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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009 Annual Report - Public SafetyFIRE DEPARTMENT The Fire Department is responsible for fire suppression, fire prevention, the emergency medical system and emergency management. This Department is also responsible to coordinate and apply for all reimbursement for State and Federal disaster declarations. Through increased training and the purchase of equipment, we have been able to make improvements to all areas of the Department in 2009. The emergency management function identifies hazards to the community; plans are then developed and tested to create a coordinated response to any type of disaster. The Fire Department provides emergency medical treatment at the Advanced Life Support level (ALS) of care to sick and injured patients. This is.the highest level of pre-hospital care available, and we are continually expanding this program as the budget permits. This year, we added equipment additional equipment and training designed to enhance our ability to treat patients who are acutely ill. In September, we placed a new fire pumping engine in service which allowed us to replace a 1986 pumping engine that was beyond its service life and unreliable. Emergency Activity In 2009, the Department responded to 3,085 emergency incidents of which 1,808 were requests for medical assistance and 1,277 were requests for fire and other emergency responses. We responded to 116 fires that were required to be reported to the State Fire Marshal's Office. Included in these were 54 classified as structure fires, 24 vehicle fires and 12 outside fires. The Department responded to 1,808 requests for emergency medical treatment and transported 1,024 patients. Emergency Medical Services The Fire Department's emergency medical program is coordinated by Firefighter Joseph Lapolla and Firefighter Scott- Myette. We provide an Advanced Life Support Level (ALS) of care to the community and this allows Reading Firefighters to treat patients with a wide variety of medications and sophisticated treatment techniques. This level of care is essential to patients who are experiencing a medical emergency that-is an immediate threat to their lives. In 2009, the Department responded to 1,808 medical incidents and transported 1,024 patients. Of the patients transported, approximately 66% required Advanced Life Support treatment. The five highest categories of medical conditions requiring advanced treatment. are: Unable to ambulate, neurological emergencies, respiratory emergencies, cardiac events and traumatic injuries.. In 2009, the Department implemented several advancements to improve our ability to deliver emergency care to acutely ill patients. To meet that goal, we trained all Paramedics in the use and delivery Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). This equipment is used to treat patients who have or are having difficulty breathing due to the buildup of fluid in the lungs as a result of a weakened heart. CPAP delivers oxygen under pressure, and is designed to force fluid from the lungs into the interstitial spaces. This allows a patient who is in severe respiratory distress to breathe more efficiently. 385 Fire Department The Department is currently testing a new piece of equipment designed to improve Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. The equipment is. called the Lucas device and it is designed to deliver automated CPR compressions to a patient. Clinical research has shown the Lucas Device increases the survivability of patients who require CPR. Additionally, we have added additional advanced Life Support equipment to our Fire Engine and Ladder Truck that respond out of the Main Street Fire Station. Lastly, all paramedics received State education for flu pandemic and have been certified to administer immunizations. Fire Prevention Lieutenant Paul Jackson is assigned the position of Day Officer. The Day Officer is responsible to ensure all life safety systems for new construction and renovations are designed and installed properly. This requires pre-construction meetings, plan review, code research and continual site visits to ensure proper installation. This year, 402 inspections were completed including several larger projects. The larger projects received a code review and construction monitoring. These projects are located at 88 and 98 Walkers Brook Drive, 50 Peter Sanborn Place, 10 Torre Street, 107 Main Street and 557 Main Street. For existing buildings, the Day Officer is responsible to ensure all life safety systems are maintained properly. Other areas of responsibility include ensuring the safety and code compliance of flammable and combustible product storage and coordinating the maintenance of Department vehicles. Lieutenant Jackson is involved in school safety initiatives. He is a member of the NEMLEC (North East Metropolitan Law Enforcement Counsel) Stars Program. This program is designed to assist school systems to prepare and respond to a wide variety of threats to the school environment. SAFE and Community Education Firefighter John Jenks coordinates the Reading Fire Department's S.A.F.E. Program. This fire safety education program is delivered in the Reading Public School System and continues to receive a high level of support from School Administrators and children. This program is funded by a $4,700 grant provided by the State, Our SAFE Program features an in-house developed age appropriate curriculum for each grade level K through Grade 5. Reading Firefighters trained as S.A.F.E educators visit each school classroom of Kindergarten through Grade 5 to deliver the fire prevention and anti- smoking message. Firefighters use a new specially designed trailer that is shared by the Metrofire District to present a very real fire scenario to the students. Using this training aid, the children are taught life saving skills in a controlled setting that is not possible to duplicate in the classroom. The S.A.F.E. Trailer is