Watertown Police Arrest 16-Year Old for School Threat Made on Social Media

Watertown Police arrested a 16-year-old Watertown boy for allegedly making threats toward a school on Friday, May 31 after the teen sent a Snapchat message that was received by students at Watertown High School and Watertown Middle School. Watertown Police received word of the threat from Watertown Public School officials Friday morning, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The message was sent via the Snapchat social media app, and contained a list of emojis, O’Connor said. “From what police could tell, the Snapchat message went to over 100 students at Watertown Middle School and Watertown High School,” O’Connor said. “It contained emojis of a picture of a school, a bomb, an explosion, a gun and an emoji of someone running.”

Retiring Police Officer Had a Big Presence in the Community & in the Police Department

Officer Tony Physic on a visit to the Brigham House. Harold “Tony” Physic experienced a lot of lasts as a Watertown Police Officer recently: his last time judging the Dancing with the Stars earlier this month, the last time marching in the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, and on Wednesday his last roll call. After 34 years, Physic is retiring from the Watertown Police Department, having left his mark on his fellow police officers and the community that he served and protected. While he has patrolled many parts of town, for the last 15 years Physic was assigned to the dayshift patrol of the East End of town. “I’ve seen the community change and the people change,” Physic said, noting that the area used to be more of a family oriented neighborhood.

Watertown Police Seek Man Who Stabbed Friend at Cookout

David Holladay is wanted by Watertown Police for allegedly stabbing another man at a cookout on May 25. Watertown Police issued a warrant for a man who allegedly stabbed another man while at a cookout on May 25. The suspect, identified as 59-year-old David Holladay, was invited to the home of a 59-year-old longtime acquaintance on the evening of May 25. The two got into an argument over one of their family issues, and Halladay allegedly stabbed the other man in the left thigh with a knife, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The incident occurred on Elm Street near the corner of Munroe Avenue, and was witnessed by others in the area.

Watertown Police, Middlesex Sheriff Hosting Gun Buyback Event

Members of the Watertown Police, the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office and the State Police pose with the 50 weapons collected in the gun buyback in 2016. The Watertown Police Department provided the following information:

The Arlington, Cambridge, Newton and Watertown Police Departments, in conjunction with the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, Belmont Police Department and local community and faith-based organizations will partner to host the “Safer Homes, Safer Communities” regional gun buyback initiative over four Saturdays next month (June 8-29), officials announced today. In 2016, a similar regional initiative – in which Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge and Watertown also participated – resulted in 150 unwanted firearms being turned in for destruction. “We are glad to once again be assisting our law enforcement and community partners in this effort,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “Providing residents the opportunity to safely, securely dispose of unwanted firearms makes our homes and our communities safer, by reducing the chance of accidental discharge, self-harm and theft.”

“The Watertown Police Department is happy to support the gun buyback program,” said Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn.

Increases for Police, Fire, Schools Library & DPW Included in Watertown’s FY2020 Budget

Watertown Town Manager Michael Driscoll revealed the Fiscal Year 2020 budget on Tuesday. Next year’s Watertown Budget includes money for an additional police office, a new leadership role in the Fire Department, and at the Library. Tuesday night, Town Manager Michael Driscoll presented the Fiscal Year 2020 budget to the Town Council. The total operating budget is $147.76 million, which is an increase of 3.89 percent or $5.53 million. When Driscoll presented the budget projection in October, there was a shortfall of about $800,000, but Tuesday he said the Town’s revenues came in close to $1.5 million above the projections.