The Billerica Police Department received a donation from the Kennek Foundation with “Trouble the Dog”

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BILLERICA  – Thanks to the Kennek Foundation, the Billerica Police Department is able to bring Trouble the Dog to comfort young children in our community during times of crisis. This week, Kennek Foundation founder and children’s author, Sheila Duncan, along with members of the Merrimack Valley Harley Owners Group chapter donated a dozen of the custom-made dogs to First Responders when responding to a scene involving a young child. These soft plush custom-made stuffed dogs can often bring some level of comfort to a child during the often chaotic period of time at a time when First Responders are working to stabilize a scene. Thanks to a recent Merrimack Valley HOG fundraising ride this past September, the Kennek Foundation was able to donate these items to our community.

For more information on this amazing program, please visit their website at “thekennekfoundation.org” or their Facebook page.

The Merrimack Valley HOG Chapter members in the photo left to right are:
Bernie Lach, Paula Lach, Director, Marc Belanger, Dennis Bertulli, Erik Lekberg, Sheila Duncan founder, The Kennek Foundation, Deputy Chief Frost, Heather Lambert.

Vehicle Located in Billerica Identified as Belonging to Judy Chartier Who Has Been Missing Since 1982 – Updated 11/5/21 Remains Identified

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Update 11/5/21 – BILLERICA – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Billerica Acting Chief Troy Opland and Chelmsford Police Chief James Spinney have confirmed that the remains located Wednesday in the Concord River in Billerica have been positively identified by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner as Judith Chartier, who had been missing since June 5, 1982.  The identification was made through dental records. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Dr. James T. Pokines, a Forensic Anthropologist, will be working with the District Attorney’s Office to reconstruct the remains in an attempt to determine a cause of death.

On November 2, 2021, investigators recovered the 1972 Dodge Dart Swinger that Ms. Chartier was driving on the day that she disappeared.  During a subsequent search of the same area, divers were able to recover human remains and personal items including a work identification badge, clothing and a small purse or wallet.

The items were located in about 10 feet of water, 15 to 20 yards from the shore.  As part of its ongoing commitment to these cases the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office Cold Case unit, created by District Attorney Ryan in 2019,  in partnership with the Chelmsford and Billerica Police and Massachusetts State Police utilized sonar technology this week to return to an area of the river located about a mile from the Chartier home.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Unit, Billerica Police, Chelmsford Police, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police Dive Team. Particular thanks are extended to Bruce Stebbins and Hans Hug of Sonar Search and Recovery, civilian experts who utilized Edgetech Sonar System to locate the vehicle and whose assistance was critical to the investigation.

11/3/21 – BILLERICA – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Billerica Acting Chief Troy Opland and Chelmsford Police Chief James Spinney have confirmed that today investigators recovered a vehicle from the Concord River that has been positively identified as the 1972 Dodge Dart Swinger that was driven by Judith Chartier on June 5, 1982.

Ms. Chartier has not been seen since that date.

As part of an ongoing investigation, the Massachusetts State Police Dive team and civilian divers located significant portions of a vehicle in the river. Today, through a match of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), those pieces were confirmed to be from Chattier’s vehicle.

On June 5, 1982, then seventeen-year-old Judith Chartier, a Chelmsford resident, disappeared after leaving a party in Billerica. Friends reported that she was last seen around 2:00 a.m.

“This is a very significant development in this case and we are still processing the car for any additional evidence. Sadly, this discovery comes after nearly forty heartbreaking years of Judith’s friends and family missing her and wondering about what happened that day. We are committed to continuing the search for those answers,” said District Attorney Ryan.

“We are grateful to all of the people working hard on behalf of Judy Chartier. We look forward to working with all parties to bring justice in this case,” added Acting Chief Opland.

“I want to commend and thank investigators from Chelmsford, Billerica, and the District Attorney’s Office for their continued efforts on this case over many years,” said Chelmsford Police Chief James Spinney.

This investigation is being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Unit, Billerica Police, Chelmsford Police, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police Dive Team. Particular thanks are extended to Bruce Stebbins and Hans Hug of Sonar Search and Recovery, civilian experts who utilized Edgetech Sonar System to locate the vehicle and whose assistance was critical to the investigation.

Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, 15 Commonwealth Avenue, 3 Floor, Woburn, MA 01801, United

The Front Line Initiative regional police co-response program secures funding for the launch of an Animal Assisted Co-Response Program

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Therapy Dog to respond with Co-Response Clinician alongside police

Billerica MA – The Front Line Initiative today announced it has secured funding through the Greater Lowell Health Alliance to launch a unique Animal Assisted Co-Response (AACoR) Program. The AACoR program will pair a mental health Co-Response clinician with a trained crisis response dog that can be called out by five area police departments including: Tewksbury, Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut and Tyngsborough. The AACoR Program will be utilized to focus on behavioral health crises with a focus on those struggling with traumatic events, depression, and impacts of suicide. While the use of comfort dogs and therapy dogs are not new what makes this program unique is the embedded nature of a police co-response clinician with a crisis response animal.