available to the Reading Fire Department and 33 other communities in the greater Boston area free of charge. Fire Alarm The municipal fire alarm system in Reading is in excellent condition. This is a direct result of the planning, care and maintenance given to the system by our dedicated Fire Alarm Technicians Michael Holmes and Brian Ryan. When appropriate, we are connecting new and remodeled buildings to the municipal fire alarm system to ensure a rapid response to an incident. ,386 Fire Department Reading Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management is an active component of the Department. This year, we began a new planning initiative to develop a Town wide Continuity of Operations Plan and a Continuity of Government. Plan. Both plans are designed to assist all Departments of the Town recover from a disaster that impacts our operations. The plan is designed to identify a secession plan, key areas of operation, protect vital records and designate alternate facilities of operation. Housed within Reading's Emergency Management Agency are two separate functions, Emergency Management and the Local Emergency Planning Committee. Reading is also part of the North East Homeland Security Region (NERAC). NERAC is one of the five Massachusetts homeland security regions created by the Executive Office of Public Safety. The primary goal for Emergency Management is to identify threats to the community, and to prepare for all disasters whether natural or manmade, coordinate the response of a wide range of agencies and assist in the recovery phase. A secondary goal is to ensure the Town of Reading is in compliance with all Federal and State requirements to enable the community to remain eligible to receive reimbursement for Federal and State disaster declarations. The Town of Reading is and has always been in full compliance with all Federal and State requirements. For the Town of Reading, the Fire Chief is the Emergency Management Director. Federal and State legislation requires every community in the country to have a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The LEPC identifies areas where the population is, most at risk from a hazardous materials release, facilities and transportation routes that contain hazardous materials and resources that would be used to mitigate an incident. The Fire Department has developed a Hazardous Materials Emergency Plan to meet both Federal and State statutory planning requirements. For the Town of Reading, the Fire Chief is the Local Emergency Planning Committee Chairman. To pool resources, the Town of Reading has joined with 11 other communities and formed the Mystic Regional Emergency Planning Committee. The Mystic Regional Emergency Planning Committee is designed to facilitate the sharing of resources in the event of an emergency, and has attained Full Certification Status by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Fire Apparatus In 2009, we placed a new fire pumping engine in service and this allowed us to retire a 1986 pumping engine. All recently purchased fire apparatus are equipped with the same engines, transmissions and fire pumps and we believe this will improve' our ability to service the equipment. Training Due to budget reductions, we cut our in-service Firefighter training program in July of 2009. This program was organized under a single Training Officer, Firefighter Scott Dole. Each month, Firefighter Dole was responsible to develop and deliver an in-depth training program to each of the four Groups. The program has been designed to improve Firefighter safety, enhance performance and to unify the four Groups. 387 Fire Department Prior to eliminating the in-service training program, Firefighter Dole delivered a Firefighter Rescue Training to all Groups. The training was delivered at a donated house on Franklin Street. Firefighter Safety All personnel were issued 30 feet of life safety rope and hardware to form a system designed to allow a Firefighter to escape from an elevated location. Additionally, we have added carbon monoxide meters to our medical bags to identify an unknown carbon monoxide condition at the scene of an emergency medical incident. Personnel Firefighter Scott Myette was recognized as our Firefighter of the year. He was selected by Department members for his EMS work and Muscular Dystrophy fundraising efforts. He also was recognized at the Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony and Dinner held on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at the Hillview Country Club in North Reading. Conelminn Over the last year, we have strived to make advancements in all areas of the Department. We have increased the level of training for our personnel, introduced new technology and equipment and aggressively pursued resources by through public safety grants. The Advanced Life Support Program has been expanded to all fire apparatus and continues to provide Reading residents with the highest level of emergency medical care in this area. The condition of our fire apparatus is excellent and this increases our efficiency and capability at the scene of emergency. I would like to thank all Town Officers, Boards, Departments, members of the Reading Fire Department, and especially the citizens of Reading for their continued high level of support and assistance. Respectfully submitted, Gregory J. Burns Chief of Fire Department 388 Fire Department FIRE DEPARTMENT ROSTER CHIEF: Gregory J. Burns CAPTAINS: Kenneth N. Campbell Philip B. Boisvert Paul F. Guarino Peter L. Marchetti LIEUTENANTS: Paul D. Jackson David T. Ballou Richard A. Puopolo Richard L.S. Nelson Mark F. Dwyer FIREFIGHTERS: Matthew McSheehy David Gentile Thomas McCarthy Daniel Cahoon Michael Belmonte Sean Devlin Michael Holmes William VanHorn Scott Myette David Roy Lisa Palermo Bruce Ayer Robert McCarthy Michael Wood Paul Dalton Patrick Wallace Scott Dole Ryan Buckley Brian Ryan John Jenks Joseph Lapolla Stephen Pelrine Eric Blackman Paul Damocogno Robert Beck Paul Roy Garrett