#1 2009-07-05 10:28:55
Where does the money come from to run this program?
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#2 2009-07-05 19:32:34
Maybe from writing tickets at Little Harbor?
This weekend they wrote a ticket to someone who took it off their windshield. Two hours later they came back and wrote a second one for the same car.
Auto-edited on 2020-08-11 to update URLs
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#3 2009-07-05 20:18:02
Do they get money to operate from the Town? I've seen the vehicles during the day at various coffee shops,Wal Mart picking up passengers,area restarants etc. Are we paying for these folks to use these vehicles for personal use with tax dollars?
With the current financial situation in this town and our dependency on tourist should we be paying to advertise we have a crime problem by having this group in one of our storefronts in the middle of Onset Ave?
Are they part of the Police Department?
What about insurance for the vehicles, gas etc?
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#4 2009-07-05 21:38:40
Why were they passing out tickets at Little Harbor? I thought they were Onset Crime watch?
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#5 2009-07-05 22:46:37
In the pictures above the ticketed car appears to be the only one there!
Somebody tuned into this site must know the story on thig group.
I seem to recall when the ITA was looking for budget cuts he made reference to funding this group.
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#6 2009-07-06 06:45:38
The lot was about 80% filled along the water's edge filled on Sunday by noon, an hour after this picture was taken, but the spaces back from there was almost empty. They ticketed at least four cars I noticed. As far as I could tell the tickets were justified except possibly the vehicle that got two.
The senior citizen volunteers who do some of the parking enforcement get some kind of property tax credit.
The teenager was wearing a "crime patrol" shirt, and I think both other men were wearing parking enforcement t-shirts.
I took the pictures just because the "parking police" have become a part of the Little Harbor landscape just like the kite sailers and wind surfers.
My concern with the crime watch is more with their safety when they drive a vehicle that an armed felon in the process of committing a crime could easily mistake for a real police cruiser.
(They didn't ticket the car they are shown looking at.)
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#7 2009-07-06 07:00:21
Wareham is the only town in the world where civilians have been given police powers.
I have no problem with the idea of Crimewatch - but they call it watch for a reason - they're supposed to watch.
Last edited by Hamatron5000 (2009-07-06 07:01:12)
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#8 2009-07-06 08:43:55
That is one of my concerns, what happens if one of these folks get's hurt while performing these duties, who holds the liability for them?
I thought the former Cheif had written them limiting their duties. Do they report to the Acting Cheif, the ITA, or the BOS?
I don't recall the Senior Citizen rebate program as being part of Crime Watch, did the ITA give that to the group to oversee?
If they are using these vehicles for personal use, an get into an accident (God forbid), does the Town hold liability.
I have no issue with the concept of citizen watch either, most do not have public offices, cruisers, etc. This seems to me like a mini-police force, I think the question of cost and liability is worth looking into, especially at a time when we are cutting Town jobs and services.
My questions are not about the folks in the group, my hat is off to all volunteers, but again (God forbid) what if something goes wrong?
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#9 2009-07-06 09:08:27
I would suggest that if you are concerned about this, go to the next selectmen's meeting and ask your questions during citizen's participation. We can speculate all day, but they should have the answers. And we the people have a right to know.
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#10 2009-07-06 10:19:38
Many cities have designated parking enforcement personnel.
They also have volunteer auxiliary police departments. In Massachusetts they go to the Reserve-Intermittent Police Academy. Classes are held in the evening with some weekend training and is an abbreviated version of the regular police academy. See link.
They are armed and wear uniforms like regular officers with only the badge and patch designating they are auxiliaries. While on duty they have police powers. Auxiliaries often become special police officers who do paid details and have police powers on and off duty if the chief allows this.
Many regular officers started as auxiliaries and found they liked police work better than their regular job.
Generally even though volunteer auxiliaries, who often spend upwards of $2,000 for their uniforms, equipment and firearm, can save a town money if they do more work done by salaried officers, police unions tend to resist their use for anything but special events and summer policing.
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#11 2009-07-06 10:43:05
Crime Watch are just citizens.... nothing more.
The BOS gave them the authority to write tickets in town, however, they can't give such authority to ordinary citizens.
They run their organization as a non-profit, however they sell stuff like helmets, but I don't understand how that works.
They may have had the blessing of the former Chief, but not the rank and file.
The town has paid for their gas in previous years, but I'm not sure about this past year.
I've heard of many many many complaints about Coleman and his lack of common sense or discretion in writing tickets. Let's not forget it lead to the former Chief stopping them from writing tickets last year.
