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Shane Sullivan at Bridgwater State Hospital until arraigned

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PLYMPTON – Shane Patrick Sullivan, 25, of Boston, continues to be held at Bridgewater State Hospital, now under a suicide watch, after a Plymouth District Court judge ordered him evaluated following charges that he allegedly attempted a home invasion on Brook Street, Plympton, Sunday, March 6, according to court documents.

Sullivan, whose arraignment was twice delayed directly following the alleged crime, was last to be arraigned Monday, March 28, but that was postponed at the request of the hospital, which is a secure mental health facility located at the Bridgewater Correctional Complex in Bridgewater.

The fourth attempt to arraign Sullivan will occur on Thursday, April 14 at 9 a.m. at the Plymouth District Court, 52 Obery St., Plymouth. He will remain in the custody of Bridgewater State Hospital until that date.

The hospital is conducting a forensic evaluation to determine Sullivan’s competency to stand trial and his criminal responsibility (known as a 15B evaluation).

Sullivan made headlines recently for allegedly leaving the Brook Retreat, a “sober-living” facility located at 55 Brook St., and attempting to break into a neighboring home on Brook Street with an icepick.

He is well known to police, law-enforcement officials have said, and court documents indicate a lengthy criminal record.

Sullivan was located when the victims called the Plympton Police, and according to the police narrative, he was making bizarre statements and was barefoot when found.

Sullivan told paramedics, who told police, that he had ingested drugs, although the veracity of the statement is not clear due to his behavior at the time police took him into custody and medical privacy laws.

Sullivan is charged with felony vandalizing property, felony home invasion, misdemeanor disturbing the peace and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

10 Citizens petitions to be voted at ATM

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Abram Neal

Express staff

PLYMPTON– At a brief meeting on Monday, March 28 Selectmen updated the public on a few ongoing major issues, closed the Annual Town Meeting warrant, but not the Special Town Meeting warrant, and acknowledged ten citizens’ petitions that have been certified by Town Clerk Tara Shaw. Board Chairman Mark Russo was not present, and Selectperson Colleen Thompson was acting Chair in his absence.

Controversies On Hold

Two on-going controversies have been put on hold awaiting further information, according to Selectperson Christine Joy.

Ring Road resident Jeff Randall’s proposal to locate a medical marijuana ‘grow-op’ on his farm, in an agricultural/residential zone appeared to meet the requirements of Plympton zoning by-laws, although he was seeking relief under a state law that prevents local zoning by-laws from interfering in certain activities, including agriculture, known as Chapter 40A(3). Although Plympton by-laws forbid medical marijuana cultivation in an agricultural/residential zone, they specifically exempt proposals that meet the requirements of Chapter 40A(3).

Although different attorneys at different times throughout this months-long controversy interpreted Chapter 40A(3) differently, apparently the Commonwealth has not determined if marijuana cultivation is actually agriculture. (And if it is not, that would stop Randall’s proposal in its tracks as 40A(3) would not apply and his farm is in an agricultural/residential zone).

At the behest of Selectperson Joy, and a unanimous vote by the board, Plympton’s state legislators, Representative Thomas Calter and Senator Michael Brady offered to file legislation  to clarify the law, by introducing a change in wording to 40A(3) explicitly forbidding marijuana cultivation in the definition of agriculture. According to the legislators, Plympton is the first town to challenge marijuana cultivation as agriculture.

Joy reported that there is no news yet from Beacon Hill on the definition of agriculture, at least as it applies to 40A(3) nor on the pending legislation.

Brook Retreat “Sober Living” house

The Brook Retreat, a so-called “sober living” facility located at 55 Brook Street, has also recently been in the news due to a resident leaving the facility and terrorizing a couple neighboring the “sober house” by attempting to break into their home using an ice-chipping tool.  Police report that he succeeded in damaging the house, breaking an outside light and a storm door while shouting threats.

Although the three principal operators of the facility spoke with Selectman Russo, they refused to do so publicly, and have not responded to a request for comment from the Express.

A large number of residents came to the selectmen’s meeting on March 21 to hear a report on the conversation Russo had with the operators of the Brook Retreat. His report did not appear to satisfy those gathered.

At the suggestion of an audience member, the board unanimously voted Selectperson Joy to meet with Town Counsel to explore any action the town could take to improve safety and communication with the unlicensed facility, which, it appears, is not required to be licensed by any state agency.

Joy reported back to the public that she had spoken to Town Counsel, and that they have a few “good options”, but did not say what those were stating that she was waiting for Town Counsel to prepare an official opinion for the board.