Antanavica Stephen Murphy Derek Loftus David Ferreira . David Robidoux Dana Ballou Christopher Germain Anthony Delsignore ^Linda Polcari *Nicholas Metcalf *Robert Loring SECRETARY: Cynthia M. Keenan Resigned position *Hired to fill vacancy ^Retired FIRE DEPARTMENT STATISTICS FOR 2009 Permit Fees Collected $ 11,979.00 Ambulance Fees Collected $ 683,336.27 Bell Alarms and Still Alarms 2,574 Emergency Ambulance Calls 1,808, Inspections 402 389 READING POLICE DEPARTMENT Mission and Value Statement The Reading Police Department is committed to providing the highest level of public safety and service to the citizens and business people.within the community. The members of the Department are empowered to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and bylaws of the Town of Reading to ensure that the peace and tranquility of our neighborhoods are maintained and that crime and the fear of crime are reduced. We emphasize and value integrity, honesty, impartiality and professionalism from our members in order to create an environment that values differences and fosters fairness and flexibility in our mission. We encourage citizen input and interaction that will assist us in developing sound partnerships between the community and police. Working together, we can protect our future and enhance the quality of life for everyone within the town. The Police Department and the community as a whole experienced growth, change and transformation in calendar year 2009. More personnel changes occurred within the Department including two new Command Staff assignments, two new Detective assignments, a resignation, and one new Police Officer was hired to fill an existing opening. This report summarizes the participation, activities, sponsorships, enhancements, accomplishments, and other notable events of the Police Department in Calendar year 2009. Personnel Changes The following personnel changes and adjustments were experienced by the Police Department in calendar year 2009 January 2009 ■ Lt. Richard Robbins was assigned as Executive Officer and Support Services Division Commander. ■ Sgt. Detective Mark Segalla was assigned as Criminal Division Commander. February 2009 ■ Officer Pat Iapicca was assigned to the Detective Division. March 2009 Recruit Officer Patrick Silva was hired and began training at the MBTA Police Academy in Quincy. April 2009 ■ Officer Michelle Halloran was assigned to the Detective Division. June 2009 ■ Officer Ryan Porter resigned from the Police Department. September 2009 ■ Officer Patrick Silva graduated from the MBTA Police Academy. Awards and recognitions: April 2009 ■ Sgt. David Clark was honored as the Reading Police Department's Officer of the Year at the Reading/North Reading Chamber of Commerce dinner. ■ The Board of Selectmen recognized the Public Safety Dispatchers during National 911. Telecommunicators Week. 390 Police Department May 2009 ■ The Board of Selectmen recognized National Police Memorial Week. August 2009 ■ School Resource Officer Richard Abate is recognized as the Department's first Drug Recognition Expert after completing 120 hours of training sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Community Polieing The Police Department continues to work closely with the community and other Town Departments as well as State and Federal Agencies. The Department strongly promotes the philosophy of "working with the community," and sponsors or participates in a number of community events and/or programs such as the following: ■ The Police Department continues to be an active member the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse (RCASA). Chief James Cormier was the Vice President of the organization through September 2009. School Resource Office Richard Abate is also an. active member of the RCASA. ■ The Police Department was able to collaborate with the RCASA to be awarded grant funding that enables the Department to conduct alcohol compliance checks. The Detective Division has worked closely with the RCASA to be trained and implement alcohol compliance checks throughout the community. ■ The Police Department is represented on the Human Relations Advisory Committee. (HRAC) Chief Jim Cormier. The Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Program, which is a self defense course designed specifically for women, has been and continues to be one of the Police Department's most successful programs. On January 6, 2009, RAD instructors gave a safety talk to local Girl Scouts. A Basic Adult RAD class was held on February 2, 4, 9 and 10, 2009, and 31 women attended that program. RAD instructors gave two safety talks to the juniors and seniors at the Reading Memorial High School on February 9 and 12, 2009. A Basic RAD class was held for Reading Memorial High School students on March 2, 4, 9 and 10, 2009, and 22 female students attended this program. On April 1, 2009, RAD instructors assisted North Reading Police Officers with - their RAD class. On April 9, 2009, instructors gave a safety talk to students at the Sawyer Nursery School. On April 18, 2009, instructors gave a safety talk to Mom's in Motion, a women's running club. On May 1 and May 21, 2009, instructors assisted Wakefield Police Officers with their RAD class. Sgt. Clark, Detective Iapicca, Detective Halloran, Officer Lavita, Officer Nelson, School Resource Officer Richard Abate, Officers Christine Agnone and Kristen Stasiak. ■ The Citizens Police Academy has been very popular and will continue to be a base program for the Department. Lt. David Stamatis. ■ On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 12, 13; 14, 2009, the RMHS Drama Club presented "The. Laramie Project" at the Performing Arts Center at the High School. The play is based on the story of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay university student who was brutally attacked near Laramie, Wyoming in October 1998 and left for dead, and tied to a fence by his attackers. He later died. In January, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) of