A concealed weapon, a domestic dispute and a lawnmower left running in a yard were among the situations that required the attention of Lowell police officers in October. Overall, though, complaints were down, and Police Chief Chris Hurst notes that Halloween was quiet and uneventful this year.
In total, the Lowell Police Department had 204 reports filed for October 2022, including the following:
- 34 assists to other agencies
- 20 suspicious situations
- 17 general and motorist assists
- 10 traffic accidents
- 6 family issues
- 4 ordinance violations
- 3 trespassing
- 3 fraud
- 1 disorderly conduct
- 1 road kill permit
Lowell officers also made 73 traffic stops that resulted in 6 citations.
Concealed Weapon Found in Vehicle
A Lowell police officer responded to an accident on Main Street in which a vehicle ran into a utility pole. The driver claimed a mechanical issue led to the accident. While the accident was being cleaned up, a concealed gun was found in the car. The gun was legally owned, but the driver did not have a concealed pistol license.
The prosecutor’s office later issued a felony warrant in the matter. Lowell police officers arrested the driver when they responded to another traffic accident involving the person. In this case, the person apparently pulled out in front of another vehicle.
One Person Generates Multiple Complaints
The Lowell Police Department received multiple calls about a single person causing disturbances, such as leaving their lawnmower and snowblower running unattended on their lawn for extended periods. The individual is well-known to the department and because of previous concerning behavior, can no longer enter City Hall without a police escort.
This person appears to thrive on attention, and their antics have been “wasting our time and the taxpayer’s money,” according to Hurst. However, much of the behavior falls short of being illegal and tends to be more of a nuisance to neighbors and other community members. Hurst encourages anyone who is having trouble with a neighbor to call police while the questionable behavior is occurring, rather than after the fact.
Complicated Domestic Situation
In another case, a person was living in a Lowell house for approximately one month when the homeowner decided they didn’t want the person there anymore. They picked up a knife and threatened the person, apparently believing them to be trespassing.
The police had to sort out contradicting stories about the event but eventually determined that it did appear the homeowner had threatened the other individual with a knife. After review, the prosecutor issued a warrant for the homeowner for assault. The homeowner has a legal guardian, and that person is apparently now taking steps to evict other residents and sell the property.
Active Shooter Training
Lowell police officers completed an active shooter training at Impact Church in October. All officers are now trained in a new response method which is intended to get medical personnel to injured people onsite while other officers pursue the assailant.
Under the previous method, victims would need to be moved to a secure site before receiving medical care, but this approach has meant delayed treatment and additional casualties in some mass shootings.
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