Lowell Police WebNews

Archive for May, 2012

This Friday, May 25, 2012 is National Missing Children’s Day. The LPD, in conjunction with the Lowell Senior Center and Heritage Magazine, will be hosting a Child ID Card Event at the Lowell Senior Center from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Parents and Grandparents are invited to take children to the Senior Center to receive Child ID Kits, Child ID Cards and assorted child safety information. The Senior Center will also be providing snacks and pizza to the children at 3:00 pm.

 
For more information on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, please visit www.take25.org.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell is currently looking to hire Summer Staff for their 2012 Summer Programs as well as a Character & Leadership Development Director. The job descriptions and information on where to send your resume can be found by clicking the link below. Good luck to all applicants.

Boys & Girls Club, Positions Available- Spring/Summer 2012

Lowell Police Department Launches Statewide High-Visibility

Click It or Ticket Enforcement Mobilization

Massachusetts is Serious about Saving Lives through Seat Belt Use

LOWELL, MA (May 9, 2012) – In our continuing effort to save lives, the Lowell Police Department, in partnership with the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS) Highway Safety Division (HSD), the State Police and over 120 other local departments, is launching a high-visibility seat belt enforcement mobilization called Click It or Ticket.  The message is simple: Massachusetts drivers and passengers should always wear their seat belts or be prepared to face the consequences.

During the “Click It or Ticket” mobilization, which runs from May 14th through June 3rd, thousands of extra state and local police will patrol the state’s streets and highways in a concerted effort to promote and enforce seat belt use with the ultimate goal of saving lives.

Many departments across the state have adopted zero-tolerance policies for seat belt violations signaling the increasing importance of seat belt use. In fact, if pulled over, everyone in the car found not wearing a seat belt will be ticketed.

“The Lowell Police Department takes the “Click It or Ticket” mobilization very seriously because it saves lives,” said Police Superintendent, Kenneth Lavallee. “Automobile accidents happen every day. Wearing a seatbelt is the best way for drivers and passengers to remain protected against death or injury when these unfortunate events occur.”

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), based on known usage, 49 percent of the people killed in passenger motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts during 2010 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

“Many people don’t wear seatbelts because they believe they are a good driver or because they don’t think it is necessary for short trips,” said Superintendent Lavallee, “but reckless drivers are unpredictable. The best way to stay protected is to wear a seatbelt for every trip.”

Seat belt use can be the difference between life and death.  It is the best defense in a crash.  Remember to Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time.

For more information, please visit www.mass.gov/highwaysafety.

Lowell, Ma (May 8,2012) Today an announcement was made that effective May 15^th 2012 all communities in the State of Massachusetts will have to comply with the  Secure Communties guidelines. 14 counties across the State will be effected. Barnsatble, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester and Middlesex counties have been notified. This will have no effect on how Lowell Police Department handles its fingerprints or information sharing. Once SC is deployed, the newly activated jurisdictions should continue their longstanding practice of sending fingerprints taken as a result of a criminal justice purpose to the State Identification Bureau who then will forward the submission to the Department of Justice’s FBI CJIS Division pursuant to state and local policies and procedures. The activation of SC does not in any way change local jurisdiction’s existing law enforcement or fingerprinting policies, procedures, or practices. The only new development that results from the activation of SC in the remaining jurisdictions is that, once the FBI CJIS Division receives the fingerprints for a search of the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Information System (IAFIS), they will send the fingerprints to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a search of the Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) System.

Once received by DHS, the fingerprints will be compared to biometric information in the Department’s immigration databases. When there is a match, a trained ICE officer determines what, if any, immigration enforcement action may be appropriate. SC does not authorize local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration law or task them with any additional responsibilities. In fact, following the activation of Secure Communities in the new jurisdictions, it is important that law enforcement agencies there enforce criminal law in exactly the same manner as they did before Secure Communities. It is equally important that departments of corrections in the new jurisdictions not change their operations in any way following the activation of Secure Communities.

If ICE officers determine that an individual identified through Secure Communities may be removable, a detainer may be issued for that individual. The detainer requests the state or local jail facility to hold the individual for up to 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) beyond the time they would normally be released from custody. This is to provide ICE officers the opportunity to interview the person and/or take them into custody prior to the person being released into the community.

ICE is committed to focusing its immigration enforcement resources in a manner that best promotes public safety, border security, and the integrity of the immigration system in all its enforcement programs, including Secure Communities. In practice, this means that ICE places a high priority on the removal of aliens convicted of crimes, recent illegal border crossers, immigration fugitives, and repeat immigration law violators. This prioritization, however, does not mean ICE will decline to remove other aliens identified through Secure Communities who are present in the United States without lawful authority.

