Sgt. Michael C. Chechile (second from right) commander of the Westfield Police boat patrol team, speaks to residents about the successes of the new pond patrol at a meeting Thursday of the Hampton Ponds Neighborhood Improvement Project. Listening are co-chairs, Barbara Girouz and Chris Patten, State Rep. John Velis, Dom Sacco, DCR district manager, City Councilor Chris Crean, Officer Douglas LaValley (hidden) and officer Allen Magdycz. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
WESTFIELD – Members of the Hampton Ponds Neighborhood Improvement Project met in March, 2013, and defined areas of concern around the ponds. On Thursday evening, the group met again to review the progress made and consider future endeavors.
Chris Patten, a co-chairperson for the project, explained “The biggest obstacle was that Westfield police did not have jurisdiction on the state property” but went on to say that shared jurisdiction was negotiated “and that has been a lifesaver” she said.
That change has allowed city police to patrol Old Apremont Way, the boat ramp and other areas in and around the state park.
That breakthrough was further exploited when city police were able to buy a used pontoon boat and were able to equip it for pond patrols.
Sgt. Michael Cehchile, the commander of the new marine patrol team, was at the meeting Thursday with subordinates including Officer Allen S. Magdycz who reported on the efforts of the boat patrol officers.
Magdycz noted that 30 officers have been trained for the boat patrol which was on the ponds every weekend in July and August.
He said that, during the 16 eight-hour patrols over the summer, officers inspected 65 vessels, issued nine warning citations, towed three boats and made two arrests.
Magdzcz credited Environmental Police for their invaluable assistance in training officers and making shore-based inspections and enforcement of the regulations which are now posted at the boat ramp.
Patten also credited much of the improvement at the park to the additional police presence made possible by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation which was represented by district manager Dom Sacco.
Patten pointed out that, while officers were on the water every weekend, detail officers funded by DCR were on the shore.
Two officer details, comprised of both city and state officers, were visible at the park each weekend, together with Environmental Police offices as available.
Sacco said that the police details worked well during the summer and will continue next year.
“I anticipate us continuing the law enforcement details … it was a great year, both in the park and on the water,” he said.
He also said that DCR will continue to make improvements to the boat ramp and repairs on Old Apremont way.
Both police officers and residents said that the boat patrols made a big difference.
The Patti Andras, the Westfield Police Department’s new marine patrol boat, was deployed on Pequot Pond each weekend in July and August this summer. (File photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
“We saw a big difference out there,” Magdycz said. “When we first started it was a free-for-all out there. There were jet skis and personal watercraft doing in excess of 65 miles an hour.”
Magdycz said that many boaters had not known the regulations. “A lot of people now have fire extinguishers and life vests and their underage kids are wearing them,” he said after the inspections and distribution of pamphlets delineating the rules and requirements.
He said that boaters have appreciated the change and quoted a boater who approached him while on patrol and said “I would never come here on the weekends and I would never bring my kids here. Now I feel I can come any time.”
“We have noticed a huge huge difference with your presence,” said Janet Sanuita of Southampton from the audience. “It’s been awesome.”
Members of the audience commented on trash and debris in the boat ramp area and asked if trash barrels could be provided.
Sacco said that DCR policy is “carry in, carry out” and Patten and others said that emptying trash barrels is a problem as city refuse truck may not collect on state property.
Chechile pointed out that overflowing refuse barrels invite more trash to be left behind and Sacco mentioned that barrels often attract outside debris but he said he would investigate options for removing trash.
Magdycz said he has contacted the probation department and said that probationers who are required to perform community service may be available to clean up the area from time to time.
The consensus at the meeting was that clean up by community members will not only remove existing litter but, by setting a good example, new litter will be reduced.
Several speakers including Patten, Magdycz and City Councilor Chris Crean encouraged residents to be vocal and to call to report problems.
“Calling is really the most important thing,” Patten said. “It has to do with allocating funds, and hiring people to perform these duties and it has to be justified with the calls.”
State Rep. John Velis urged residents to contact him “particularly around the budget time, in April” because “at the end of the day, a lot of the funding for a lot of these programs, it’s not coming from the city, it’s going to come from Boston and Beacon Hill.” He said that he and State Sen. Don Humason (who was unable to attend due to another obligation) will “go after these funds.”
Jack Patten pointed out that there is a fund named (like the patrol boat) in honor of former police commissioner, city councilor and community leader Patti Andras that was established to accept contributions to support the boat and the boat patrol. He encouraged contributions to the fund saying, as the previous owner of the boat, “It needs a new motor.”
The meeting ended with a standing ovation for the law enforcement officials who have enabled the improvements at the ponds and their sentiment was verbalized by an anonymous voice from the crowd saying “Thank you for giving us our pond back.”