The board and the townspeople will have to wait for further information on another controversial topic in town.

10 Citizen’s Petitions for Town Meeting

Annual Town Meeting Warrant Closed; 10 Citizens’ Petitions accepted

The board closed the warrant for the May 18 Annual Town Meeting on Monday evening, although they chose to wait to close the Special Town Meeting warrant in order to give themselves some more time to tweak it.

A large number of citizens’ petitions will appear on the warrant this year, including several addressing medical marijuana grow facilities, another that would end the town’s participation in the Community Preservation Act, two addressing the town’s demolition delay by-law, and two that would order the town to sell certain lots that are in tax-foreclosure status.

The three medical marijuana related warrant articles include one that would ask to see if “the Town will vote to allow the residents of Plympton to vote on the proposed marijuana grow facility on Ring Road that is presently before the Board of Selectmen.”

According to Town Counsel at a previous meeting, any vote of the sort would necessarily be a non-binding referendum, as Selectmen have full decision-making power to oppose, send a municipal letter of non-opposition or a letter of support for any type of medical marijuana operation.

It is not apparent if the measure passes when the referendum would appear on a ballot;  due to time constraints, it could not appear on this year’s annual town election ballot.

Marijuana RMDs

Another warrant article asks the town to vote to instruct the board to oppose any Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD) applications located in an agricultural/residential zone until the state makes definitive decisions on whether the agricultural exemption in Chapter 40A(3) applies to marijuana.

The final article asks the voters to amend the town zoning by-law, adding a new article: “Article XXXI…All applications for a Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD) in which any of the facilities (dispensary, cultivation, or processing) are located in the Town must be approved or denied through a ballot question to be voted at the Annual Town Election. Passage of the question will authorize Selectmen to provide a letter of support or non-opposition to the applicant, failure of the question will authorize the Selectmen to provide a letter of opposition to the applicant.”

On a different subject, an article asking voters to revoke Plympton’s participation in the Community Preservation Act (CPA), which it accepted at the 2008 Annual Town Meeting, will be on the warrant. The CPA, funded by a 1.5% additional excise tax on real property and matching funds from the state, established a dedicated funding source, “to acquire and preserve open space, parks and conservation land, protect public drinking water supplies and scenic areas, protect farm land [sic] and forests from future development, restore and preserve historic properties, and help meet local families’ [sic] housing needs.”

Two other warrant articles ask the voters to make changes to the demolition delay by-law, which protect houses of historic value from being demolished without significant delays, which are generally used in order for the town officials and property owners to find an alternative to demolition.

The current delay is 18-months, and one article would reduce that to six-months. The other slightly changes language in another section of the by-law, to reflect the change if the voters approve the shorter delay period in the aforementioned article.

Finally, two other articles list several properties that are in tax-foreclosure status and ask voters to instruct the town to sell them. They appear all to be vacant lots, although some are of significant value– one roughly 16-acre lot on Palmer Road was assessed at $203,100 in 2016.

• Animal Control Officer Frank Bush announced a low cost rabies clinic at the Kingston Animal Shelter on Saturday, April 16, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  Aimed to assist seniors, the cost is $10.  Contact the ACO at 781-585-9444 with any questions before April 11.    Transportation if needed by COA van.

• The Selectmen will not meet next week, but will meet next on Monday April 11.

Man rescued from trench

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A 51 year- old man was rescued from a trench after the land gave way around him. Paul Brown of Plymouth was approximately eight feet down in a yard on South Street in Halifax on Tuesday morning when the earth around him collapsed.

“He was conscious the whole time, “said Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros.

It took rescuers two hours to free Brown.

“We were in constant communication with him and he was receiving advanced life support treatment as the team was working to free him,” Viveiros said.

Chief Viveiros along with Lt. Rob O’Brien of Hanson fire spoke to media following the intensive rescue.  A long backboard with several pulley systems was secured to heavy ropes as the group slowly and methodically pulled Brown upwards.

“They used small army-type shovels to move the dirt as any heavy machinery could jeopardize the victim; dumping more dirt on him,” said O’Brien who is part of the Plymouth County Technical Rescue team.

After securing the trench for members to enter, buckets were moved by rotating firefighters who were taking turns in the hole lifting dirt out. Fire chiefs as well as their fire department members who are specially trained in technical rescues represented many towns on the South Shore.

  A portable heating unit was placed with flexible tubes in the ground while the man was trapped as he began to show signs of hypothermia.   