People have seen him marking tires in order to write them for being in a spot for too long. And most recently, he's been out there with a ruler measuring if people are too close to the curb.
Even the cops aren't that anal..... anywhere!
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#12 2009-07-06 11:06:46
Who is Coleman? Has he had any training in parking enforcement? Any law enforcement background at all?
I never heard of parking TOO close to the curb. What harm can that cause.
Parking too far FROM the curb can be a traffic hazard.
Last edited by urneighbor (2009-07-06 11:08:33)
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#13 2009-07-06 11:55:58
Just another interesting tidbit under the "crime" section. The speed limit on Maple Springs Road is 10 mph and the ITA was riding in a water department truck down Maple Springs in excess of 45 mph. Apparently, one of the residents that live on Maple Springs stopped the vehicle to ask them to slow down. This goes to show there is no accountability for anyone except those who oppose the Selectmen and ITA. They can post a 10 mph sign but not obey it? Hmmmm
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#14 2009-07-06 12:58:47
lets not forget why coleman got to where he is now instead of being promoted to a full time officer position. thats right a "john" sting in boston.
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#15 2009-07-06 17:21:45
urneighbor wrote:
Parking too far FROM the curb can be a traffic hazard.
I was typing too fast. You're right. Either way, a ruler? Please!
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#16 2009-07-06 17:49:53
I too noticed the crime watch uniforms ....yet none of them are the same!!!!
Some shirts say volunteer with a WAREHAM POLICE embroiderd patch and some say Onset Crime watch with the WPD patch and some just say crime watch with WPD patch. They also have hats that say police!!!! I dont think they should have any police patches they are not trained officers and have not earned the right! I heard Mr Crimewatch himself doesnt like to be told where to park or how slow he should drive!
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#17 2009-07-06 17:58:04
Okay I looked him up and found this article in the Globe from last year.
From this is seems they are supposed to be limited to Onset so why are they driving to Little Harbor to enforce parking rules? If they find parking violations ii Onset where a car may be blocking emergency vehicles I see writing a ticket or even calling the police to see if they want it tower as justified.
The Onset crime watch seems like a pretty good idea as long as it is handled right. However, this part is troubling to me:
Globe wrote:
Armed with two-way radios and a hefty dose of community pride, Onset Community Crime Watch volunteers patrolled the streets in marked cruisers, looking out for graffiti vandals, suspected drug dealers, and people loitering and drinking on the sidewalks.
Putting suspected drug dealers in the middle of this sentence seems odd. Some of these are among the most violent offenders. There are several risky scenarios. One is that knowing they are unarmed they could attack them. The other is that thinking they are real police, they could attack them just because they feel hassled. Some of these people these days are just not afraid of the real police, why should they be afraid of the crime watch?
My suggestion is to make the cars look completely unlike cruisers by putting CIVILIAN CRIME WATCH in big night visible letters on the side and take the red and green strobes out of the light bar and replace them with yellow. I'd consider having the crime patrol keep their yellow lights flashing after dark, after all they are supposed to be acting as a deterrent to crime.
What is the light bar for anyway? They can't speed or break traffic laws.
I see that George Coleman was a police officer in Sharon for 14 years. Most former officers have a CCW permit. I hope each and every crime watch and parking enforcement officer who has a license to carry signs a statement that they agree never to be armed while on duty.
I tell you, if I was driving around Onset at night in a crime watch cruiser I sure would be tempted to carry.
(Did Coleman loose his police job after being caught in a sex sting?)
Auto-edited on 2020-08-11 to update URLs
Last edited by urneighbor (2009-07-06 18:18:15)
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#18 2009-07-06 18:05:14
COLEMAN WAS NOT AN OFFICER FOR 14 YEARS! YET ANOTHER GEORGE COLEMAN FANTASY. HE WAS A SEASONAL PART TIME OFFICER FOR SHARON FOR ONE SEASON. ONE SEASON! HE NEVER MADE IT FULL TIME BECAUSE OF THE "JOHN STING" THE TOWN PAYS 300 DOLLARS A WEEK IN GAS SO HE CAN GO AROUND "MAKING FRIENDS" AS HIS WIFE WOULD PUT IT. HE COULDNT MAKE IT AS A COP AND WITH THE CRAP HE PULLS WRITING PARKING TICKETS YOU CAN SEE WHY
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#19 2009-07-06 18:22:11
IHATESLAGER wrote:
COLEMAN WAS NOT AN OFFICER FOR 14 YEARS! YET ANOTHER GEORGE COLEMAN FANTASY. HE WAS A SEASONAL PART TIME OFFICER FOR SHARON FOR ONE SEASON. ONE SEASON! HE NEVER MADE IT FULL TIME BECAUSE OF THE "JOHN STING" THE TOWN PAYS 300 DOLLARS A WEEK IN GAS SO HE CAN GO AROUND "MAKING FRIENDS" AS HIS WIFE WOULD PUT IT. HE COULDNT MAKE IT AS A COP AND WITH THE CRAP HE PULLS WRITING PARKING TICKETS YOU CAN SEE WHY
So how did The Globe come up with this?