Topeka, Kansas announced their intention of picketing the March 13th performance. The WBC conducts sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle. Some of these demonstrations in other jurisdictions have resulted in violence. A comprehensive ,action plan was developed over several weeks through the coordinated and dedicated efforts of the various Town Departments, school administration, students, religious 391 Police Department organizations and outside police agencies. On the night of the protest, the WBC members arrived and were greeted by approximately 200 counter protesters. A very visible police presence ensured that everyone's civil rights and safety were protected, and the protest took place without incident. Lt. Richard Robbins ■ On April 10, 2006, Lt. Robbins gave a Crime Prevention talk to the Unitarian Church. ■ In June, Police Officers and their families participated in the Challenger Softball game, where they are afforded an opportunity to interact with children with special needs in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. ■ Also in June, the Department participated in Friends and Family Day held at Birch Meadow. Officer James Collins. ■ The Department participates annually in the Libraries' Vehicle Day in August where children of all ages get to enjoy the vehicles of the community. Officers James Collins and Christoper Picco. ■ In collaboration with the Reading Adult Education Office, we were able to sponsor a parenting workshop that was very successful and received by 25 parents. ■ Throughout the year, the Department participated in the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau's "Click-it or Ticket" Program. This program is an intensified traffic enforcement effort subsidized by -a grant that targets specific traffic issues such as seat belt use or impaired operation. Lt. David-Stamatis. ■ In October, the Department in conjunction with its Labor Unions organized its Annual Senior Ham and Bean Supper at the Senior Center. Officer Collins. ■ Also in October, a Neighborhood Crime Watch Meeting was conducted in a neighborhood that was experiencing a large number of disturbance calls. Lt. Richard Robbins and Sgt. Det. Mark Segalla ■ In December, the Department in conjunction with its Labor Unions organized the 29th Annual Children's Holiday Party at Austin Preparatory School. Again collaborating with the Free Masons (Reading Lodge) to offer the Child Identification Program (CHIP) providing over 80 identification kits. Officer James Collins. ■ The Departments' Websitehttp://www.ci.reading.ma.us/Pages/ReadingMA Police/index is very successful and offers a variety of information for the public. Lt. Stamatis. ■ In response to the community's ongoing concerns with traffic enforcement, the Police Department utilized grant funding to augment specific traffic enforcement efforts throughout the year. ■ Working collaboratively with other Town Departments as well as the Commonwealth of Mass. Department of Transportation and private vendors, the two year Downtown reconstruction project was essentially completed without major incident. While there was inconvenience during the construction, it was kept to a minimum and traffic flowed smoothly in general. The Department was actively involved in the planning and successful implementation of the First Annual Fall Street Fair in September. The Downtown was cordoned off to provide a street festival in the Square and down Haven Street. The event was declared a huge success and is expected to be repeated going forward. ■ The Department mourned the loss of Superintendent of Schools Patrick A. Schettini. Superintendent Schettini was a visional leader who worked tirelessly to build positive and productive relationships between the School and Police Departments. With his vision and leadership, we were able to successfully institute the School Resource Officer Program within the schools. Superintendent Schettini will be missed but we look forward to building on the solid relationship foundation he has laid for us. 392 Police Department Patrol Division The Reading Police Patrol Division is the core of policing services in the Town of Reading. The Division falls under the command of Lieutenant David Stamatis'during daytime operations, and Lieutenant Peter Garchinsky on nights. The Division is comprised of two Sergeants and 10 Patrol Officers during the day; and four Sergeants and 12 Patrol Officers on nights. The Patrol Division is the most visible section of the Police Department, providing around the clock service to the citizens and visitors to Reading. They are the uniformed Officers who provide the first line of defense for the public's safety. Each law enforcement Patrol Officer works to protect life and property, uphold the civil rights of individuals, preserve public peace, provide citizen assistance, enforce criminal and motor vehicle laws, and respond to emergency situations. These are dedicated and committed professionals who place their lives and well being in jeopardy for the citizens of Reading on a daily basis. The Patrol Division currently consists of eight supervisors and 22 sworn Officers. It currently operates a fleet of four Ford Crown Victoria's as well as a Ford Explorer and Expedition. In addition to standard patrol, the Reading Police Department's Patrol Division also employs a motorcycle and pedal bikes with two newly purchased pedal bikes in 2009, bringing the total to seven pedal bikes. The men and women of the Patrol Division are responsible for enforcing State and Municipal laws and regulations designed to protect life and property; maintain order in an assigned district or beat; patrol the city to preserve the peace and to prevent crime; take criminal reports and .interview witnesses and suspects; apprehend fugitives and criminals; collect evidence and give testimony in court; conduct investigations for all misdemeanor and many felony cases; direct traffic, issue traffic tickets, investigate accidents and makes arrests; participate