was seen placing cans of Axe Body Spray into a backpack and leave the store without paying. The suspect was described as a bald African-American man, wearing gray sweatpants, a gray sweatshirt with a gray backpack.

Police/Fire

Police Investigating Possible Break-In Attempt Caught on Video

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On 9/11/20 at approx 8:40 pm, the suspect depicted in the video, attempted to break into a residence on Adams Ave.The suspect ran from the scene leaving behind a backpack with a yellow crowbar. Anyone with information related to this incident or suspect, please contact the WPD pic.twitter.com/Jw4z8Q7bOV— Watertown Police (@WatertownPD) September 15, 2020

A man was caught on a home security camera walking around the backyard of a Watertown home, and appeared to attempt to break into the home, Watertown Police said. Police got a 911 call from an Adams Street resident on Sept. 11 at 8:42 p.m. after being alerted by the home’s Ring camera system, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “Officers responded, but the person had fled,” O’Connor said.