ORDER-2020-102 : A Resolution in Recognition of the Melrose Police Department

Transcript (~19 min @ 19:22)

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▶ 19:16 Christopher Cinella: a tally in queue. The other thing is, this is going to be a long meeting, I suppose tonight, so if anybody does need to take a break, please be courteous of your time. First up tonight, 2020-102 a resolution and recognition of the morrow's police department sponsored by counselor Stewart counselors master we have some administration and folks

▶ 19:47 Speaker 4: with us tonight to suspend the rules if we could you bring them in motion to

▶ 19:55 Christopher Cinella: suspend the rules second motion to suspend the rules by president Grigoraitis, seconded by Councilor McNaught.

▶ 20:01 Speaker 2: Councilor Migliorelli? Yes. Councilor Tramontozzi? Yes. Councilor McMaster? Yes. Councilor McNaught? Yes. Councilor Eccles? Councilor Garipay? Yes. Councilor Stewart? Yes. Councilor Thomas? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. President Grigoraitis? Yes. Chairman Eccles, I'm sorry, Chairman Cinella? Yes. 11, yes. Bring them in now. I have Police Chief Lyle. I've got Officer Mann, Officer Marr. I believe I'm not probably saying the correct titles. And I have the Mayor.

▶ 20:48 Speaker 3: And they should all be coming in at this time.

▶ 20:59 Speaker 2: Chief Lyle, can you hear us?

▶ 21:02 Speaker 1: I can hear you.

▶ 21:03 Speaker 2: Okay, we can't see you. You must have something over your screen. We have, gentlemen, forgive me if I'm not saying your correct title, Officer Mann and Officer Marr, I'm sorry.

▶ 21:13 Speaker 3: Thank you.

▶ 21:15 Speaker 1: Can you see me now?

▶ 21:16 Speaker 4: Can't see you now.

▶ 21:27 Speaker 1: See your initials in the back of a cruiser.

▶ 21:46 Speaker 3: It's doing it, can you see me now?

▶ 21:49 Speaker 1: There we are, there we are. Sorry for the technical difficulties.

▶ 21:52 Christopher Cinella: Hey, it happens, it happens. Councilor Stewart or McMaster, who would like to go first?

▶ 21:58 Robb Stewart: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I will go first. And thank you, Chief Lyle and Officers Mann and Officer Mayer for joining us today. I appreciate you being here tonight. Consular McMaster and I filed this resolution last week in conjunction with the National Police Week in honor and appreciation of the efforts that you and your entire force provide to ensure the safety and well-being of the City of Melrose. It is unfortunate that COVID-19 has prevented us from recognizing law enforcement as we traditionally do in this country and the city at this time of the year. Unfortunately, in Melrose, through the virtual meeting format that we have at our disposal, we are still able to recognize the men and women of the Melrose Police Department in the form of a resolution, and that we are honored to do so this evening. With this in mind, we are pleased to offer this resolution. Whereas there are approximately 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United States, including the dedicated men and women of the Melrose Police Department. And whereas in 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designated May 15th

▶ 23:20 Speaker 1: as Police Officers Memorial Day, the week in which that date falls as Police Week, in

▶ 23:24 Robb Stewart: order to recognize the service and sacrifice of U.S. law enforcement and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in the line of duty, whereas 307 names of fallen heroes are being added to the National Law Library Enforcement Officers Memorial this spring, including 135 who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty in 2019, whereas among Among the names included on the memorial are the Melrose Police Officer, Joseph Martin, Melrose Native and University of Colorado Police Officer, Garrett Swayze, and MIT Police Officer, Sean Collier, brother of a former Melrose Alderman and Board of Aldermen President, Jennifer Lehmann, whereas the city, the Melrose City Council honors the sacrifices of Officer Martin, Officer Swayze, Officer Collier, and Melrose Cross Guard Mary Foley, and commends all those who risk their lives while serving the residents of Melrose in order to protect our safety and welfare. Whereas, the Melrose Police Department is comprised of 46 sworn officers, two parking enforcement officers, and two civilian employees. Whereas, in 2019,

