On 06/03/2022, while assigned to marked unit East-4, I was dispatched to the area of 269 Broadway for reports of an assault. Dispatch advised that a white male with a beard and a backpack had thrown beer cans at a party, later identified as Mr. XXXX and that the suspect had fled down Wheatland Street. East-1 (Officers VanNostrand and Lentini), responded as well and located the suspect in front of Winter Hill Market. Continue reading Real Life Somerville Police Stories: (Assault w/ Dangerous Weapon, Resisting Arrest, A&B on Public Employee) (SPD & Billerica Warrants) →

On Wednesday, June 1st, at 9:44 PM, the Somerville Police responded to 34 Paulina Street for a report of shots having been fired at the rear of the residence. On arrival, Officers learned the shooting incident occurred this same date between 5:00AM-5:15AM. Witnesses heard what sounded like four shots fired and soon after a fleeing vehicle but did not call the police at the time the shots were heard. There were no injuries reported. Continue reading Real Life Somerville Police Stories:Shots Fired →

SOMERVILLE, Mass. – The City of Somerville Police Department and the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office will partner to host the Somerville gun buyback initiative Saturday, June18, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Somerville Department of Public Works Yard located at 1 Franey Road. The regional initiative includes several communities in the Middlesex county over the past couple of years. The focus is on providing residents with a safe and secure way of removing unwanted firearms from their homes. Continue reading Somerville Will Participate in Regional Gun Buy Back Initiative 2022 →

On Sunday, June 5th, Somerville Kiwanis Club members distributed nearly 200 bicycle helmets to bike riders who were participating in the East Somerville Carnival 2022 along Broadway. The helmets were donated by the personal injury law firm, Breakstone, White and Gluck as part of their Project KidSafe. They have partnered with the Somerville Kiwanis Club for many years, providing hundreds of bicycle helmets every year that the club has distributed and helped to properly fit to each rider. Continue reading Somerville Kiwanis Club Distribute Free Bicycle Helmets →

By Bob Katzen

“The alarm has been sounded. There is an inability of police departments to recruit and retain police officers. It’s deeply concerning because having diverse, well-trained and effective police professionals is a necessity. We need to study the issue, understand it better and focus on making sure we have police departments that are sufficiently staffed with qualified and diverse officers.”
—Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) on his bill to create a special commission charged with taking stock of the police workforce challenges experienced by cities and towns across the state.
Continue reading THIS WEEK’S QUOTABLE QUOTES ON BEACON HILL →

By Bob Katzen

The House and Senate each appointed three members to a conference committee to hammer out a compromise version of the different $49 billion plus versions of the fiscal 2023 budget passed by each branch. Continue reading STATE BUDGET DEADLINE IS JULY 1 →

By Bob Katzen

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the awarding of more than $57 million in grants nationwide to organizations that help veterans experiencing homelessness find meaningful employment and assist them in overcoming barriers to transition back successfully into the workforce. The grants include $1,506,323 for the Bay State including $501,834 For Volunteers of America of Massachusetts in Jamaica Plain; $184,489 for the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation in West Barnstable; and $820,000 for Veterans Inc. in Worcester. Continue reading FUNDS FOR HOMELESSNESS →

By Bob Katzen

Stuck in the House Ways and Means Committee for nearly three months, since March 7, is a measure, approved unanimously 40-0 by the Senate, designed to ensure that pregnant and postpartum mothers get necessary and potentially life-saving health care by extending MassHealth insurance coverage to 12 months after pregnancy. MassHealth is the state’s Medicaid program that provides health care for low-income and disabled persons.
Continue reading PREGNANT AND POST PARTUM MOTHERS →

By Bob Katzen

The House gave initial approval to a proposal that would impose up to a five-year prison sentence and/or $10,000 fine on anyone who discharges an assault weapon, firearm, large capacity weapon, machine gun, rifle, sawed-off shotgun or shotgun into a dwelling. Under current law this crime is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a 30-day jail sentence and/or $100 fine.
Continue reading SHOOTING AT A HOUSE OR APARTMENT →

THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll call votes in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local senators’ roll call attendance records for the 2022 session through June 3. Continue reading This Past Week On Beacon Hill →