Billerica Police Receive Grant Funding To Purchase Respiratory Protection For COVID-19

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Billerica – On Tuesday, August 25, 2020, Representative Marc Lombardo informed the Billerica Police that they will be receiving $39,793.00 in funds from the Baker-Polito Administration under the Federal Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program (CESFP), which provided more than $9.6 million dollars in grant funding to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research (OGR). The funds were initially applied for by Billerica Emergency Management Director William Laurendeau to purchase Maxair® PAPRs (Powered Air Purifying Respirators) for our Paramedics. Billerica EMS has sixteen Paramedic level responders working on the front line every day, staffing two fulltime ambulances. These devices will serve to protect these men and women from COVID-19 and many other contagious diseases that they are regularly exposed to in their daily operations. We thank Representative Lombardo and the Baker-Polito Administration for these highly needed resources that directly serve the residents of Billerica.

Billerica Police Investigate Random Shooting Into Residence

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Billerica – On Sunday, August 16 around 9:15 PM a resident at 7 Putney Circle reported via E-911 a loud bang and what they believed to be a hole through the front of their home. Officers responded and confirmed that a single gunshot had pierced the front second floor of their split-entry style single family residence. The round entered just below a window of a front laundry room that was under construction at the time. The round traveled through the laundry room and entered into an interior kitchen wall after having passed through an interior corridor. At the time of the incident there were multiple persons present in the home, including young children. Thankfully, nobody was injured during the incident.

The Billerica Police spent an extended period searching the area for evidence and witnesses related to the incident. This included an extensive search of the area with the assistance of NEMLEC K9 assets specifically trained in detecting ballistic evidence. At this time the incident appears to be random as the homeowner and occupants confirmed they have not received any threats nor did they have any knowledge of a motive for someone to target the home. At this time, Billerica PD has no additional information to share with the public on the incident. If anyone has any information related to the incident, we would ask they call 978-667-1212 or visit our website at www.billericapolice.org.

Any additional questions should be directed to Deputy Chief Roy Frost, 978-215-9653.

Charges Filed Following Illegal Discharge of a Firearm

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Billerica – On Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at approximately 8:22 A.M., Billerica PD received a 911 emergency call reporting possible shots fired at 8 Harvard Road, Billerica. The caller reported seeing two individuals at the rear of the home, one of which was carrying what appeared to be a rifle. The caller, who does not reside at the reported address, further stated they heard what sounded like a gun being fired. On arrival, police were able to establish phone contact with one of the residents of the home who subsequently came out of the house at police request due to safety concerns. The resident, later identified as Travis Yailaian, 25, of 8 Harvard Road, confirmed that there were two additional adult males in the house. Both of these males were invited guests of Mr. Yailaian who had hosted a gathering of friends the night prior. Mr. Yailaian, who is a legally licensed gun owner, reported that he had been sleeping in the house and was suddenly awoken to a loud noise consistent with a gun shot. After exhaustive attempts were made to establish communication with the other occupants of the home, the NEMLEC SWAT team was called to assist Billerica Police with safely securing the home for a search warrant for firearms related to the reported gunfire. At approximately 1:15 P.M. the two adult males from inside #8 Harvard Road voluntarily exited. Police subsequently confirmed that nobody was injured and the home was deemed safe. The subsequent investigation determined that one of the invited guests, Dilan Kenney, 25, of Billerica, had walked out into the yard behind the residence and fired a single round from a shotgun that belonged to the homeowner.

Following a completed investigation into the incident, Billerica Police have filed charges:

Dilan Kenney, 25, of Billerica has been charged with: 1. Unlawful Possession Outside of Home of a Firearm in violation of MGL c. 269 § 10(a); 2. Discharge of a Firearm within 500 feet of a Dwelling in violation of MGL c. 269 § 12E

Travis Yailaian, 25, of Billerica has been charged with: 1. Four (4) counts of Improper Firearm Storage in violation of MGL c. 140 § 131L; 2. Misleading a Police Investigation in violation of MGL c. 268 §13B

Both individuals will be arraigned in Lowell District Court on September 10, 2020. Both individuals are presumed innocent of the accusations until proven guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt in court.