▶ 24:54 Robb Stewart: Melrose Police Department. It handled 25,188 calls for service, responded to 2,895 emergency 911 calls, initiated 230 criminal cases by way of arrest or summons, 58 civil abuse and harassment prevention orders issued 306 criminal and civil motor vehicle citations and 898 motor vehicle operator warnings. Whereas in 2019 the Melrose Police Department sponsored and supported 10 community events. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional demands on the Melrose Police department and exposed its members to a novel virus at great personal risk and whereas each and every day our police officers risk their personal safety for the health and welfare of the general public, whereas the Melrose City Council expresses our sincere appreciation to the men and women of the Melrose Police department for their hard work selflessness bravery sacrifice on behalf city of melrose be it resolved we the members of the melrose city council do hereby recognize this week in the city of melrose and publicly salute the men and women who've committed their lives to public safety in our community and in communities across the nation and in recognition thereof Be it further resolved that this 21st day of May, in the year 2020, a copy of this resolution be spread upon the records of the Marlborough City Council.

▶ 26:47 Robb Stewart: With this in mind, Chairman, I ask that you recognize Councillor McMaster.

▶ 26:53 Shawn M. MacMaster: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Councillor Stewart. I'd like to particularly thank Councillor Stewart for partnering with me on this resolution. and I'd like to welcome Chief Lyle and the other representatives of the Millard Police Department who are with us tonight. I also want to acknowledge former Board of Aldermen President Jennifer Lemmerman. As many of you know, former President Lemmerman sponsored this resolution in prior years and I had the pleasure of serving as her co-sponsor. This year, Consulate Wood and I, in honor of her and her connection to the city of Melrose, added the name of her brother, MIT police officer, Sean Collier, to the resolution, which we intend to have stand as we go forward in future years on this resolution. We felt that was fitting, and like I said, a way to continue to involve former President Lemmerman in the process that she started. This is, as Councilor Foote said, has been a very difficult and challenging time. for the Melrose Police Department in terms of adapting and adjusting to policing during the COVID-19 pandemic. As he said, this is placing our officers at additional risk to what they already face when they come to work each and every day. So we thank you for your service. It's also, and I think President Grigoraitis from her professional work similarities, she and I encounter in our work outside of this chamber is sensitive to the issue of domestic violence. And it's not lost on, I know, President Kyrgyz and I of the challenge that isolation in homes presents to victims of domestic violence. And neither is it lost on us domestic violence calls are the most dangerous calls for police officers to respond. So, you know, really applaud you for all that you do the way that you adjust and you do some with such grace under pressure. Finally, I do also want to acknowledge we have other law enforcement partners mostly with the Melrose Police Department to keep us safe in this community. We certainly have the Mass State Police who patrol the Fellsway, which includes part of my ward and Ward 5, and I know some of Consulate Stewart and Consulate Kermantose's ward. We also have the Mass Environmental Police, which patrols part of the, or has jurisdiction over the Fellsway on certain matters, including areas of the ward. And finally, the Middlesex Sheriff's Office, who we work closely with, and I know that the Chief would attest to this, as it relates to our work with NEMLAC, which is the regional SWAT team. So, I just also wanted to recognize our other police partners who work closely with the Miller's Police Department. Again, thank you all for your support.

▶ 30:07 Christopher Cinella: Do you have anything you want to add, say, or I don't know if Timmy or Robert want to say anything?

▶ 30:11 Speaker 1: Can you hear me?

▶ 30:14 Speaker 1: can you hear me okay yes oh i'm sorry i can't hear you should you want to say if you were

▶ 30:23 Speaker 1: and i would like to not forget our transit police department that covers the commuter rail main street and all the bus routes throughout our community i would like to thank councilor Stewart and co-sponsor councilor mcmaster for recognizing 2020 law enforcement week throughout Melrose and our country. Most importantly, I appreciate both of you for recognizing those lives lost throughout country every year. While the community in the country is seeking refuge at home, public safety continues to perform all the responsibilities amidst of this complicated, precarious situation with honor and distinction in our community. want to reiterate thanking all our officers for their commitment and their resiliency i would like to recognize lieutenant tim maher our president of the superior officers union and officer rob mann iressa rowe at the middle school and the president of the

▶ 31:27 Speaker 4: performance association would you like to say anything chief i think you did a great job

