Select Board OKs Belmont Patrol Officers Contracts; All Town Employee Agreements Completed

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Photo: Final contract has been signed off

The Belmont Select Board approved two Memorandum of agreement with the 50-plus member Belmont Police Patrolman’s Association on a wintery Monday night, Jan. 23, completing contracts with each of the unions representing Belmont public employees.

“All our contracts are apparently settled,” said Patrice Garvin, Belmont’s town administrator who led the negotiations for the town.

“It’s great to be finally done,” said Mark Paolillo, chair of the Select Board. “I would characterize all of our contracts as fair … to the employees and also to the town of Belmont.”

The agreements are very similar to the pair of agreements OK’d two weeks ago with the firefighters union, said Garvin. The two contracts are:

  • A two-year term from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022 with a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 2 percent in each year. The memorandum of agreement also includes an increase in the first responders stipend by 4.5 percent effective July 1, 2021.
  • The second agreement runs from July, 1, 2022 to June 31, 2025 with the COLA compensation at 2 percent for each of the 3 years. There is an increase for first responders stipend starting July 1, 2022. “This payment will be equal to 6 percent of the weekly base pay as well as an educational incentive for a bachelor’s degree,” said Garvin. The stipend will incrementally increase in the subsequent years, to 7 percent on July 1, 2023 and 8 percent in July, 1, 2024. Patrol officers will receive an extra dollar in their detail rate from $3.50 to $4.50, Juneteenth is added as a paid holiday, officers will receive a $2,000 Covid-19 stipend just like their firefighting brethren, and employees will receive five weeks of vacation after serving 20 years; currently to take five weeks requires 25 years of service.

Shea It’s So: Three New Belmont Patrol Officers Join The Family Profession

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Photo: From left, Connor, Michael and Ryan Shea after they were sworn in by Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman on Wednesday. (Courtesy Belmont Police Department)

The Belmont Police Department has secured a third generation of the Shea family in its ranks as brothers Connor and Michael and their cousin, Ryan, joined the family profession after being sworn in as Belmont patrol officers by Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

The new officers will be joining their fathers as public safety officers: Connor and Michael are the sons of Belmont Police Detective Sgt. Kevin Shea while Ryan is the son of Lasell University Police Chief Robert Shea. And the three are the grandsons of former Belmont Police Chief Robert Shea.

“I’m happy to welcome these three young men from a family that has supported law enforcement and served the Town of Belmont for three generations now,” said Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac. “These three men and their entire family have shown a commitment to our community that will continue for years to come.”

After an extensive 21-week academy program, the Sheas graduated with the 1st Recruit Officer Class of the Lynnfield Regional Police Academy and will now begin the BPD’s Field Training program, according to MacIsaac.

Breaking: Belmont Police Report ‘Possible’ Shooting On Olmsted Drive, Two At Area Hospitals

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Photo: Belmont Police investigating shooting on Olmsted Drive

Two people were likely shot Monday afternoon in an Olmsted Drive parking lot and are being treated at area hospitals, according to a Belmont Police press release.

The preliminary investigation indicates this was not a random act of violence, according to police.

The police as of 8 p.m. continue to investigate what they are calling a “possible shooting” after finding evidence at the scene and learning that two possible gunshot victims were being treated at local hospitals, said Belmont Police Chief James MacIssac.

The press release said Belmont officers responded to a pair of 911 calls reporting shots were fired in a parking lot off Olmsted Drive around 5:20 p.m. Police found spent shell casings and a magazine but no victims or suspects. Olmsted Drive is the location of Waverley Woods apartments.

After an investigation, police learned two possible victims with gunshot wounds were being treated at local hospitals.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Belmont Police at 617-484-1212.

More to come.

Police Chief, Department Honored For Supporting Officers Serving In National Guard

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Photo: Earl Bonett, Massachusetts Chair of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, presents Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac with an award recognizing the department’s support of members who serve in the armed forces. (Courtesy Photo: Belmont Police Department)

Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac and the Belmont Police Department were recently honored for their cooperation in support of the National Guard and Reserve.

MacIsaac was presented a certificate from the Massachusetts chapter of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) in recognition of the department’s longstanding commitment to supporting its members who serve in the National Guard or in the reserve corps of the nation’s military branches.

ESGR is a Department of Defense office founded in 1972 to carry out the mission of fostering a culture in which American employers support their employees who serve in the guard or reserve forces. Belmont Police have two active officers who are currently serving as members of the Massachusetts National Guard.

“This award is a reflection of our entire department’s collective pride in our members whose commitment to public service extends even beyond Belmont’s borders,” said MacIsaac. “We’re grateful for all who serve in the National Guard and Reserves, including Lt. Paul Cowing and Sgt. Ben Mailhot.”

The Belmont Police Department enables its members who wish to serve in the Guard or Reserves the opportunity to do so with the peace of mind in knowing that they will have their civilian positions waiting for them upon return from any activation.

Belmont Police Chief To Parents: Don’t Drive Those Kids To School!