Globe-pg2 wrote:
"Crime breeds in the dark," said Coleman, who worked as a Sharon police officer for 14 years. Coleman, who has lived in Onset for 20 years, founded the crime watch organization in 2004.
If not true did he correct it when the article came out?
Can you tell if that's him next to the car below:
If he was arrested was he found guilty? If so of what and how is it he's allowed to be a member, let alone the director, of the crime patrol?
Does he have a CCW permit?
And by the way: I doubt Sharon has much crime even today, and virtually none to speak of 20 years ago.
Auto-edited on 2020-08-11 to update URLs
Last edited by urneighbor (2009-07-06 18:31:59)
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#20 2009-07-06 20:20:24
THE BOSTON GLOBE CAME UP WITH THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPLIED BY GEORGE COLEMAN HIMSELF. THE ARRESTING DEPARTMENT IS BOSTON POLICE AND THAT IS WHY HE WAS DUMPED FROM SHARON. IF YOU HAVE EVER TALKED WITH COLEMAN ALL HE DOES IS EXAGGERATE WHAT HE HAS DONE. HE IS ALLOWED TO BE A MEMBER BECAUSE HE HAS FULL BACKING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMAN. HE HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH THE POLICE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
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#21 2009-07-06 21:43:35
I am from Onset and we do go to the main strip quite often. The BOS approved a sign outside their office parking for police vehicles only. Well the Crime Watch cruiser is there,(by the way the sign portion has been taken down but not the pole).if that spot is taken they park the cruiser in a regular spot for hours...yet I have seen them ticket cars for being there longer than the two hour limit.
300 dollars a week in gas!!! Using the vehicles for personal use and we have seen the cruiser at Wal Mart picking up passengers and other establishments certainly not watching or preventing crime.
Was this money voted for at Town Meeting? How about the maintenancw of the vehicles, insurance,registration etc.
I read where the owner of the building donated some rental time...at 1500 dollars a month. Who pays the rent now?
Again I grew up in NB,my grandfather was an Aux Police. My issues are where is the money coming from and if it's from the taxpayers who is controlling this group?
With laid off town workers, and cuts in services and we are paying for these folks to shop have coffee and dinner on our gas and with our vehicles???? Am I missing something???
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#22 2009-07-06 22:01:54
searay240 wrote:
The BOS approved a sign outside their office parking for police vehicles only. Well the Crime Watch cruiser is there, (by the way the sign portion has been taken down but not the pole).if that spot is taken they park the cruiser in a regular spot for hours...yet I have seen them ticket cars for being there longer than the two hour limit.
The sign is taken down in the winter and supposed to be put back up in the summer for the Police spot. I guess with the MM department being short-handed, they haven't had the chance. The spot is for POLICE not crime watch. The seasonal officers are supposed to park their vehicles there.
300 dollars a week in gas!!! Using the vehicles for personal use and we have seen the cruiser at Wal Mart picking up passengers and other establishments certainly not watching or preventing crime.
That figure seems a bit high, but they do get their gas paid for by the Town. Yes, they do run around doing plenty of non-crime watch things in that vehicle. No, it was NOT approved at Town Meeting. I believe Crime Watch covers the other particulars with the vehicle. They beg for money outside of Wal-Mart a lot.
I read where the owner of the building donated some rental time...at 1500 dollars a month. Who pays the rent now?
The town paid a portion when the opened it, but that was for a short time, but your guess is as good as mine on who pays now.
Again I grew up in NB,my grandfather was an Aux Police. My issues are where is the money coming from and if it's from the taxpayers who is controlling this group?
The BOS seems to think THEY control the group and Crime Watch thinks they answer to no one but the BOS. They are not auxillary! They are citizens. They are not allowed to do what they do. I wonder what the MA agencies that put the Neighborhood Crime Watch program together think about these actions?
With laid off town workers, and cuts in services and we are paying for these folks to shop have coffee and dinner on our gas and with our vehicles???? Am I missing something???