in crime prevention, public information and safety programs. Patrol Officers maintain closer contact with the public than any other section of the Police Department. Most likely, the first person you will see when you are in need of the police will be the Patrol Officer. The men and women of the Police Department's Patrol Division take great pride in serving the citizens of Reading. It is important to realize that in a split second, the most inconsequential and routine activity can develop into a potentially hazardous situation. Without question, the Patrol Division is the backbone of the Police Department. In 2009, the Patrol Division issued 5,419 moving violations, made 223 arrests, and answered 30,209 calls for service throughout the Reading Community. Detective Division The Detective Division is the liaison of the Police Department with the Reading Public Schools as well as the Northeast Regional Vocational School in Wakefield. School Resource Officer Richard Abate was the Division's primary liaison in 2009. He worked diligently with all the schools to ensure the safety of the students and faculty. It is important to point out that, at all levels of both the School Department and the Police Department, the degree of cooperation and unity to bring the absolute best level of services to the community has rarely been better. We applaud the School Department's commitment to working with the Police Department in order to provide the best services possible to the community. 393 Police Department Outlined below are a number of the-Detective Divisions' activities for 2009. ■ Actively participate in the Criminal Based Justice System - this system brings together multiple town agencies with the District Attorney's Office to share information. ■ Member organization of Project Alliance - this is a program sponsored by the District Attorney's Office that provides educational opportunities for law enforcement, schools and other professionals in the areas relative to school and juvenile issues. ■ Member organization of the Woburn Court Substance Abuse Initiative, linking the seven communities that fall under the jurisdiction of Woburn District Court to combat the substance abuse issue in the area. Through this initiative, the Heroin Education Awareness Task Force (H.E.A.T.) was formed. ■ Member of the NEMLEC Detective Group, a regional detective group incorporating over 40 cities and towns in the region, that freely exchanges information of interest. ■ Participating member of the Domestic Abuse Roundtable, a meeting of the District Attorney's office and the seven Woburn District Court agencies to exchange and update information regarding domestic violence. ■ Participating member of the Juvenile Fire Setters, educational information regarding juvenile fire setters. ■ Worked in conjunction with the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse to conduct many alcohol compliance checks of all pouring establishments and liquor stores in Town. ■ Working highly sensitive, complicated criminal investigations in a small unit requires the Officers who work for that unit to have the utmost integrity and to be beyond reproach. These philosophies are the backbone of the Police Detective Division. • Detectives Michael Saunders and Derek Holmes each attended a two week school on Advanced Criminal Investigations sponsored by the Boston University School of Medicine and the Northeast Middlesex Law Enforcement Council Police Foundation. • Detectives Pat Iapicca and Michelle Halloran each attended a 40 hour basic fingerprinting school, 40 hour rape investigator school, 40 hour crime scene school and a 24 hour interview and interrogation school. These courses are necessary for their duties in the Detective Division. Public Safety Dispatch The Reading Public Safety Dispatchers provide through communications a lifeline for the community, Police Officers and Firefighters. Eight full-time Dispatchers and one per diem Dispatcher are under the direct supervision of the Head Dispatcher and under the command of the Day Shift Patrol Division Commander Lt. David Stamatis.. Dispatchers receive requests for information and services, they triage those request based on available resources, and disseminate those request to the emergency personnel in the field. Dispatchers greet the public entering the Police Station and provide a valuable service to our community. Dispatchers recorded 30,209 calls for service in 2009, and issued 3762 Community Access Stickers. The Dispatch Corps are the face of Reading Public Safety, in most cases they are the first interaction the public has with Public Safety. We are grateful for the professional service provided by the Reading Public Safety Dispatchers. Over the past year, there have been no changes with regard to the staffing level of the Communications Center which builds on the stability of the Division. 394 Police Department Crossing Guards The School Crossing Guards are part-time civilian personnel. Currently, there are 18 permanent Crossing Guards and nine spares that fill in when a regular Crossing Guard is unable to cover their post. They are under the direct supervision, coordination and control of Safety Officer Michael Lee. Each Crossing Guard plays an essential role in ensuring the safe commute of children to and from school. They also serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for the Police Department and the community as well. These Crossing Guards have proven to be devoted to their duties, and are a great asset to the Town of Reading Animal Control Officer The Animal Control Officer is Ronald Burns who works 13 hours per week and is on call for emergency situations. There were more than 500 calls for service received by the Animal Control Officer. There were 10 dog bites over the year resulting in injuries to humans. There were five dog to dog bites resulting in veterinary care. There were seven bites over the year resulting from animal of unknown origin to six dogs and one cat. Those that tested