All determinations about whether to remove aliens identified through Secure Communities are made on a case-by-case basis, considering the unique circumstances of each case. In making these determinations, ICE considers factors such as criminal record, immigration history (including whether the person was previously deported or has an outstanding removal order from an immigration judge), family ties, duration of stay in the U.S., and significant medical and mental health issues. In cases that fall outside ICE’s immigration enforcement priorities, various forms of prosecutorial discretion may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Once SC is deployed, the newly activated jurisdictions should continue their longstanding practice of sending fingerprints taken as a result of a criminal justice purpose to the State Identification Bureau who then will forward the submission to the Department of Justice’s FBI CJIS Division pursuant to state and local policies and procedures. The activation of SC does not in any way change local jurisdiction’s existing law enforcement or fingerprinting policies, procedures, or practices. The only new development that results from the activation of SC in the remaining jurisdictions is that, once the FBI CJIS Division receives the fingerprints for a search of the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Information System (IAFIS), they will send the fingerprints to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a search of the Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) System.

Once received by DHS, the fingerprints will be compared to biometric information in the Department’s immigration databases. When there is a match, a trained ICE officer determines what, if any, immigration enforcement action may be appropriate. SC does not authorize local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration law or task them with any additional responsibilities. In fact, following the activation of Secure Communities in the new jurisdictions, it is important that law enforcement agencies there enforce criminal law in exactly the same manner as they did before Secure Communities. It is equally important that departments of corrections in the new jurisdictions not change their operations in any way following the activation of Secure Communities.

If ICE officers determine that an individual identified through Secure Communities may be removable, a detainer may be issued for that individual. The detainer requests the state or local jail facility to hold the individual for up to 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) beyond the time they would normally be released from custody. This is to provide ICE officers the opportunity to interview the person and/or take them into custody prior to the person being released into the community.

ICE is committed to focusing its immigration enforcement resources in a manner that best promotes public safety, border security, and the integrity of the immigration system in all its enforcement programs, including Secure Communities. In practice, this means that ICE places a high priority on the removal of aliens convicted of crimes, recent illegal border crossers, immigration fugitives, and repeat immigration law violators. This prioritization, however, does not mean ICE will decline to remove other aliens identified through Secure Communities who are present in the United States without lawful authority.

All determinations about whether to remove aliens identified through Secure Communities are made on a case-by-case basis, considering the unique circumstances of each case.

Our commitment to our community remains steadfast. The Lowell Police Department with its community based policing will continue to work to make this city a safe place to live for all its residents.

The LPD would like to inform you that starting on Tuesday, May 14th, Plain Street will be closed at nights from 8:00 P.M. to 5:00 A.M. to allow erection of bridge beams and stay in place forms on the Lowell Connector over the Plain Street Bridge, both Northbound and Southbound. These activities will last for approximately one month. Traffic will be able to follow signage for an approved detour route. At the end of each night, all debris will be removed from the superstructure, Plain Street Roadway and sidewalk areas. A pedestrian detour plan is in place for pedestrians to safely travel through this area.

Mill City Hoops is running it’s 18+ Coed Outdoor Summer Basketball program in Lowell. The registration deadline is Tuesday May 15th, 2012! Please click the link below to view the flyer and access team requirements, registration requirements and contact information.

MCH Outdoor Summer Basketball Flyer 2012

Lowell, MA (May 1, 2012)- On Thursday April 6, 20012, Lowell Police Detectives assigned to the Special Investigation Unit conducted alcohol Compliance Checks throughout the City. Public notification of these yearly Compliance Checks are dispersed through our local media outlets. The funding for these Compliance Checks was obtained through the EOPSS Highway Safety Division Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant. The LPD received $15,000 to implement a variety of strategies aimed at reducing underage drinking, including Compliance Checks, Cops in Shops and Party Patrols.

On the evening of April 6^th detectives cited four local package stores for selling alcohol to underage buyers. The package stores found to be in violation are the Lucky Bee Store (185 Woburn Street), Jerry’s Food Store (1172 Lawrence Street), Belvidere Liquors (36 Concord Street), and Power Liquors (23 Wood Street). Detectives’ findings on all four establishments found in violation have been forwarded to the Lowell Liquor Commission for further action.

Lowell Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee stated: The compliance checks we conduct are a means to safeguard our teens from the dangers of underage drinking and to ensure that license holders obey the law and comply with the regulations set forth in their liquor license.

We are pleased to report that on the same evening eight liquor stores were found to be in compliance.

Regulatory compliance checks of licensed establishments and local retail stores will continue throughout the year.