WEST NEWBURY — Groveland Police Chief Jeffrey Gillen, Merrimac Police Chief Eric Shears and West Newbury Police Chief Jeffrey Durand wish to share back to school road safety tips as the school year begins.
WEST NEWBURY — Chief Jeffrey Durand is pleased to announce that the West Newbury Police Department will host the fourth annual Tri-Town National Night Out this Tuesday and is inviting residents to attend.
MERRIMAC — Chief Eric Shears is pleased to announce that the Merrimac Police Department turned in 51 pounds of unused medication following National Drug Take Back Day.
In collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Merrimac Police coordinated a “take back” event on April 27 at the Merrimac Police Station on East Main Street.
The collection event was part of a semi-annual initiative, where thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country work to provide community members with an easy, accessible way to dispose of expired or unwanted prescription drugs.
This April’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day set new records, according to the DEA, as approximately 6,400 collection sites were set up by local, state, tribal and federal groups. As a result, approximately 469 tons of prescription medications were collected and disposed of.
Since the first Prescription Drug Take Back Day event was held in the fall of 2010, approximately 5,908 tons of medication has been collected through semi-annual, DEA-sponsored events.
The Merrimac Police Department has hosted two Prescription Drug Take Back Days per year since 2013, and since then has accepted and properly disposed of several hundred pounds of unused medication.
“Prescription Drug Take Back Days are a great opportunity for residents to discard unwanted or expired medications safely,” said Police Sgt. David Vance. “It’s also a great opportunity for us to educate residents about the dangers of prescription drug use.”
Studies suggest that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet, and Take Back Day offers Americans a safe and secure way to remove those excess drugs from their homes.
Residents who missed National Drug Take Back Day can still turn in their unused medications at the Merrimac Police Department’s kiosk, which is located in the police station lobby. Residents should note that liquids, needles or sharps are not accepted.
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MERRIMAC — Police Chief Eric Shears and Fire Chief Larry Fisher report that officials in Merrimac are investigating after a pontoon boat, delivering chemicals to treat Lake Attitash, capsized shortly after entering the lake from the town boat ramp.
Merrimac Police and Fire responded to the town boat ramp at 3:30 p.m. for a report of a capsized boat with two people in the water. Upon arrival, first responders noted that the two parties were out of the water, having been rescued by a second vessel that was with them.
An on-scene investigation determined that two boats were treating the lake for algae when a 30-foot aluminium pontoon boat capsized about 100 yards off the boat ramp.
The boats were being operated by SOLitude Lake Management, a Virginia company with an office in Shrewsbury that specializes in “lake, pond, wetland and fisheries management programs that include water quality testing and restoration” according to its website.
SOLitude was treating the lake with aluminium solutions to limit the availability of phosphorus in the lake and reduce nuisance algae blooms. The company had been permitted to be on site since April 17 and was scheduled to finish work by May 3.
Upon capsizing, the boat spilled chemical solutions that it was placing into the lake anyway, for the purposes of treating the lake. The company was permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Amesbury and Town of Merrimac Conservation Commissions to do that work.
The Massachusetts Environmental police and DEP personnel responded Tuesday evening to assess the water conditions, and the boat was removed from the water.
After assessments, there are no immediate concerns with the spill. The pH of the water also remained neutral and normal after the spill.
Police and fire units cleared the scene 8:33 p.m., but the police and fire chiefs remained on scene until approximately 10:30 p.m.
No one was injured during what appears to be an unfortunate boating accident.
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MERRIMAC — Police Chief Eric Shears and Fire Chief Larry Fisher are pleased to announce that Wally the Green Monster, the official mascot of the Boston Red Sox, will be paying a visit to town — along with the 2018 World Series trophy — later this month.
Red Sox mascot Wally. (Courtesy Photo Boston Red Sox)
Sunday, April 21, from 2:30-5 p.m.
Merrimac Police and Fire Station, 16 East Main St.
The Merrimac Santa Committee, Merrimac Police Association, Merrimac Fire Department Hose Company 1 and the Merrimac Fire Couplings will be welcoming Wally on April 21. Residents will have a chance to meet the mascot and have their photo taken with both Wally and the 2018 World Series trophy.
There is no cost to attend the event, and photos will be taken on-site and distributed later to attendees.
“We’re very excited to have Wally and the World Series trophy right here in Merrimac for everyone in our community to see up close,” Chief Shears said. “I want to thank our entire community for their continued support of our town’s public safety agencies and the Santa Committee.”
“This will be a great way for families to spend a Sunday afternoon and create a lasting memory, and I hope everyone takes advantage of this unique opportunity,” Chief Fisher added.
“This event is the result of a concerted effort by so many in our community, and I want to thank them all for making this possible and creating a one-of-a-kind celebration for our families,” added Santa Committee member Tom Jordan.
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MERRIMAC — Chief Eric Shears and the Merrimac Police Department are warning residents of an IRS scam involving an individual impersonating law enforcement officers and threatening victims with arrest for non-payment of taxes.
According to police, the caller reportedly spoofs the police department’s phone number and asks victims to pay money owed on back taxes immediately by loading money onto a Target gift card and providing the card number back to the caller.
The call was followed up by another call in which the scammer claims to be Chief Shears and threatens to arrest call recipients.
“The Merrimac Police Department will never contact a community member regarding their financial status or taxes. Additionally, as the chief, I would never call a resident and threaten to arrest them,” Chief Shears said. “We encourage anyone who receives a suspicious call to contact the police department immediately and never give out their personal information over the phone.”
To avoid becoming a victim of an IRS scam, residents are encouraged to remember the following:
If you receive a call from an IRS scammer, hang up. Do not engage with these callers.
If you get a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS asking for a payment and if you think you owe money, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
If you get a scam call and do not owe taxes, fill out the “IRS Impersonation scam” form online at treasury.gov, or call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.
The IRS also advises residents to forward scam emails to phishing@irs.gov, and to not open any attachments or click on any links in those emails.
If you are ever unsure about a potential scam, contact the Merrimac Police Department at 978-346-8321.
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A pink version of the Merrimac Police Department patch will adorn officers’ uniforms throughout the month of October. (Courtesy Photo)
MERRIMAC — Chief Eric Shears is pleased to announce that the Merrimac Police Department is participating in the Pink Patch Project this month.
The Pink Patch Project is a collaborative effort between public safety agencies nationwide to bring attention to the fight against breast cancer and to support cancer research organizations.
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Merrimac Police officers will have the option to wear the pink patches purchased by the Merrimac Police Association in order to show support for all those who have battled – or still are battling — breast cancer.
The department’s participation also serves as a show of support for Newburyport Police Officer Meg Tierney, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
“Meg has been an inspiration with her openness throughout her fight, and we’re honored to support her and everyone impacted by this invasive cancer,” Sgt. Richard Holcroft said. “It is very important that we bring awareness for early detection and work to make sure that people who are fighting know they are not alone.”
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