You're missing one of the biggest scams in Town. This is not how a neighborhood watch program is supposed to run. Hello Mr. Urborn?
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#23 2009-07-06 22:08:42
I don't think you are missing anything. I think these 'crime watchers' have been pitted against the police force since last summer. This case just follows the typical sweet brucie MO. Take from town employees and give to unqualified others. As long as the others will cause power struggles and do as instructed Sweet Brucie will reward and the rag will praise.
And btw, if someone files a federal complaint, is it possible they could also investigate the rag for corruption. i.e., the rag tells the sweet brucie cleaned up and distorted version and in return gets the town's advertisements?
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#24 2009-07-06 22:58:12
Well I am sure a few more post to this thread and we will make the free story in the "Liarbserver" then I can read that and know the truth is the opposite of his story.
Maybe the Citizens portion of the BOS is where I should go, I can hear my answer now "Stand up sir, I love the Crime Watch more than my own life"
Then from the corner chair "Hey isn't that guy the one screwing around and got caught ina sting?
With spending by the town of 15K on gas alone and no one controlling this group,this definitely needs further scrutiny.
The statement to tourist that we would take a large storefront and promote that they should fear coming here so much that we have a huge crimw watch storfront is ridiculous. The WPD controls the streets not crime watch. And God forbid one of them get hurt I see millions going out in legal fees and lawsuits against the town.
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#25 2009-07-07 06:34:49
Searay, I agree with what you say except for one thing--On July 4 we declared INDEPENDENCE DAY from the "Liarbserver." If none of us read the rag, it will dry up and blow away. WE are his readership except for a few of the bos followers. Please everyone, let it die. It has been the cause of much of Wareham's problems. The first step to a better Wareham is the death of the rag.
I think your idea of asking questions during citizen's participation is a good one. We the people have the right to have these questions answered. Don't confront them or challenge their answers, just ask the questions. They have long bragged that they are transparent. Let's see.
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#26 2009-07-07 09:50:42
What kind of police auxiliary does Wareham have and what do they do? An active well run auxiliary can do a lot more than a citizen crime watch, especially if they have their own cruisers.
I hope that nobody confuses auxiliary police and special police (who either start out on the auxiliary or are former police officers) with crime watchers. Most go through the 120 hour Reserve intermittent Police Academy.
On duty they all have full police powers, carry radios and guns. Off duty some continue to have in-town police powers. In other words, they can arrest you.
In either New Bedford or Fall River I saw an auxiliary police cruiser in a rough section of the city, only different than regular ones by having "auxiliary police" in 2-3 inch letters on the side.
Often auxiliaries ride with regular officers on their shifts. Over time this gives gives them lots of on the job training. Of course they take the very same risks as the regular officers they are assisting, and when on their own they are just like regular officers.
Here's a photo of a some auxiliary police cruisers:
Waltham auxiliary website
Here's the Newton auxiliary and cruiser:
Their website
Last edited by urneighbor (2009-07-07 10:14:13)
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#27 2009-07-07 10:17:57
There are no auxillary police in Wareham. They tried, but the BOS/ITA put a stop to it.... in favor of crime watch. Go figure!
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#28 2009-07-07 14:21:54
Its very simple Crime Watch is supose to watch and report crime to the police. Not drive around in marked cars with lights on the roof and issue parking tickets. That jackass parked in a Police only spot and refused to move, only under protest did he move after the officer warned him he would get a ticket.
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#29 2009-07-07 14:25:52
commonsense wrote:
There are no auxillary police in Wareham. They tried, but the BOS/ITA put a stop to it.... in favor of crime watch. Go figure!
Odd. What do other towns which make good use of their auxiliary police know that Wareham's wise leaders don't? I don't know if this is inclusive or current:
Ashland Auxiliary Police
Attleboro Auxiliary Police
Belmont Auxiliary Police
Bridgewater State College Reserve Police
Cambridge Auxiliary Police
Fall River Auxiliary Police
Framingham Auxiliary Police
Freetown Auxiliary Police
Freetown Reserve Police
Gloucester Aux Police
Hamilton Auxiliary Police
Haverhill Auxiliary Police
Holiston Aux. Police
Holyoke Reserve and Auxiliary Police
Lawrence Aux.
Middleboro Auxiliary Police
Mt. Holyoke College Part Time Public Safety Officers
Randolph Auxiliary Police
Rockland Auxiliary Police
Stoughton Auxiliary Police
Southwick Auxiliary Police
Somerville Auxiliary Police
Waltham Auxiliary Police
Wayland Auxiliary Police
Winthrop Auxiliary Police
Last edited by urneighbor (2009-07-07 14:29:20)
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#30 2010-01-10 23:31:59
BUMP!
