This being my first report for the East Longmeadow Police Department I thought I would try and recap at best on what has transpired since I was sworn in as Police Chief on March 30, 2005.

 

            We have seen the retirement of two of the Department sergeants. Thomas Templeton retired October 12, 2005 after completing a 20 year career with this department. Walter Niznik retired December 1, 2005 completing a 30 year career which included the last two years as acting Chief of Police. Also retiring after 23 ½ years was Eunice Forbes the secretary for the Department on April 8, 2005 and Phil Van Tassel on May 14, 2005 after two years as our custodian. I wish these employees the best of health and many long years of retirement.

 

            The East Longmeadow Police Department is currently staffed as of January 29, 2006 with five (5) Sergeants and fourteen (14) patrol officers, one (1) Chief and one (1) secretary/clerk. We currently have one sergeant's position waiting to be filled and will then have two patrol officer slots to be filled. A current number of 20 and then an increase to 22 by mid year.

 

            In 1978 the East Longmeadow Police Department had a total approved manpower limit of 27 with 27 currently assigned with a population of 13,132 (1975 State Census). We are currently staffed with 20 (01-20-2006) and a population of 16,000. Hopefully someone sees that this department has suffered a dramatic reduction in staffing since 1978 and if this logic continues then we will continue to be a reactive police department.

 

            It is my hope that department size will increase and with this increase comes the ability to implement different proactive police programs. We continue to receive a Community Policing Grant totaling $38,000 for this FY07 budget cycle from the State. These grants are just scratching the surface on some programs we would try to implement. I have been actively pursuing funding for some school resource officers, a RAD (rape,aggression,defense) program for both school children as well as female residents and for the seniors in our community. These initiatives take time, money and staff. If I do not have the manpower for street duty I will not have the manpower for programs. This Department could use an infusion of another four to six officers to help lower the cost of overtime and create some additional department bureaus like a Detective Bureau.

 

            All department members continue to receive refresher training in criminal laws and updates along with first responder training as well as CPR/Defib training yearly. We have also included some additional programs for advanced training. The majority of the department members have been trained in latent fingerprint recovery as well as Homeland Security indicatives. We continue to train officers for mountain bike patrols and now have seven officers trained. We continue to look for new ideas with the various training available. This year we had officers attend Community Policing programs in Charlotte, NC to see what is working in other communities throughout the country. I had attended a Safe School seminar along with School Superintendent Dr. Edward Costa in Alexandria, VA which provided us an opportunity to work together in developing a plan for the safety of the children within the school system and look at the functions of a school resource officer's position.

I look forward to working with the community on a number of programs and actively seek their support and hope to open lines of communication that may have been silent of late. Please remember to call any time you see any suspicious activity we are a phone call a way seven days a week twenty-four hours a day!

 

I appreciate the support from all the Town Department Heads as well as the support from their staff in assisting the Police Department in doing our job. I would like to thank the Board of Selectmen and their Administrator Nick Breault and his staff of Mrs. Banspach and Mrs. Burke for their help during my first year. I would also like to thank the men and women of the East Longmeadow Police Department for the terrific job that they do each and every day throughout the year. Of course last but not least is the job performed by my secretary and clerk of the works for this Department, Mrs. Pennie Tremblay, Thank you very much!

 

 

Doug Mellis

 

Chief of Police

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