Annual Report 2009

The mission of the Westwood Police Department is to further enhance the quality of life throughout the Town of Westwood by working cooperatively with all facets of the community toward reducing the incidence of crime and the perception of fear, to assess and develop strategies that are designed to address various problems and issues, and through diverse policing efforts, continue to work with the community in providing a safe and caring environment for all.

The Westwood Police Department is comprised of twenty-eight sworn police officers, six civilian communication officers and two records clerks. The duties and responsibilities of each member encompass many different areas.

Personnel

The 2008 calendar year brought a number of personnel changes to the Department.  Officer John Kaszanek retired from the Westwood Police Department after 39 years of dedicated service to the Town.  Officer Kaszanek’s most recent assignment was as senior patrol officer on the day shift.  

Retirements and personnel changes in the Department brought three new individuals to the patrol staff to bring the staffing to the authorized level.  William Sheehan III, Donald Murphy and Jeremy Lenzo graduated from the LowellPoliceAcademy in October 2008.  Each new officer was assigned a mentor upon graduation and the training received at the academy was put into practice with the guidance and assistance of a veteran Westwood Police Field Training Officer.  At the conclusion of their field training in Westwood, each new officer was assigned to a patrol shift.  All threeofficers bring with them individual talents that are sure to guarantee successful careers.  They have an intimate familiarity with the community, as each man grew up in town and graduated from WestwoodHigh School.

Left to Right: Officers Jeremy Lenzo, William Sheehan and Donald Murphy

In addition to the three new officers, Ms. Heather Kimball was hired as a Civilian Communications Officer, bringing the compliment of this Division back to the approved staffing level.  Communications Officer Kimball had previously worked as a Communications Officer in another municipality, and was able to transition to the Westwood Police Department in an efficient manner.  Heather’s knowledge of computerized dispatch software has made the transition to the Westwood Police Department a flawless event, and she is a welcomed addition to the professional call takers that handle 911 calls, business calls, and radio dispatch.

Training

Professional training of all personnel is a vital necessity in the law enforcement profession, and is of paramount interest to the Administrative Division of the Department.  To keep up with the yearly changes in the law, court decisions, policies and procedures, and law enforcement initiatives, the Department conducts its own 40-hour in-service training program. In addition to outside subject matter experts, Westwood Police personnel facilitate training in these areas, as well as CPR/AED recertification, firearms requalification, and defensive tactics training.  

The Department regularly reviews the annual 40-hour training program to ensure that all officers receive the necessary ‘tools’ to do their job safely and effectively. It is the goal of the department to provide as much “in-house” training as possible. This allows us to tailor the curriculum to the needs of the community and the personnel who serve it.

Members of the Department’s Support Services Division attended the Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Initiative Quarterly Meetings.  These meetings of law

enforcement professionals from around the state focus on incidents where computers, cell phones, and other electronics are used in the commission of crimes.  Our School Resource Officer also attended specialized training on Juvenile Justice issues. 

Investigations

The Department’s two detectives continue to follow-up on cases initiated by patrol officers. The manner in which cases are funneled to the Detectives vary from case to case, but generally speaking, criminal investigations requiring a significant investment of time and resources usually are assigned to a Detective.  The caseload is also impacted by self-initiated investigations, and can encompass drug investigations, fraudulent activity, and quality of life issues.

Traffic Enforcement

The volume of traffic and the speed at which it travels continues to be a shared concern of many residents. Selective enforcement is a strategy employed by the Department to target traffic violations at specific times and locations, often based on resident complaints, and continue to be a priority of the Patrol Division. With the advent of a new records management system, our traffic enforcement efforts and assignments can be more efficiently and effectively implemented.  Although speed enforcement may be the most obvious means of dealing with speeding violations and other traffic problems, the goal of traffic enforcement is only one way of achieving compliance with traffic laws.  Public education and road engineering are also important facets in making the roads of Westwood a safer place. 

The Department has two traffic enforcement speed trailers that are often deployed along major travel routes to advise motorists of the speed at which they are traveling, in an effort to boost voluntary compliance with speed limits.

Crossmatch AFIS

In the fall, we implemented our first digital fingerprint live scan system. This is a hardware and software combination that allows us to capture fingerprints without using ink. We can print out fingerprint cards for citizens who need their fingerprints, or submit the fingerprints to both the state and FBI for arrests. When arresting people, we can now get positive identifications back in about 10 minutes. One of the first two arrests we processed with the system gave us a false name, which was revealed both through the fingerprints and additional questioning. This helps the courts in bail determinations and cuts down on the possibility of a wanted person being released by giving a false name.

Left to Right: Officers Domenic Abbatengelo and Mark Randlett receive training on digital fingerprint system

Crime Statistics

Grants

The police department was successful in obtaining a number of grants to help offset some of its capital and operational costs. Listed in the following chart is a summary of the grant awards the department received during the calendar year:

Goals

Aside from maintaining the progress already made on various initiatives, the department will continue to move toward expanding its capabilities into the following service areas during the next calendar year:

• Increase traffic safety initiatives
• Continue to reduce false alarms that tend to tie up police resources and create an inconvenience for neighbors.
• Continue to upgrade the Radio Infrastructure to allow digital communications within the community
• Continue to work with residents, businesses, and municipal agencies on the Westwood Station Impact Study
• Continue revision of the WPD Policy manual to ensure compliance with all state and federal laws

I truly believe that Westwood is a community that recognizes the value and importance in supporting all those who live, work, and visit our community, and these efforts are designed to compliment and further enhance those programs already in place.

With the anticipated changes during the course of the next year, there will bring even greater challenges. The members of the police department remain committed to broadening their involvement in the community to assist in the resolution of issues which impede our community’s potential, and at the same time foster the quality of life that distinguishes Westwood from all other communities.

The Town of Westwood is a community which recognizes the value of their police department and the initiatives that we have undertaken to ensure that the community is a safe one in which to live and work.  We

pride ourselves on working collaboratively with a number of community organizations to be successful in our community care-taking role.   The Westwood Board of Selectmen has always been supportive of the department’s needs, and I am grateful for their support over the past year.  The Personnel Board, Finance Commission and Planning Board are always available for consultation and their guidance and assistance is always appreciated.  The Westwood Fire Department, Council on Aging and Department of Public Works are among our valued partners, and we cherish the close working relationship we have with these agencies.  The Westwood Public Schools continue to work with us to ensure the safety and well-being of our most precious community members.  The residents of Westwood are considered our constituents, and we recognize how fortunate we are to be working in such a supportive environment.

William G. Chase

Chief of Police