Any additional questions should be directed to Deputy Chief Roy Frost, 978-215-9653.

Suspect Arrested Following Car Breaks

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Thomas Fisher

Thomas Fisher

Billerica – On Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at approximately 4:15 p.m. a homeowner on Poe Road in Billerica discovered a person rummaging through the interior of his vehicle parked inside the home’s garage. After being confronted, the suspect fled on foot from the scene while the victim called police via the Emergency 911 system. As officers arrived on scene, the Billerica Police 911 operator received additional calls for a suspect of similar description attempting to enter various vehicles in the residential area of Pratt Street, which is in close proximity to the original incident. Following an investigation by the officers on scene, probable cause was developed to arrest the suspect, subsequently identified as Thomas Fisher, 36, of Billerica. The charges
brought against Mr. Fisher alleged he broke into three separate motor vehicles where he stole property including cash, gift cards and other personal items as well as a knife that was located inside the garage of the initial reporting victim on Poe Road. Mr. Fisher has an extensive history with the Billerica Police that involves similar past accusations involving breaking into motor vehicles.

Thomas Fisher will be arraigned in Lowell District on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 on charges of Larceny from a Building, and two counts of Breaking and Entry into a Motor Vehicle with intent to commit a Misdemeanor.

Any additional questions should be directed to Deputy Chief Roy Frost, 978-215-9653.

Statement From Our Community Leaders

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As community leaders, we have been shocked, outraged, and angered by what we saw happen to George Floyd in Minneapolis last week, resulting in his death. These same feelings are felt by people across the Billerica community – by our residents, our business leaders, our educators, our town employees, and most importantly, by our police officers and command staff of the Billerica Police Department. We all share a vision for the future in which the injustices brought on by systemic racism must come to an end, and where they cannot be permitted to perpetuate for our future generations.

Over the course of the last week, many of our town residents have written and called with comments and inquiries regarding our police department. We want to assure our residents that protection and respect for all people is a guiding principle for our police department. We seek to earn trust from our community through personal discipline, reliability, sensitivity, and accountability in service to our residents. In embracing the six pillars from the 2015 President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, we have focused training on de-escalation techniques, procedural justice, scenario based training, and Fair and Impartial Policing. We must remain steadfastly committed to these principles now and into the future to earn the trust and cooperation of the community.

We acknowledge the feelings of pain, grief, and anger that exist across our community. But we also hope that within those feelings is a belief that we can work together to achieve a vision for the future in which justice is truly experienced by all. And so, we pledge to ensure that our actions – from how we teach our children to how we engage with our community – are in furtherance of that vision.

Sincerely,

John C. Curran, Town Manager
Daniel C. Rosa, Chief of Police
Timothy G. Piwowar, School Superintendent

Download Letter (PDF)

 

Illegal Drugs Discovered Floating In Pond

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Billerica – On Monday, June 1, 2020 at approximately 1645 hours, Billerica PD received a call from a
local resident walking in the area of Sandy Pond off of Shane Lane who discovered a suspicious package
floating in the pond. Police responded to the area and were directed to a package that appeared to contain a
white powdered substance. The packaged was wrapped in clear plastic material as well as what appeared to be
duct tape. Upon bringing the package back to the Billerica Police Department it was “field tested” using a
specially designed chemical reagent which returned a positive result indicating the substance was likely
cocaine. With this information the area of Sandy Pond was secured and searched at which time a second similar
package was located, which also tested positive for cocaine. The total weight of both packages was just under
four pounds.

Billerica Police are conducting a full investigation into the origins of the package which will include
additional searches of the area as well as forensic testing of the contraband through the assistance of the
Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab. Anyone with information related to the items should contact the
Billerica Police at 978-667-1212.

Any additional questions should be directed to Deputy Chief Roy Frost at 978-215-9653.