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Photo: Congestion near the Wellington on Common

Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac has something to say to parents of school-age children: Tell your kids to take a walk! As in take a walk to school each day.

With vehicle trips returning to pre-pandemic levels and changing traffic patterns and street repairs leading to congested roadways during weekday mornings and afternoons, MacIsaac is asking parents to consider NOT driving the kids to school.

“Every week during the school year, we receive complaints that pertain to motor vehicle traffic around our schools” with “[t]he vast majority of violators we identify are parents,” said MacIsaac.

The troubles start with the realization that the parking lots of each school and the adjacent roads “are not conducive to the amount of traffic that occurs around start time and the end of the school day,” Belmont’s chief said in a press release.

Add to that road construction and new traffic patterns at the new Belmont Middle and High School, Chenery Middle School and the Wellington and Burbank elementary schools and the sum total equals a significant amount of traffic challenges that police are facing each day.

So MacIsaac is putting the question to parents: consider alternatives to the usual drive to and from school such as have children take the bus, ride a bike or walk with their child to school.

Rather than taking them to the schoolhouse door, parents can also park a block or two away so a student’s walk will be a short one. And if driving to school is the only option, parents should exercise patience and be considerate to walkers and other motorists while driving Belmont roads, said MacIsaac.

Thieves Target Belmont High End Vehicles With Telling Feature: An Open Side-View Mirror

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Photo: A BMW with a power folding side mirror (BMW)

In poker, a “tell” is when a player makes a subtle physical gesture – repeatedly glancing at their cards – that betrays the strength of their hand. A good opponent will quickly jump on what they see and act accordingly to either win the pot or cut their losses.

And it turns out that vehicles – especially the expensive late model kind – have a “tell” of their own, one of which certain unsavory types took the ultimate advantage at the expense of four Belmont households.

According to a media release from the Belmont Police Department released on Aug. 29, unknown perps stole four vehicles from their owner’s property in the final weeks of August. Besides being high end recently built autos, they had one other thing in common: a conveyance that turned out to give a vital detail away to the thieves – that they were unlocked and ready to be stolen.

The tell? The side-view mirrors were in their normal outward position.

“Certain model vehicles that are equipped with side-view mirrors that automatically fold in when the vehicle is locked are being targeted by thieves,” read the report. “The perpetrators drive late at night, scanning the streets for open side-view mirrors. The open mirrors on certain makes and models is a telltale sign that the vehicle is unlocked.”

A popular feature in many models of vehicles – including from Tesla, BMW, Lexus, Cadillac, Ford and Hyundai – power folding side view mirrors can be folded inward to decrease the size of a car, helping to fit a car into tight spaces such as in parking lots, or as a safety feature when driving through an automatic car wash, or parking on a busy street.

But a number of auto owners either are inattentive or careless when parking their vehicles especially at their homes.

Last year, the Fairfield Police, CT twitted that “[i]n certain luxury vehicles side mirrors fold in when the key fob is not in the vehicle. Suppose side mirrors are still open on a parked car. In that case, thieves know the key is in the vehicle, making it an easy theft target, said the Fairfield Police using information from the North Miami, Florida Police Department and the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators.

An informational notice from the North Miami Police Dept.

According to the website locksmithspro, “thieves will either take advantage of this vulnerability and try to steal the car using various engine start tricks or even the key that has also been left behind in the ignition.”

While these incidents are likely the first ones in which vehicles were stolen in Belmont under these circumstances, this theft is becoming better known over the past few years. First seen in Staten Island around 2017, it’s becoming more prevalent along the Jersey shore.

In Avalon, New Jersey, police urged people to lock their vehicles and homes after four luxury cars were stolen a week after the July 4th holiday. Avalon police say a group of suspects wearing masks and gloves stole the vehicles – a Bentley, a Mercedes, a BMW, and a Porsche – between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Three high-end cars were also stolen over the Memorial Day weekend.

Avalon detectives believe the suspects are from the Newark area and drove around before the thefts to scout their targets.

Nor is this just an east coast problem: England is suffering from this US import.

In a recent story in The Telegraph, Dr. Keith Floyd, a former police chief inspector and a criminologist at Huddersfield University, who interviewed convicted car thieves in prison, said most of their thefts stemmed from what participants described as “lazy” motorists failing to lock their cars even when they had valuables inside.

Floyd said opportunistic thieves could easily bypass all the alarms, keyless defenses, and other hi-tech security that car giants have spent millions of pounds developing.

“With many modern cars nowadays, open door mirrors equate in the thief’s mind with an open door because by default, many are set or can be modified by software to close when the car is locked as a lock confirmation. It’s as simple as that. Open door mirrors can be a green light to theft,” said Floyd.

Talk On How Supreme Court Ruling Effects Gun Ownership in Belmont Friday At The Beech Street Center

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Photo: The talk will take place at the Beech Street Center, Friday, Aug. 12 from 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 pm.

The decision in June by the US Supreme Court to loosen handgun restrictions in New York City will have an effect on Belmont residents seeking to purchase a weapon that they wished to carry on them in public.

Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac will host a conversation and discussion about the court’s gun reform ruling, gun reform laws in general and how it impacts Massachusetts at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., Friday, Aug. 12 from 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 pm. Cost is free.

“I was approached by the senior center about … the court decision and what effect it would have in Massachusetts,” MacIsaac told the Select Board at its Monday, Aug. 8 meeting.

The June 23 decision struck down a New York law requiring people to show a specific need to carry a firearm in public. Gun safety advocates, however, emphasize that the court’s ruling was limited in scope and still allows states to regulate types of firearms, where people can carry firearms and the permitting process, including requirements for background checks and training. 

MacIsaac said the commonwealth had “pretty good gun laws” prior to the ruling: an applicant would need to present three letters of recommendation and then questioned on their need to carry a weapon in public. In Belmont, the police chief who was the issuing authority could then either reject the application or grant either a Class A license – which allowed for a person to carry a concealed at any time – or a Class B which allowed them to carry to and from a shooting range.

The Supreme Court’s ruling did away with the classification systems and the need for letters of recommendation, said MacIsaac. “It’s still up to the police chief in the community if there’s a reason that they find someone’s not suitable and we still have the statutory exemptions that prevent people from obtaining a firearm.”

With Concerns Heightened, Belmont School Committee Will Host Community Safety Forum Tuesday, May 31

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Photo: The Belmont School Committee will host a virtual community safety forum on Tuesday, May 31

After a pair of alarming incidents directed at and in Belmont schools and the recent mass murder of students and teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, the Belmont School Committee will host a virtual community safety forum on Tuesday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m., according to an email from Belmont Superintendent John Phelan.

  • To join the Zoom video meeting, click this link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83217919060 Webinar ID: 832 1791 9060
  • To join by telephone:Call: (929) 205-6099 and enter this PIN: 83217919060# To ask a question or raise your hand, enter *9 on your phone.
  • The meeting will be cablecast live on channel 8 (Comcast) and channel 28 and 2130 (Verizon) and online at belmontmedia.org/govtv

The meeting comes after a bomb threat on May 11 was directed at Belmont High School and “concerning” social media messages accompanied photos of the interior of the Chenery Middle School has raised tensions among residents and parents of school-age students.

The meeting, which will be attended by Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac, Fire Chief David Destefano and Facilities Director David Blazon, will be an opportunity for public safety and town officials “to update on our protocols and to listen to concerns and feedback,” said Phelan.

“As most of our students have exposure to technology, news media, and social media, many of them have likely heard about the tragedy in Uvalde,” said Phelan.

“This topic will no doubt be top-of-mind among families throughout the nation for days to come. Our staff and counselors are available for students in school as needed. Please reach out to one of your child’s teachers, counselor, or principal if you feel your child needs specific support in processing this incident.”

UPDATE: Missing Chenery Middle School Student Found

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Photo: Belmont Police was seeking the public’s help finding a missing Chenery Middle School student

Update: Jonathan McHugh, the 12-year-old Chenery Middle School student who was reported missing Wednesday, has been found and reunited with this family, according to Belmont Police.

The Belmont Police Dept is seeking assistance from the community to locate a missing Chenery Middle School student.

Jonathan McHugh was last seen at the Chenery Middle School, 95 Washington St., at approximately 9 a.m., Wednesday, May 25. McHugh is a 12 year old white male. He is 5’4”, weighs approximately 100 lbs. and has sandy blonde hair.

Courtesy photo

He was last seen wearing a white Champion’s sweatshirt, gray pants and he was carrying a reddish maroon backpack.

If anyone has seen Jonathan, or has information regarding his whereabouts, please contact the Belmont Police Dept at 617-484-1212.

Belmont Police Will Be At District Schools Wednesday After ‘Incident’ At The Chenery

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Photo: Chenery Middle School where an “incident” occurred on Tuesday which was resolved by Belmont Police.

Belmont Police will have an increased presence at all district schools Wednesday morning, May 25, after an incident Tuesday at the Chenery Middle School and yesterday’s mass killing of elementary school children in Uvalde, Texas.

At 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 24, Belmont Police were made aware of a social media post showing pictures of the inside of the Chenery Middle School that included comments from the poster which were deemed “concerning” to the police, according to Chief James MacIsaac.

“Officers immediately responded to the Chenery Middle School along with our Co-Responder Clinician and located the person responsible for the social media posts,” said MacIsaac in an email press release.   Officers and the clinician were able to successfully address the matter.

Belmont Police would not expand on the nature of the comments in the posts, whether they could be perceived as a threat or a call for help.

“Out of an abundance of caution and due to today’s incident in Texas,” police will be at each of Belmont’s six schools Tuesday, said MacIsaac.

Also on Tuesday, the Belmont School Committee led by Chair Meg Moriarty paused for a moment of silence at the start of its business meeting to remember the 19 students and two faculty members murdered by a lone gunman in Texas earlier in the day.