It appeared Brown suffered from possible lower extremity injuries, said Viveiros.

Brown who works for Evergreen Landscaping was in the trench working when the area collapsed around him.  Another person who was not injured had operated an excavator.

They continuously talked with him letting him know that there were specialists to help get him out, the ‘best of the best’ who constantly train for these rescues, said Viveiros in an effort to keep the victim calm.

The homeowner said Brown was speaking to her and expressed that he didn’t think he could get out when she called 911 after 9 a.m. Tuesday.   She said she could see him moving the dirt with his hands but he could not free himself.

The repair was involving a septic system unit and was on private property, said Viveiros.

“I just can’t say enough for the support and what they did here – the technical team and the individuals who were here today,” the Halifax Fire Chief Viveiros said.

Brown was flown via Med Flight to a Boston Hospital and was later released with only minor injuries.

The incident’s positive outcome and rescue was very fortunate,Viveiros said.

OSHA and several state inspectors were on scene throughout the day as part of the investigation, according to Viveiros.

John Traynor is candidate for Selectman

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To all Plympton Residents:

I would like to announce my candidacy for Selectman of the Town of Plympton. A resident of the town since 1970, my wife Brenda and I have deep roots in the town. All three of our children went through Dennett Elementary and then onto Silver Lake Regional High School.

A graduate of Bentley College, with a degree in Accounting and Finance, I worked in private industry for over twenty five years in the business analysis and financial field, with an emphasis on long-range planning. During my eighteen years with Digital Equipment I made the transition from finance into consulting and sales as the senior corporate account manager for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

I have previously served twelve years on the Plympton Finance Committee, eight years as a Plympton Library Trustee, and the last eight years as Town Moderator. In addition I am a member of the committee addressing the Department of Revenue recommendations for the town, as well as a member of the Committee working with the University of Massachusetts Collins Center, through a State grant, to develop financial forecasts, a capital spending plan, and financial policies for the Town.

A member of the Upland Sportsman’s Club since 1970 I have served in the past as Club President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Director. I am also a member of the Plympton Garden Club and the Plympton Historical Society.

I am running for the Selectman’s position because I believe it’s important to continue the work of developing sound financial planning for the Town and to provide the leadership necessary to balance providing services without an undue tax burden. Plympton has a unique character that we all want to preserve.  I believe my extensive experience and knowledge of the town will serve Plympton well.

I would appreciate your vote on Saturday, May 21st.

John Traynor

Crescent Street

Great Hall celebration!

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HALIFAX– At an otherwise brief meeting of the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, March 22, Halifax Fire Chief Jason Vivieros presented certificates to two high-school students who completed the Halifax Firefighter’s Cadet program, and promoted two firefighters to the rank of Lieutenant. Selectmen also met with Barbara Brenton, Director of the Council on Aging and Karen Trudeau, Principal Assessor, with an update on the Senior Tax Work-Off Program. Russ Kleekamp, of GHD, a consultant working with the town on Monponsett Lake water-quality issues also updated selectmen.

Firefighters and families celebrate

The Great Hall in the Halifax Town Hall was filled with firefighters, family and friends as students from the Halifax Firefighters Cadets program were recognized with certificates.

The cadet program allows high-school students with an interest in becoming firefighters to explore all aspects of the day-to-day work of firefighters and paramedics, including firefighter safety, EMS, search and rescue, and according to Vivieros, “they were able to play with the trucks a good deal.”

Students Abby Dubraski and Zachary Rossini received their certificates.

Vivieros continued with firefighter promotions, citing Nathan Jones and William Palma as the obvious choices to promote to Lieutenant.

“Both are already natural leaders in the department; they are the guys that others go to for help in solving problems.”

As each was sworn by Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor, their spouses pinned on their new badges to thunderous applause of those gathered.

There were many hugs and handshakes seen around the hall, as the board and the firefighting community congratulated the newly minted Lieutenants.

Senior Tax Work-Off Program

Barbara Brenton, Director of the Council on Aging and Karen Trudeau, Principal Assessor, were tasked last year with bringing to fruition a tax-abatement program for seniors in which, under certain conditions, by volunteering, seniors could abate part of their property tax bill.

The PILOT program allows seniors, over the age of 60 who are homeowners of five years or more, a chance at a lottery for two slots for the program. A maximum of $750 each can be “volunteered” off of their taxes, for example, at the library. The number of hours is capped to the minimum wage.