Attn: bornofwareham -
While the pix in this thread are not the only ones I remember that showed Crime Watch light bars, this is a good start.
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#31 2010-01-11 00:27:35
falcon wrote:
BUMP!
Attn: bornofwareham -
While the pix in this thread are not the only ones I remember that showed Crime Watch light bars, this is a good start.
I don't recall seeing the lights, but the picture shows it. I know I have never seen the lights used, but if they are there, they probably have. Years ago, Wareham had an auxiliary police force. I remember them in the 60's but I can't honestly say when it was terminated. I am thinking that it had something to do with taking regular police training. It's a little foggy right now, but I know someone to ask. Many of those men have passed away. They were not anything like the Crime Watch team. These men wore the WPD uniform and were respected as much as a regular Wareham police officer. I'll find out this week on why it ended and let you know.
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#32 2010-01-11 08:43:41
Bornof:
When I joined the Police Dept. in 1969, we had regular full time Civil Service officers, full time non-Civil Service officers (me and a few others) and in the summer we had many "special" Police Officers that had all of the powers of any other Police Officer in the Town.
Most of the summer cops worked the Swifts Beach, Pt. Independence, Onset beat.
One of my favorites was "Farmer" Florindo. He used to work Pt. Independence a lot and was a wonderful, caring, special man. He was humble ( a real farmer...pig farm...also had a septic service), very hard working, smart, quiet and well liked.
There were many more that served during those times. It was not a requirement to be a Civil Service certified Police Officer in order to work full time until after I left in 1974. I served full time as non-Civil Service from 1973 to 1974 after returning from knee surgery.
So...the requirements for school certification must have happened after 1974.
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#33 2010-01-11 18:32:16
danoconnell wrote:
Bornof:
When I joined the Police Dept. in 1969, we had regular full time Civil Service officers, full time non-Civil Service officers (me and a few others) and in the summer we had many "special" Police Officers that had all of the powers of any other Police Officer in the Town.
Most of the summer cops worked the Swifts Beach, Pt. Independence, Onset beat.
One of my favorites was "Farmer" Florindo. He used to work Pt. Independence a lot and was a wonderful, caring, special man. He was humble ( a real farmer...pig farm...also had a septic service), very hard working, smart, quiet and well liked.
There were many more that served during those times. It was not a requirement to be a Civil Service certified Police Officer in order to work full time until after I left in 1974. I served full time as non-Civil Service from 1973 to 1974 after returning from knee surgery.
So...the requirements for school certification must have happened after 1974.
Thanks for the info, Biffy. I found out today that "in 1973 or 1974" (you say '74 so I'll accept that) it was mandatory to be civil service and some of the officers were too old to be civil service.
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#34 2010-01-11 20:30:46
The reason I never became Civil Service is that I couldn't pass the running test. I was discharged from the Marine Corps with a left knee injury, and it was unstable for years and very weak. Had to work on it all of the time. I took the Civil Service strength test 4 times. I passed everything with flying colors except the run. It was required to run a quarter of a mile in a certain amount of time. I used to practice on the High School track, a quarter of a mile and had no problem. But, when taking the Civil Service test you had to run indoors on a round track and had to run left to get time. Obviously my left knee couldn't take it, and I couldn't make the time. The last time I tried I missed by 1 second.
I am unaware of Civil Service being a requirement for hiring even after I was off of the PD and a Selectman. That is 1978.
I'm old...maybe I forgot...but, I don't recall it.
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#35 2010-01-11 23:01:35
danoconnell wrote:
The reason I never became Civil Service is that I couldn't pass the running test. I was discharged from the Marine Corps with a left knee injury, and it was unstable for years and very weak. Had to work on it all of the time. I took the Civil Service strength test 4 times. I passed everything with flying colors except the run. It was required to run a quarter of a mile in a certain amount of time. I used to practice on the High School track, a quarter of a mile and had no problem. But, when taking the Civil Service test you had to run indoors on a round track and had to run left to get time. Obviously my left knee couldn't take it, and I couldn't make the time. The last time I tried I missed by 1 second.
I am unaware of Civil Service being a requirement for hiring even after I was off of the PD and a Selectman. That is 1978.
I'm old...maybe I forgot...but, I don't recall it.
I will go to a higher authority tomorrow. You know who I mean.
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#36 2010-01-12 08:14:21
I don't know if praying will help...but...anythng to jog my memory is good!
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