The future therapy dog will be an Australian Labradoodle and will join the team in late November early December. They will begin their time in service in training thanks to the generous support of Auntie Dog in Tewksbury, MA.

“We are extremely excited to bring this additional therapeutic service to the communities we serve. The addition of the AACoR program will assist in bridging the gap of access to emergency services for those living through traumatic events. We believe in bringing innovative programming to the Greater Lowell area and we are pleased to be pioneering the way with the help of the Greater Lowell Health Alliance,” said Front Line Executive Director Matthew Page-Shelton.

The funding will be used to cover the costs associated with the launch of the Animal Assisted Co-Response Program and the implementation of the services to be provided by this team. Front Line is excited to partner with Highland Beach Labradoodle from Central Rhode Island for the future therapy dog.

“It is such a unique opportunity to be a part of a team where the innovative use of a crisis response dog can be possible in this context. I look forward to working with our therapy dog and conducting training to prepare for supporting our communities. This is a great opportunity to build partnerships with those in our communities who are in crisis. I look forward to bringing this service to those we serve in both an emergency basis as well as through outreach therapeutic support,” says Co-Response Clinician/ AACoR handler C.Knowles of Front Line Initiative.

Follow the Front Line Initiative on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates on the AACoR program and more.

Drug Take Back – October 23rd

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This Saturday October 23, 2021, from 10 AM to 2 PM the Billerica Police Department and Billerica Substance Abuse Prevention Committee will participate in Take Back Day for Prescription Medications. The location is DPW at 250 Boston Road. Please dispose of unwanted or unneeded medications properly, flushing or throwing in the trash is not proper or safe disposal. If you cannot make Saturday, BPD provides a safe disposal bin in the PD lobby. More details from DEA at the link.

DEA Drug Take Back

 

Suspect Crashes MV after Fleeing from Commercial Burglary

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Billerica – On Monday, October 4, 2021 at approximately 3:55 AM Billerica PD received a call from a commercial alarm company reporting an alarm activation at Speedway Gas Station, located at 192 Boston Road, North Billerica with an unknown male suspect reportedly stealing items from the closed store. Officers immediately responded to the alarm, arriving within 3 minutes. On arrival to the area officers observed the front glass door to the gas station smashed out, allowing full access to the Speedway store.

Responding officers immediately identified a suspect motor vehicle fleeing from the scene at a high rate of speed headed northbound on Boston Road towards Lowell. Upon activating their emergency lights in an attempt to stop the fleeing motor vehicle, officers traveled northbound on Boston Road where they observed multiple damaged residential trash receptacles and garbage in the roadway along the path the suspect vehicle had fled. Immediately north of The Point at 3North, an apartment complex located at 71 Boston Road, Officers came upon the suspect vehicle, which had apparently crashed into a telephone pole on the southbound side of the roadway. Officers observed multiple electrical transmission wires that were suspended by the telephone pole now coming down just over the crashed vehicle. The suspect vehicle was heavily damaged from the crash and was occupied by two suspects who were trapped inside the vehicle. The roadway was immediately shut down and the scene secured while Billerica Fire emergency crews and EMS personnel were dispatched to assist with the extrication of the occupants. National Grid was also summoned to the scene to assist with the downed power lines. After about 40 minutes on scene, crews were able to extricate a male operator and female passenger from the vehicle, both of whom suffered unknown injuries. Both individuals were subsequently transported to Lahey Clinic for emergency medical treatment. At this time the incident is under investigation by the Billerica Police, along with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS). No further information is available at this time.

Any additional questions should be directed to Deputy Chief Roy Frost, 978-215-9653 or via email at
rfrost @ billericapolice.org

US Census Activity

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US Census Bureau employees will be conducting door to door surveys over the coming weeks.

How can residents identify Census Bureau workers?

 

 

The census taker or field representative will present an US Government ID badge that includes:

  • their name,
  • their photograph,
  • a Department of Commerce watermark, and
  • an expiration date.

The Field Representative scheduled to be in the area is Mark J. Raus.

They will have an official bag and Census Bureau-issued electronic device, such as a laptop or smartphone, bearing the Census Bureau logo.Census takers and field representatives will conduct their work between the hours of 9am and 9pm, local time.

We are encouraging all residents, when in doubt, please call the New York Regional Office for verification at 1-800-991-2520. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time.

Please see attached image for examples of census credentials.

Census Workers WILL NEVER ASK for the following information:

  • To enter a home,
  • Social Security numbers or immigration status,
  • Income, bank account numbers, or any financial information,
  • PINs or passwords,
  • a donation or money.

Census