Nothing prevents anyone from volunteering more, but a restriction is in place so that someone can’t win a lottery position two years in a row. An income means test is imposed as well.

Brenton and Trudeau were reporting back after the inaugural year of the program, and they both stated that it was a little hard to fill the two slots that they started with.

The COA did meticulous research about how this type of program works in other towns, noting that over 100 towns in the Commonwealth have had something similar in place for 15 to 20 or more years.

They recommended to the board that no changes be made in the program for FY’17, as the concept continues to become more well known.

“We need to market it more,” said Brenton.

Monponsett Lake Storm Drains

Russ Kleekamp, a consultant with a company called GHD, is working with the town of Halifax, specifically very closely with the Highway Department, in order to identify and take the necessary steps to reduce storm-drain runoff making its way into both the ponds of Monponsett Lake.

Using grant money from the state, money donated from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, and matching town money, the town has been achieving $9 for every $1 spent on the project, which hopes to reduce the amount of runoff into the ponds. This runoff provides extra nutrients to feed the problematic algae, partially leading to the unhealthy water in the lake, according to Kleekamp.

Kleekamp will identify three major “hot-spots”, and work on a detailed conceptual design to mitigate the pollution.  That way the grant money will be spent on the highest priorities first.

“I’m at a point in my career where I’m lucky enough to be able to pick and choose my clients,” he said to the board. “It’s been great working with the town.”

The board was visibly pleased.

Halifax selectmen will next meet Tuesday, March 29.

Fear and anger regarding Brook Retreat incident by Residents

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PLYMPTON– On Monday, March 21, a large group of residents attended the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to hear a report from Chairman Mark Russo regarding an alleged home invasion on Brook Street earlier in the month, nearly adjacent to the Brook Retreat, at 55 Brook Street, a sober living facility. A guest of the facility was alleged to have committed the crime.

The operators of the Brook Retreat, South Shore Transformations, Inc., a sober living and 12-step facility located in a residential neighborhood, refused to appear before the board publicly, nor did they respond to a request from the Express for comment, but they did sit down with board Chairman Russo to discuss the March 6 incident.

On that Sunday night, according to police and court records, an individual named Shane Patrick Sullivan, 25, of Boston, but staying at the Brook Retreat, allegedly terrorized a couple at around 11 p.m. in their home, attempting to break windows, damaging a storm door, and breaking a light fixture with an icepick and committing other property damage.

He had been staying at the Brook Retreat for only four or five days, said Russo.

When found by police, according to the Plympton Police incident narrative, Sullivan was barefoot in the street, making bizarre statements, including that he had killed a whole family, that he had killed Satan. He also spontaneously uttered, “I’m guilty.”

Sullivan was charged with felony vandalizing property as well as felony home invasion, and misdemeanor disturbing the peace and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

According to Russo, court records and a law-enforcement source, Sullivan is being held for psychiatric evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital, in order to determine “criminal responsibility” and “competency to stand trial”.  A Plymouth District Court judge ordered this evaluation before he was arraigned.

Although he allegedly told paramedics, who reported back to police, that he had ingested illegal drugs this may not be the case as he was not making much sense according to the police report.

Sullivan has at least one open case in Massachusetts, in Chelsea District Court, on charges of shoplifting and possession of a Class E substance. The prosecutor in that case is asking a Plymouth judge to revoke his bail in the case, which originated in Revere, according to the Chelsea District Court Clerk’s office.

According to a law enforcement official Sullivan is “well-known to area law-enforcement.”

Russo reported that the operators of the Brook Retreat were deeply sorry for the incident, and were taking pro-active measures to prevent an incident like this from happening again. They released a statement directly responding to questions from a concerned resident, via Russo, which stated:

“What happened on Sunday night to the Limitone family by one of our guests is unacceptable. We are grateful that no one from the family was injured. We are a very strict structured program. We take the safety of our guest [sic] and neighbors seriously. We appreciate the action by police and emergency personnel who defused the situation quickly.”

The statement further went on to say that they have been following the agreement they made with the town (although there was no formal agreement) stating that they would not accept guests that have been “arrested for either arson or any sexual related offenses.”

At a forum in Sept. 2014, the Express reported that the three principals of the Brook Retreat mentioned violent offenses would also be part of the list of disqualifying arrests, but left this out of their statement.

Russo stated that CORI checks were not being performed, so it is not apparent exactly what type of background check is being done.

