2009-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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i Report of the Police Chief To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and Citizens of the Town of Mashpee In 2009, the Mashpee Police Department was confronted with some difficult and challenging times as a result of the economic climate. While many more car breaks were being reported by victims, we had to adjust to performing essential services with fewer resources. The School Resource Officer program and participation in the regional drug task force had to be discontinued due to budget constraints. However, mission critical services will continue to be provided with diligence. i In terms of personnel, the department had three vacancies created by resignations and the ✓ positions remain unfilled. Bryan Burke was appointed to the position of full-time police officer and subsequently graduated from the 2°d Massachusetts State Police Municipal Police Academy in New Braintree. Officers Michael Finley and Eric Pestilli were assigned to the Detective Bureau. Detectives , Finley and Pestilli completed the Drug Enforcement Administration's 80-hour course. Officer Lisa Hettinger was reassigned to Patrol after many years of service to the School Resource Officer program. Officers James Dorman, John Dimitres and Olivier Naas were assigned as field training officers. Officer Ralph Mahoney was assigned to accident reconstruction. Officer Michael Assad was selected as the department's K-9 officer. Sergeants John Santangelo, Robert Palermo and Scott Carline completed First Line supervision training program at Roger Williams University. The police department received a federal grant for the purchase of security cameras and tactical ,,; vests. Video recording has been implemented within the stationhouse to account for all persons entering the evidence/property room and the armory where firearms are stored. The Mashpee I Police Foundation non-profit organization contributed to the continued upgrade of facility furniture in order to advance the project initiated through the capital improvement program. (CIP) Due to the financial challenges faced by the town, the police department has only maintained its cruiser replacement plan in the CIP. Unfortunately, due to the discontinuation of the community policing grant, the department will not be able to continue to have two motorcycles in the fleet. In regards to the Shellfish Constable duties, rainy weather in 2009 contributed more nutrients causing blooms of algae that are good food for shellfish. Seed in the shellfish propagation and wild shellfish grew faster than in recent years. Quahogs continue to be the most abundant shellfish in the wild population supplemented by seed from the propagation program. Soft shell clams were at low densities again this year. Oysters and bay scallop harvests were the result of seed from the propagation program because their spawns are not successful for recruitment and the wild population died out in the 1980's and 1990's according to Shellfish Constable Rick York. About 100 bushels of scallops were harvested in Waquoit Bay in 2009, an increase from only 10 bushels in 2008. Approximately 200,000 oysters were harvested in 2009. This removed about 100 kilograms of nitrogen from the estuary based upon laboratory analysis of the nitrogen content of our oysters. Fewer oysters were harvested than in 2008 because less seed was j purchased in 2007 for the January through March 2009 harvest and people did not take all the i oysters. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's Natural Resources Department secured federal funds for shellfish propagation and worked with the Shellfish Constable growing seed to contribute to 153