Police/Fire

Brookline Man Arrested for Misleading Woman into Taking Medication to End Pregnancy

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The Watertown Police and Middlesex District Attorney’s Office provided the following announcement:

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Watertown Chief of Police Justin Hanrahan have confirmed that Robert Kawada, 43, of Brookline has been charged with poisoning, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on pregnant person and assault and battery on a household or family member in connection with misleading a woman, who was known to him, into taking medication to end her pregnancy. The preliminary investigation suggests that Kawada and the victim were in a dating relationship and that the victim became pregnant. Kawada is alleged to have secretly given the victim medication under the guise that he was giving her iron pills and vitamins. That medication was actually intended to end the pregnancy. After the victim had been given the pills, one of which is believed to be Misoprostol, the victim suffered a miscarriage.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Arrested for Unarmed Robbery, Multiple Checks Stolen Out of Mail

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. May 15, 3 p.m.: A woman mailed her electric bill to Eversource in April, putting it in a mailbox at School Street and Putnam Street. On May 15, she received a message from Rockland Trust saying her account was overdrawn. She saw that a check had been altered and made out to Khamarin Wizard and for $19,700. Police and the bank are investigating.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Arrested for Inviting a 14 Year Old to His Home to Have Sex

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A 47-year-old Watertown man faces a charge of enticement a child under 16 after he invited what he thought was a 14-year-old to his home to have sex, Watertown Police said. On May 16 at 10:20 p.m., Watertown Police responded to a home on Arthur Terrace after receiving a call from a group called Predator Poachers of Massachusetts that had been corresponding online with the man while posing as a teenage boy. The suspect was identified by Police as Brian Lally, 47, of Watertown, said Watertown Police Sgt. Ken Swift. “(The group) had been texting back and forth with a 47 year old named Brian Lally,” Swift said.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Complete Interactive, Scenario-Based Training with Support of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office

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Middlesex Sheriff’s Officer Ryan Abrams and Watertown Police Sergeant Tom Dicker stand outside the MSO’s Mobile Training Center. Photo courtesy of Watertown Police Department

The following announcement was provided by the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office:

Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan and Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian have announced that 43 Watertown police officers recently completed interactive, scenario-based training facilitated by the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO). Training was completed between April 22-26 in Watertown utilizing the MSO’s Mobile Training Center (MTC). During the training, officers were put through a series of video-based scenarios that replicated situations they may need to respond to on any shift. This included traffic stops and incidents in which individuals were in mental health crisis. These scenarios allowed officers to focus on the effective use of communication and de-escalation skills, with Watertown PD training staff able to provide immediate feedback.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Seek Information About Missing Woman

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Bogalech Gedore

The Watertown Police Department announced it is seeking information from the public on the whereabouts of 34 year-old Bogalech Gedore. Bogalech came from the United Arab Emirates eight months ago to serve as a nanny for a family in Watertown. She was last seen by the family on the evening of Friday, May 10th. Bogalech does not speak English well and she is not known to have friends or family in the area. If you have any information that could be helpful, please contact the Watertown Police Department at 617-972-6500.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police to be Removed from Civil Service, Use Body Cams & Vehicle Cams

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Some major changes will be coming to the Watertown Police Department in the near future, including taking patrol officers out of the Civil Service System, and officers will wear body cameras and have cameras on their vehicles. City Manager George Proakis told the City Council about the changes during his Fiscal Year 2025 City Budget presentation on April 30. The move out of Civil Service is intended to help the Police Department recruit and hire more easily, he said, and studies of other departments have shown that body cams have led to fewer citizen complaints, higher rates of prosecution and other benefits. Civil Service

The Civil Service rules apply to hiring, promotions, and the disciplinary appeal process. The first part has become more and more difficult for the Police Department, said Proakis, who added that he has not seen the same thing for the Watertown Fire Department, which is also in Civil Service.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Sting Nabs Nearly a Dozen Suspected Shoplifters

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More than a dozen Watertown Police officers blanketed Arsenal Yards and the Watertown Mall Wednesday afternoon. They blended in, wearing street clothes, so they could approach shoplifters without attracting attention and place them under arrest. The sting nabbed 11 people in about six hours. The Watertown Police Department worked with retailers, the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, and the Suburban Middlesex County Drug Task Force, to catch as many shoplifters as possible, and to send a message to others, said Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan. “During the operation, undercover officers and loss prevention personnel from Target, Best Buy, Nike, Home Depot, and Ulta were strategically deployed across various retail establishments identified as high-risk locations for shoplifting.

Police/Fire

Man Charged with Having Unlicensed Firearm After Road Rage Incident in Watertown

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A Watertown man faces a series of charges, including assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of an firearm without a serial number, after being involved in a road rage incident on Wednesday. Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan has announced Friday that Ali Alananzeh, 23, of Watertown, was arraigned today in connection with the road rage incident that occurred on March 20 at the intersection of Grove Street and Coolidge Avenue. The incident was reported at about 1 a.m. on Thursday. “The victim reported that he was turning onto Grove Street when the driver of another vehicle, later identified as Mr. Ali Alananzeh, swerved in front him and blocked his vehicle,” said the Watertown Police announcement. “The driver then exited the vehicle before reportedly displayed a knife and proceeding to open the trunk of his vehicle and threatened to retrieve a gun and shoot the victim.