negative for rabies were quarantined for 10 days. There were seven cat bites to humans reported, and there were over 25 coyote sightings and cat missing calls reported. Over 225 fines and citations were issued to residents for failure to keep their dog on a leash, failure to license their dog and for biting. A majority of the calls were received for neighbors complaining about other dogs. There was one meeting of the Animal Control Appeals Committee to determine if a dog that killed a cat was a vicious dog under the bylaw regulations. The Animal Control Officer is authorized to isolate and confine domestic animals suspected of being exposed to rabies. Acting according to State regulations and guidelines, the Animal Control Officer must: ■ Investigate reports of domestic animals exposed to rabies. ■ Determine if the domestic animal has or may have been exposed to a rabid animal, and if the domestic animal has been properly vaccinated. ■ Make an evaluation of the exposure of the vaccinated animal, and prescribe the appropriate action according to State regulations. ■ Obtain permission to euthanasia exposed, unvaccinated animals from their owners or from the MDFA. ■ Carry out euthanasia permitted by the owner of MDFA. ■ Collect the head of the euthanatized animal and deliver or send it to MDPH State Laboratory Institute, if the animal has bitten or otherwise exposed a human or domestic animal. ■ Ensure that vaccinated domestic animals receive a booster vaccination if needed, and that the animal remains under appropriate strict confinement or isolation, o Contact local officials when exposed domestic animals have exposed humans. Parking Enforcement Officer . The Parking Enforcement Officer is Ronald Burns who works 18 hours per week. The major responsibilities of the Parking Enforcement Officer are: ■ Identify and cite motorists who violate Reading's parking regulations and reduce opportunities for violations to be committed through preventive patrols of all parking areas. Tally and inventory tickets daily. 395 Police Department ■ Identify parking problem areas within the Town and forward this information to the Safety Officer. ■ Perform related duties as required. Over the year, a new set of parking regulations were implemented. ■ Total citations issued by the Parking Enforcement Officer in 2009 are 1,507. ■ Totatincome from parking citations is $37,140.00. ■ 85% of the citations were paid. ■ 9% of the citations were marked for non-payment. The following is the Police Department Roster; a statistical analysis of our enforcement efforts and a record of revenues generated by our Department for calendar year 2008. POLICE DEPARTMENT ROSTER CHIEF: James W. Cormier LIEUTENANTS: Executive Officer Lt. Richard W. Robbins Lt. David M. Stamatis SERGEANTS: Bruce F. Russell John T. McKenna Mark J. O'Brien David J. Clark DETECTIVE DIVISION: Sgt. Detective Mark Segalla Detectives: Michael D. Saunders Pasquale Iapicca School Resource Officer: Richard P. Abate SUPPORT SERVICES: Lt. Peter C. Garchinsky Francis G. Duclos Derek Holmes Michelle Halloran Community Service Officer Safety Officer Armorer James P. Collins Michael R. Lee Christopher Picco PATROL OFFICERS: Christine Agnone Joseph Belmonte Michael C. Bouvier Kevin M. Brown Jr. Anthony F. Caturello Erik Drauschke John C. Edson Matthew C. Edson Michael P. Fitzgerald Keith D. Hurley Christopher E. Jones Salvi Lavita Robert MacHugh Jr Justin P. Martel Ian A. Nelson Ryan A. Porter Corey Santasky David Savio Patrick Silva Kristen. Stasiak Christopher Voegelin ' Sean M. Wilson 396 Police Department ANCILLARY PERSONNEL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR: Andrew Scribner-MacLean CLERKS: Administrative Assistant Victoria Cummings Principal Clerk Joanne Power DISPATCHERS: Head Disnatcher Victoria Averv Christopher Finnegan Debra Haynes Ryan Mahoney Joseph Pagnotta John Rawcliffe Regina Saunders Susan Tapley Matthew Vatcher SCHOOL CROSSING (GUARDS: Cindy Asci Mildred Barton Doug Cowell Robert DeWolfe Arthur Dickinson Rosemary Violante Karen Fillmore Peg Faulkner Gerry Intonti Lucy Intonti Tina Lantz Marsha Leighton Joseph Lopiccola LuAnn MacKinn Kris McNeil Dick Prudente Allen Sletterlink Pat Tilton SPARE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS: George Snow Leon Leighton Angela Donegan Don Pierce Dick Baker Cheryl Bucknam Lynne Upton Benadette McMann Joe Veno ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERIPARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: Ronald, Burns Service Statistics for Calendar Year 2009: ■ Arrests 234 ■ Protective Custody 59 ■ Motor Vehicle Citations 5419 ■ Parking Violations 1776 ■ Detective Criminal Investigations 158 ■ Automobile Crashes Investigated 454 Fees Collected for Calendar Year 2009: ■ License to Carry Permits $ 1,762.50 ■ Firearm Identification Cards- $ 337.50 ■ Police Reports Copied $ 2,353,50 ■ Parking Fines $ 52,731.00 ■ Administrative Fees for details $ 22,901.02 ■ Community Access Stickers $ 78,592.00 ■ Parking Space Rentals $ 33,230.00 ■ Civil Motor Vehicle Infractions $ 52,857.50 ■ Community Room Rental Fee $ 210.00 ■ Motor Vehicle Lease Surcharge $ 2,187.00 397 Police Department Conclusion: To summarize our Mission Statement, we are empowered to enforce the laws of our land but in order to do this appropriately and adequately, we have to work with the community. Providing the community with the highest level of police service is a goal that will require dedication, hard work and a strong commitment to and from our community. I want to thank the citizens of our community for their support and cooperation. Working with the community, your Police Department will accomplish its mission. Respectfully submitted, James W. Cormier, Chief of Police READING COALITION AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE Leadership Board of Directors: The Board met monthly and has made great strides in organizing to combat substance abuse. Officers included President Nancy-Linn Swain, Vice President James Cormier, Treasurer