Russo described some of the other policies as reported to him, though it was not clear which one broke down earlier in March. The Brook Retreat claims that they will build a fence around the property with a gate, but this did little to assuage the concerns of residents.

Russo also noted that because the facility is technically a “school” under a 1950’s era state law known as the Dover Amendment, part of M.G.L. Chapter 40A(3), which allows schools, even those with non-traditional curriculums, to be operated relatively unfettered from local zoning restrictions. (Chapter 40A(3) has been a key issue in the on-going discussion over whether to allow a medical marijuana grow facility on Ring Road.)

The Brook Retreat has no license from any government authority, local or state, although the fire department checks the sprinklers annually.

Residents were uniformly angry, upset, fearful or expressing some mixture of the three. The lack of any oversight from any agency is a huge issue for residents.

Amy Cronin of County Road said she supported effort to help “these people”, but had grave concerns with the way the facility was managed.

She was thankful she didn’t live on Brook Street, but “am afraid for my neighbors that do,” and that she was personally “scared.” She mentioned property values potentially going down, noting that on a popular real estate website the incident is already noted.

Cronin would like to see a certified or licensed facility.

James Boucher of Mayflower Road was also vocal. He added that he thought something was going to happen when the project was proposed, that it was just a matter of time. “Someone could have been shot,” he said.

“I don’t want to wake up with…one of my neighbors stabbed with a knife or stuck with a needle,” he later added.

He later even stated that Plympton was being used as a “dumping ground”.

Although not all of the language was this vitriolic, several other residents brought up what they thought could be ways to close the facility, for example, an excess number of beds, excess occupancy, or an improper septic system but the facility has followed all the rules it is subject to, according to Russo.

Most were simply incredulous that a sober living facility could be operated with no oversight.

Selectperson Christine Joy expressed anger that residents were living in fear, and took the suggestion of an audience member that Town Counsel be asked for advice regarding any action the town could take against the Brook Retreat.

The Board unanimously agreed, although Russo noted that he was afraid that the answer would be unsatisfying to those gathered.

Selectperson Colleen Thompson expressed concern that background checks weren’t being performed.

Russo noted at the end that after having met with the operators, he very much supports their efforts. He even went so far to say as he would be happy to have the Brook Retreat next to his own home.

The audience was not convinced.

Sullivan is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. in Plymouth District Court on Monday, March 28, 2016.

“Triple Tragedy” in Halifax, 1874

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The Halifax Historical Society will host local author John F. Gallagher at its April 11 meeting at 7 p.m. at the Albert E. Kiernan Schoolhouse, South St., Halifax.

After 30 years with the Boston Police Department, rising to the rank of superintendent and chief of detectives, John F. Gallagher retired and turned to writing stories about true local crimes.

His latest venture brought him to Halifax to investigate the Sturtevant Murders. Brothers Thomas Sturtevant and Simeon Sturtevant along with their housekeeper, Mary Buckley were brutally murdered in the Old Sturtevant homestead February 15, 1874.

All are welcome to join us as we listen to John tell of his research into this heinous crime perpetrated “just down the street,” Thompson Street, that is.

Gallagher’s interest in history and genealogy, paired with his background in criminal investigation, motivated him to write about century-old murders on the South Shore.

His first book, Murder on Broadway: A History of Homicide in Hanover, was followed by his second volume, Arsenic in Assinippi, about retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Joseph Giles Eaton’s suspicious death in Norwell in 1913.

He will bring copies of his books, Murder on Broadway: A History of Homicide in Hanover, and Arsenic in Assinippi: and The Trial of Jennie May Eaton for the Murder of Her Husband, Rear Admiral Joseph Eaton, for anyone interested in those stories as well.John and his wife, Jeanne, live in Hanover All are welcome to attend.

Plymouth Police Academy graduates

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Plympton Police Department graduates

The Plympton Police Department is proud to announce the recent graduation of three Plympton Police Department sponsored recruits from the 61st Plymouth Police Academy.

Michael Gagnon, Jr., Alexander Nevarez and John Simon received their Academy Diplomas on Friday, March 11, at a ceremony held at Memorial Hall in Plymouth, which was attended by Plympton Police Chief Patrick Dillon and other members of the department.  Those in attendance included other area Police Chiefs, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald.     

The academy, which graduated 40 recruits, began on September 22, 2015 and ended on March 11, 2016.  Recruits were trained in all phases of police work, including, but not limited to, Criminal Law, Motor Vehicle Law, Constitutional Law, CPR and First Responder and Applied Patrol Procedures.

