Day: March 27, 2013

Hi Joey,

Just thought I would keep your readers in the loop on some of the things we have going on here at the Police Department.

1. Our Gloucester Police Fitness Challenge will be wrapping up on April 14, 2013. We have over 40 officers participating in it and we have all benefited from weight loss and learning more about fitness. We have also seen great support from the community and would like to recognize them here:

    – Cape Ann Car Wash donated for the purchase of fitness equipment

    – Castle Manor Inn donated for the purchase of fitness equipment

    – Cape Ann Marina and Resort donated for the purchase of fitness equipment

    – Gortons donated for the purchase of fitness equipment

    – Toms Auto Center donated for the purchase of fitness equipment

    – Manchester Athletic Club donated 6 weeks of membership to all participating in the Fitness Challenge

    – The Fitness Zone came up with the Final Fitness Challenge and will host at their facility

    – YuKan Run and Rich Morell donated the entry fees for the Yukan races being run in Gloucester this summer, and will sponsor each officer who participates in the races with a donation.

We thank them tremendously for their support!

2. The Citizens Police Academy is winding down. We are in our fifth week and the class has enjoyed presentations from patrol, detectives, and a tour of Middleton Jail. The response has been great and both officers and citizens are enjoying the program. I would like to thank Bob Ryan and CATA for donating a bus ride to the Middleton Jail for the students. I would also like to thank the Gloucester Police Superior and Patrol Officers Unions who have donated a graduation pizza party at Guiseppes (thanks Joe and Memory, as well). We will be running a 2nd Academy in the fall and hope people will fill that class as well.

3. We are partnering with the Healthy Gloucester Collaborative, the Gloucester Licensing Commission and the Gloucester Council on Aging to present "Social Hosting: The Law and Underage Drinking". This is a free, must attend seminar for anyone with teenagers or kids who will eventually be teens. It focuses on what can happen when an underage drinking party is hosted at your home, with or without your knowledge. Our speaker will be District Attorney Jon Blodgett and an expert attorney in the field of Social Hosting law. The seminar will run from 6:30pm-8:00pm on Thursday April 25, 2013 at Rose Baker Senior Center. I would strongly encourage your readers to join us and learn some very important information on this topic. Give me a call to register. Again, its free!

4. In late April, early May, residents can expect to see a coordinated, concentrated effort to stem the tide of drug sales in Gloucester. Our message is clear: If you’re using drugs, we will help you or point you in the right direction for help, If you’re selling drugs…Stay out of Gloucester. Period.

5. Hopefully by May 1, residents will see a new uniform and patch which we will be unveiling in the near future. This has been a six month long effort to coordinate uniforms for all officers so that we present professionally at all times. As the summer months arrive, residents can expect an increased walking presence in the downtown area as well as the possible addition of motorcycles to our fleet to both enhance traffic enforcement and foster community policing (also to quickly get through crowds during the many special events the City hosts).

The above measures are just a quick overview of some of the ongoing projects we have going at the Police Department, in addition to handling our estimated 20,000 calls for service annually. We are humbled by the support the Gloucester community continues to show us and hope we are providing an above satisfactory level of service to all residents. Your readers are welcome to contact me directly with any questions, comments, ideas or issues, at the information provided below. Thanks, Joey, for the opportunity to update your readership.

Sincerely,

Leonard Campanello

Chief of Police

City of Gloucester, MA