Patrick Schettini (resigned in April 2009), Treasurer John Doherty (appointed on May 2009) and Secretary Amy Vendt. Maddie Chiappini resigned due to graduation, and Joseph Finigan resigned due to a job change. Coalition leaders appointed the nominating committee to fill vacant slots. Ellie Freedman replaced Joseph Finigan as the Principal Liaison to the Reading Memorial High School, Mark Mauriello replaced Maddie Chiappini as the Youth Liaison to the Reading Memorial High School, Thomas Guerrerio was appointed as the Pharmacist Liaison, and Colleen Seferian replaced Barbara Meade as the Liaison for the Board of Health. Board Members Roster as of 9/30/09: President Nancy-Linn Swain, Vice President James Cormier, Treasurer John Doherty, Secretary Amy Vendt, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Ellie Freedman, School Administration, Tom Zaya, School Health, Colleen Seferian, Board of Health, student Courtney Farrar, student Mark Mauriello, Ann Marie Baccari, Austin Prep, School Resources Officer Richard Abate, Pastor Pam Smith Paquette, Clergy Association, Board of Selectman Stephen Goldy, Larry Berkowitz, Riverside Community Care, Pharmacist Thomas Guerrerio, Dennis Collins, Parent/Member At Large and Lynn Dunn, RN, BSN, Parent/Member At Large. Annual Meeting Report: The meeting began with 45 participants viewing the 270 photographs displayed. The Photovoice and Tobacco Prevention Block projects were described by the Youth Crew. The Cigarette Prevention PSA garnered positive feedback. An Evaluation Overview of Coalition Progress was provided by Sara Grinnell. Ms. Freedman provided a 'Breathalyzer Policy Overview.' Youth conducted group discussions on evidence of substance use in the community. The Nominating Committee report was. presented by Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner. The Board appointed the. following officers (President Nancy-Linn Swain, Vice President Stephen Goldy, Secretary Amy Vendt and Treasurer John Doherty) for a term expiring on 9/30/2010 or until their successor is appointed. 398 Police Department Committees: The Education Subcommittee focused on expanding community education opportunities. The Youth Crew comprised of 20-29 members focused on youth leadership, media campaign development, and outreach and prevention products. RCASA honored nine seniors for outstanding service to the Coalition. The Data Workgroup reviewed current data and provided recommendations to enhance data collection and distribution within the community. The Risk Behavior Workgroup focused on addressing gaps found in the YRBS survey. The work-group planned a district in-service and worked on a Health Fair/Student Conference for 2010. PersonneFConsultants: Filament Design Studio, Inc. (media campaign and website development), JBS Professional Services (municipal and law enforcement training), Northeast Center for Healthy Communities/Sara Grinnell (Evaluation Services),Youth (dialogues, prevention campaigns and underage operatives). Staff: Erica McNamara, RCASA Director (1.0 FTE) and Connie DeBenedetto, RCASA Outreach Coordinator (.5 FTE). Federal Drug Free Communities Grant Assessment: Nineteen hundred (1,900) surveys and/or evaluations were added to the RCASA community needs assessment. Six environmental scans were conducted. The School District engaged RCASA for the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey process. RCASA advocated for inclusion of the national core measures questions on perception of risk and harm, new substance abuse questions, assisted with data collection, and prepared background materials. A series of School, Town and Police policy reviews were completed. - Capacity: Coalition membership increased from 258 to 517. The coalition benefited from training and/or collaboration with the CADCA National Coalition Institute, Northeast Center for Healthy Communities, Mass. Youth Against Tobacco, Mass. Forum for Healthy Communities, Mass. Department of Public Health, National Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws and Mass. Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. Planning: RCASA leaders refined the five year strategic plan and annual work plan with the input of stakeholders. Board leaders approved the Sustainability Plan. Staff and coalition members worked collaboratively to plan activities related to policy improvement and community outreach. Staff worked with consultants and youth to plan website content and design. Implementation: RCASA reached over 1,000 individuals through 16 workshops on substance abuse prevention. 20-29 youth members completed 130 training hours on substance abuse prevention and youth leadership. Staff and key coalition members completed 142 training hours including the National CADCA Mid-Year Institute, Communities Mobilizing for Change, Alcohol Compliance, Responsible Beverage Service & Party Patrols and Tobacco Prevention. RCASA received certification to provide TIPS trainings for local businesses; i.e., responsible beverage service. Over 300 students completed "Choose to Refuse" on opiate prevention at RMHS. New media featuring Youth PSAs and a print ad series was released. Youth conducted outreach at school and community events including Red Ribbon Week, Friends and Family Day, Old Towne Reading Faire and Wellness events. 