Gagnon, a lifelong Plympton resident, Simon, a Lieutenant in the United States Army National Guard and Nevarez, a Brockton resident, have all applied to the Plympton Police Department for a position as a Police Officer and are being considered for various positions.

Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area

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HALIFAX– Citizens will soon be able to drive to a parking lot again, rather than park directly on Elm Street, in order to access the Halifax entrance to the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area, shared with Hanson. There is no other vehicle access in Halifax to the WMA, although there is in Hanson.

The WMA, once dominated by cranberry bogs, was purchased and created by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) in 2002. The 1,600-acre property was sold by the Northland Cranberry Company.

The controversial purchase led to litigation between Halifax and the DFW, regarding taxes Halifax asserted were owed on the land as it was no longer being used for agricultural purposes, which was eventually settled. This was not the only controversy regarding the WMA, though. A couple who abuts the parking lot and driveway to the Halifax entry-point have complained for years about a lack of policing, litter and nightly noise caused by trespassers. Christopher and Thais Kasmerek, by a fluke, discovered that due to a surveying error, they actually owned a good portion of the access road, and essentially closed it off to vehicle traffic by building a fence down the middle, delineating their newfound property.

Citizens are still able to walk on the State-owned side of the fence to enjoy the WMA, but have been creating a safety hazard by parking on the side of Elm Street.

In response to the fence, the DFW has announced it will simply pave a new road around the Kasmerek’s fence, to the original parking lot, by-passing private property and remaining on State-owned land.

The Kasmereks have come before the Halifax Board of Selectmen with their fears of actions that the Town or State might take to open up access again, as recently as December.

At that meeting, Selectmen foresaw just this scenario, and attempted to work with the couple on a compromise in order to prevent it. The DFW had offered to build some sort of buffer for the Kasmereks, but they rejected that offer suggesting that no buffer could assuage their concerns.

The Kasmereks complained of more “bad-behavior” behind their property after the DFW created the WMA, with people coming and going at all times of day and night and leaving behind beer cans, glass, needles and dog refuse.

Another issue is that policing of the property falls primarily under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Police, because the WMA is owned by the DFW. The Environmental Police, a relatively small agency, appear not to have the will or resources to properly police the huge WMA, at least not to the satisfaction of abutters.

We’ve got you covered!

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PLYMOUTH COUNTY– According to Officer Doug Mazzola of the Plympton Police Department, mass shootings, defined by the FBI as when four or more people are killed in an episode of gun violence, have a long history in the United States. Today, though, and in the past two decades, the frequency of such horrific incidents has increased markedly.

More and more regular patrol officers across the country have had to face-down “active shooter” situations, which according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are defined as an “individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and other populated area”. FEMA also notes that there often is no pattern or method to victim selection and that the events are unpredictable and may unfold quickly.

For these reasons, Plympton police conducted an active shooter drill on Saturday, March 12, along with seven other area law-enforcement agencies, including the Halifax Police Department, at a large industrial complex in Plymouth County. About twenty officers participated. The costly, but unfortunately necessary training, was incredibly intense and realistic, according to Mazzola, who participated.

He stressed that “interoperability” was a key term for police today, and such joint training drills allow officers to have the same mentality and skills necessary to fall in and assist in whatever scenario might occur, regardless of which department or agency the officer works for.

The training consisted of a classroom portion, emphasizing the history of mass shootings as well as current strategies engaged by police nationwide. They then toured the host facility, and began conducting drills covering multiple scenarios, including a barricaded hostage-taking scenario. Officers and volunteers participated as “victims”.

   Police fired blanks and simulated ammunition, commonly known under the brand name Simunition, which has a dye to mark when someone is shot, in order to create as realistic an experience as possible. The blanks were of the same decibel as live ammunition, which, according to Mazzola, “really got the adrenaline going.”

“We’ve always had mass shootings, but Columbine [the massacre carried out by two teens at a Colorado high school in April, 1999] was a turning point for police, especially in terms of police tactics. It’s no longer surround the perimeter and wait for a SWAT team to arrive. We actively engage the shooter now in these situations, entering as quickly as possible,” added Mazzola.

The trainers were all certified by the Massachusetts Police Training Council and the curriculum used was similar to that used nationally by other law-enforcement agencies, he said.

Plympton and the surrounding area may have some small police forces, but they are highly skilled and trained. Recent incidents across the country have demonstrated that violent incidents can occur anywhere, but the residents of Plymouth County can rest assured that should an incident occur here, our local police are top-notch.