▶ 31:36 Speaker 5: um yeah I just want to say thank you for taking the time letting the city know we're working 24 hours a day you know I'd like to say something else to some of the men and women on those police department have been working very hard since the pandemic started some of them 16 hours a day and um we're out there we're on the front lines per se we have to come home to our families and we have our loved ones at home too spouses who have to stay home with the kids some of them aren't working some of them have lost jobs and we we appreciate them very much we love them very much and i just want to commend the spouses and commend the men and women of the police department they're doing a terrific job and i hope that they keep up the good work so i just want everybody to know that so i would appreciate all the backup and the support continuing to make the miller's police department a great place it's a superb police department thank you thank you yeah brother did

▶ 32:37 Paul Brodeur: you have anything you wanted to add uh i'll try to be brief thank you mr chairman i do want to thank officer man and lieutenant maher and the chief for in particular for the you know to make sure the door gets back to the entire department and their families because as officer man said kind of like being in like being in military service this is a vocation where your whole family gets involved your whole family leaves with you when you go out to work and we want to see everyone come home come home safe I particularly want to commend the chief and the department for their commitment to community policing community policing is what it's all about in a place like Melrose and you know creates a level of comfort and trust with the residents that is so important that I don't think exists in every department or in every community Massachusetts or across the Commonwealth and your policing has certainly changed over the years and these guys can tell you certainly better than I can even though I had a brief amount of time as a prosecutor the range of things that they deal with from addiction to you know you're the kind of what we all think of as crime but domestic violence as as council McMaster spoke of you know it really does really does run the gamut the job gets more complicated each and every day then you layer something like covid on top of it and it's more grist for the mill but they continue uh to step up and you know we have a terrific department i also want to thank because it goes beyond is that you know the incident down near uh down near pine banks not only did the morris police handle it professionally but you saw their brother and sister officers from around from our surrounding communities come and support that effort I think it's really important to to point that out that there is that that camaraderie and support across departments that makes our job and really makes their job better more successful and finally I do want to echo the thoughts of Sean Collier and Jen They were extraordinarily close. He was passionately committed to his job, pursuing a career in law enforcement, and he didn't even get out of the gate before his life was taken. And I know the family thinks about him every day. And I know that we all do too. And it's a credit really to this community and Jen's family that that tragedy has really turned into a remarkable rallying point with Memorial at MIT and with folks continuing to remember with charity events going on all the time. And that's really what it's all about because that really is an appreciation of the job the sacrifice of the gentleman here and the rest of the force i do want to thank you very much on behalf of the behalf of the city thanks very much thank you mayor thomas thank you mr chairman uh

▶ 35:54 Cory Thomas: thank you mr mayor chief lyle lieutenant maher and patrolman man for being here uh again briefly you know i just want to thank you all um during this public health emergency every call you go on right now you don't know what's on the other side of a traffic stop or or any kind of domestic call um mayor broder touched on it momentarily uh ago when he talked about the strength in the community uh there's dozens and dozens of police officers in melrose that are from melrose lieutenant martin one of them um too many to name right now uh but the types of community that you guys provide uh it's a wonderful thing um we just recently saw our new uh patrol cruiser um with the autism sign coming back into melrose that's a great thing uh looking forward to seeing that in circulation and uh thank you for all you do thank you see any other hands go up uh

▶ 36:55 Jen Grigoraitis: thank you chairman snella and thank you all for being here tonight i just wanted to echo everyone's comments. I'm proud to represent Ward 6 with the police headquarters located there. I appreciate all the time that Chief Lyle takes to assist us and to assist this community. And to echo Counselor McMaster, what I think is my day job, though sometimes I think it's my side job to this, is working with victims of crime. And I know how challenging those calls can be and how much that has an impact on you and your families, yet that the job comes home with you. And particularly now with covet it comes home with you at a whole new level so thank you for what you do on behalf

▶ 37:35 Christopher Cinella: of our community every day we have a motion to place on file motion to recommend that we place

▶ 37:46 Christopher Cinella: on file mr chairman second thank you so council mcmaster motion to recommend place on file second

▶ 37:52 Speaker 2: by councilor mcnaught councilor mcnaught yes councilor Stewart yes councilor thomas yes councilor Jamaleddine president Grigoraitis yes chairman sanella yes 11 yes oh thank you gentlemen

▶ 38:22 Speaker 6: thank you