On City Life this morning, my friend Mr. McDonough mentioned that someone told him the police were called to a substation to let someone in to water the flowers and he was wondering if the Lowell Police were spending money to have someone take care of their plants.
I know the police rent these substations so I contacted the LPD with the question and Capt. William Taylor was kind enough to explain it to me.
Mr. Nutter,
The Police Department leases the Highlands Precinct from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell.
Included in the building we lease is a small greenhouse, you can see it from Middlesex Street. The Police Department does not utilize the greenhouse, and never has. Many years ago, at least 10 years, we allowed a group titled Community Gardens (believe it is a non profit group) to use the greenhouse, at no charge. My understanding is they take the plants from the greenhouse and plant them on public lands. To gain access to the greenhouse and water their plants, they have to use our security door.
Last week they asked our Communications Room to have the door opened so they could water their plants in the greenhouse. The Police Department and/or City have nothing to do with the greenhouse or plants. The Director of the Boys Club inquired about children from the club using the greenhouse in the future.
Hope that answers you inquiry, if you have any other questions let me know.
Thank you
Capt. Bill Taylor
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Good Luck to incoming Dracut School Supt. Steve Stone. Being a new Supt. is never easy, being one in a cash strapped town is tough, being one in a political town like Dracut is tougher and going into the position with a vocal group of parents opposed to you including a former school committee member has to be extremely tough. Dracut needs to work together on the fiscal issue concerning education and it will not be productive if a former school committee person leads a constant battle against the new Supt.
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Tonight I’ll have on the Lowell City council budget hearings on the TV while I have the Greater Lowell Tech School Committee meeting streaming on line with 1 headphone plugged in to listen to why the committee should eliminate the new Asst. principal position/title as proposed by Mr. Gitschiers motion.
You really need to get a life…LOL.
Hi Gerry, I was about 4 seconds from texting John this am to mention this, but figured it might not matter either way. Maybe you know, I’m not aware but this question has to have been asked before. Why is it ok to use public resources like working police officers, their cruisers and city gas to escort the processions of private funerals homes every week? The answer must be much more complex than “traffic safety” because I’m sure there are a few projects and companies who impact the roadways that would enjoy the that free public service function. Has the city managed to decide at some point this was ok, because as far as I know not all communities have. Where does the civil liability lay and on whom is the responsibility if there’s an incident, accident, lawsuit or workers comp case that results?
I heard the Portuguese leaders were ticked they needed to pay for a cop detail, last Sunday.
The cost will just be passed on to the customer, Corey. Maybe we can use “discretion,” meaning life long, taxpaying Lowellians would not pay. We’ll call it the “Rita Exemption.”
I’m in favor of your suggestion Jack
Hello Gerry, thanks for checking the plant watering issue out, it’s always good to get the whole story.
To Corey Erickson’s funeral procession question, when we have a funeral procession over 25 cars traveling through the city/town we always call the police in that jurisdiction and inform them and request assistance if they can. It is a matter of safety. Consider traveling to any cemetery on Gorham Street most processions pass the train and bus station, the connector on and off ramps the intersections of Gorham and Central the lights at Moore St. Processions traveling to St Mary Cemetery in Tewksbury the intersections of Gorham, Central, High, Nesmith Sts. and River Road in Tewksbury are usually difficult to pass through. in the towns: larger funeral processions in Chelmsford Center it is almost impossible to pass through without assistance as well as Drum Hill Square. Recently some the Massachusetts Regulations were changed to give better protection and superior rights to funeral processions. Todays motorist are not as attentive as they could be especially when the light changes, often the people getting the green have been reading blogs on their smart phones and will stomp on the gas. So please look out for funeral processions.
I tip my hat to Lt. Crowley and his police officers guiding funeral processions, and the Lowell biker cops are among the best in the country
Thank You
John L McDonough
Thanks for the reply John, I understand the difficulty of traveling thru the city especially at the locations you note and stood traffic vigil at most of them for the processions. Ive never had issue with doing it and honestly agree with some of the concerns you mention on the show. However what I did find odd was considering your strong position about an excessive police fleet and gas, you’d fail to mention your private buiness benefits from this public service.
As you know several police departments in large metropolitan ares and many in smaller communities, citing staffing and liability to the community, are ending these traditional escorts. I have read that in many large cites, escorts are being provided by the homes themselves or private security companies. As a cop, if they want me to direct traffic at the lord overpass, i will. However as a resident, i think Police escorts seem as valid as any recessionary concern.