399 Police Department The Health Department, Walgreen's and RCASA continued "Rx Round Up," a prescription disposal program for non-controlled substances. Police received approval from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to launch a collection program for controlled substances in October. The Youth Crew established the RCASA Student Club at the High School in November. Youth launched a special project on Impaired Driving Prevention. Youth completed 40 surveys on tobacco products and advertising. Reading Police coordinated a regional training for law enforcement on alcohol compliance. Policy: School policy greatly improved with breathalyzers now required at school dances. The School Resources Officer was trained as a drug recognition expert. All establishments licensed to sell alcohol are reviewed by the Board of Selectmen annually. New liquor policy changes were implemented in 2009. Police strengthened enforcement of underage drinking laws and improved data collection. Local Town Meeting Members passed a bylaw to prohibit public consumption of marijuana. Drug Free Communities Evaluation The Northeast Center for Healthy Communities provided consultation services for RCASA to track both process and outcome measures. Goal 1: Reduce substance abuse among youths and adults. Results: Monitored substance use and abuse indicators throughout the community. Directly engaged 875 residents in RCASA projects including family strengthening workshops. Provided training and technical assistance for key partners on substance abuse issues. Goal 2: Establish and strengthen collaboration. Results: • Launched tobacco, prescription disposal and underage drinking enforcement initiatives • Advocated for policy improvements on liquor policy and marijuana. • Environmental scan results shared with Board of Selectmen and the RCASA Board. Partnership with Police on Underage Drinkinlz Enforcement Reading Police received funds from the Mass. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research, Highway Safety Division to implement compliance operations during the grant period (12/2008 - 5/2009). RCASA assisted with grant writing, project coordination and process evaluation. RCASA administered the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention's Enforcing Underage Drinking Strategies: Evaluation following the Party Patrols training conducted by RJ Elrick. Detectives conducted surveillance, "Cops in Shops," and party patrols operations. Youth Crew Project Highlights The Slice Card: This card was created to provide a resource that teens will carry and use. We partnered with Town Pizza to offer a discount off their menu (side 1) and offered local resources (side 2). Teens personalize their card with their In Case of Emergency number. Sixteen hundred (1,600) cards were shared with local youth. 400 Police Department Reading Rocks: Staff and youth leaders worked with two High School students to host a youth concert. This show featured four bands and was enjoyed by 100 attendees. Tobacco Prevention: The Youth Crew developed "Building the Tobacco Prevention Movement BLOCK BY BLOCK" project. RCASA received. funding from Health Resources in Action through the Mass. Youth Against Tobacco Program. Youth conducted research, participated in three State trainings, worked with the Reading Board of Health, designed public service announcements, engaged 400 (5th, 6th and 7th graders) to design prevention blocks, painted the block exhibit and hosted a "block party." The group learned that (1) "Cigars and chewing tobacco are as risky as cigarettes," (2) "Tobacco companies spent millions on advertising influencing Massachusetts youth," and (3) "Local youth really do want to change how we view tobacco use in Reading." Healthy Communities: The Youth Crew developed a unique Photovoice project to learn more about the assets and challenges in Reading with the support of funds by Health Resources in Action. Fifty (50) residents completed Photovoice training (29 youth and 21 adults). Youth took 1,700 photographs and chose 270 for exhibition. Members experienced a field trip to the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, Mass., and developed a community exhibit featuring thought-provoking photographs on substance use. Financial Grants under Management Funder Project Amount Year(s) U.S. White House Office of Drug Free Communities $100,000 10/07-9/12 National Drug Control Policy/SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Health Resources in Action a. Healthy Communities $10,000 a. 10/08-9/09 (formerly The Medical Implementation Grant Foundation) b. Mass Youth Against $10,000 b. 11/08-5/09 Tobacco Grant Match Resources: In-kind resources committed to RCASA projects totaled $157,000 from Town, School and Police Departments. These resources included the provision of office and meeting space, matrix supervision and financial oversight. The School Department added a satellite office at the High School for RCASA shared with the staff for the Adult Education Department. ` Grant Proposals: RCASA applied for two grants during the fiscal year. A federal request to expand underage drinking prevention (STOP grant) was submitted for $50,000 and was not granted. A local request to Health Resources in Action to conduct research on other tobacco products was submitted and awarded for $4,000. 401 Police Department Fundraising: The Youth Crew sold water bottles at local events and raised $406.00 for the coalition fund. Funds were deposited into the Reading Co-Operative Bank account. Bank Balance: The coalition bank account held at the Reading Co-Operative Bank (as of 9/24/09) has a balance of $619.87. A total of $406.00 was raised by the Youth Crew through water bottle sales. Public Relations Staff prepared 31 press releases and provided monthly updates for the RCASA Board. Thirty four (34) articles were published in local newspapers. Staff and Youth Crew produced five e-newsletters for 517 coalition members. The Annual Report for the previous year was released on the Town website. Notices about RCASAA events were published on Edline, RCTV, Your Community Connection and on the Town Event Board. . Milestones Key milestones included (1) growing the youth leadership crew and engaging local parents, (2) stronger Police enforcement to reduce minors' access to alcohol, (3) major policy modifications on liquor issues, (4) launching prescription disposal program for controlled substances, (5) passage of Town bylaw to prohibit public consumption of marijuana, and (6) improved understanding amongst youth, parents and residents of environmental strategies and multi-sector collaboration to reduce substance abuse. Respectfully submitted, Erica McNamara, RCASA Director t 402