How did you spend your August? The Lowell Police Department welcomed a new member, got some new technology and tried to slow down the speeders on Hudson Street. It was all in a month’s work for Lowell’s law enforcement.
August by the Numbers
While it may not be the most glamorous part of their work, keeping speeders in check is an important part of the police department’s job. After all, no one wants to be crossing Main Street when someone comes barreling through the historic downtown going 45 miles per hour.
In August, the department received complaints of vehicles cruising down N. Hudson Street a little too fast. The department set up their speed trailer one day to monitor the traffic and found people were traveling an average of 29.5 miles per hour going northbound and 28.2 miles per hour going southbound. The speed limit in that area is 25 miles per hour.
All told, 107 motorists were stopped by the Lowell Police Department in August. Of those, 35 were cited and 72 drove away with a warning. There were 12 property damage accidents in the city and one personal injury accident.
The department also made the following arrests last month:
- Drunk Driving: 2
- Drug Law Violation: 2
- Suspended License: 1
- Warrant Arrest: 7
- Other: 8
To make sure those drunk driving arrests go by the book, Officer Dustin Brown is currently attending Standard Field Sobriety Tests Instructor training. When he returns, he will be responsible to train those on the department on how to administer the tests.
And here are the other complaint investigations and stats for the month:
- Assault: 1
- Civil Domestic: 1
- Domestic Assault: 7
- Assist from Other Agency: 16
- Assist Citizen: 33
- Breaking and Entering: 1
- Disorderly Person: 3
- Dog Complaints: 6
- Larceny/Fraud: 7
- Motorist Assist: 5
- Ordinance Violation: 16
Department Has New Officer and New Robot
There were two new additions to the Lowell Police Department in August.
First, Jason Diaz is a new officer who started work in Lowell on August 30. He is from Wyoming and has also worked part-time as a Kent County Sheriff Deputy during the summer months. Officer Diaz will complete a field training officer phase with the Lowell department before he begins working on his own.
The other new addition to the department is a MARCBOT. It’s a Multi-function Agile Remote-Controlled Robot which was acquired through the 1033 Program, which facilitates the transfer of law enforcement equipment between agencies. “It’s a low cost robotic used for the inspection of suspicious objects,” says Sgt. Chris Hurst. “We received it free from the Livingston County Sheriff Department, who no longer had a use for it.”
The robot is equipped with a video camera on an extendable arm. It will be used for the inspection of suspicious vehicles and packages. It can also be used to search confined spaces or in the event of a hazardous materials spill. The MARCBOT will be made available to the Lowell Fire Department as needed. “It will allow us to get close to a potentially dangerous scene without endangering our officers or firefighters,” Hurst says.
Guidelines for Hunting Season
It’s almost time to restock the freezer with venison, and bow hunting is allowed within city limits during the October-November season. However, you have to meet all the following criteria to hunt within the City of Lowell:
1. Must have a valid bow hunting license
2. Must be hunting on a parcel of land of 10 contiguous acres
3. Must have written permission of the property owner
4. CROSSBOWS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN THE CITY
5. All other DNR rules apply
You may want to spend September brushing up on your archery skills but for safety reasons, residents are NOT allowed to shoot their bows or crossbows within city limits with the exception of hunting under the guidelines listed above. You also can’t shoot off any BB guns, air rifles or toy pistols within the city limits. Don’t make Officer Diaz have to pay you a personal visit!
Let’s make sure there is little to report next month, Lowell.
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