Wow! Lots happening in the town! I am copying below an article I had published this a.m. in the Eagle Times on Walpole police going to New Orleans.  Note that they are accepting contributions to defray some costs of the mission.  Also, Berkshire Development announced last night that it is abandoning its earlier plan to challenge Walpole's 40,000 square foot commercial store size limit and, instead, going to propose to the Planning Board next Tuesday a less-than-40K grocery and some satellite stores instead.  More about that in a day ot two.  CCB

9-8-05

 

 

Walpole Sends 40% of Its Police Department to Louisiana for Emergency Law Enforcement Service

 

 

By Charles C. Bingaman, Contributing Writer

 

 

                Answering a nationwide call that came Monday afternoon, four Walpole police officers volunteered for a 7-10 day tour of duty in Louisiana and left yesterday afternoon in a Walpole squad car for the 25-30 hour drive south supported by an outpouring of donations from town businesses and individuals to cover costs of the mission.

 

 

                Walpole set up a special town fund to receive donations earlier in the week and, through Thursday afternoon, over $8,000 had been received with more donations on the way.  At its regular meeting Thursday evening, the select board approved paying out funds in the special account and also agreed that, should any surplus remain after the officers return home, it would be split 50-50 between the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.

 

 

                Select Board chairman Sheldon Singer said, “We want to commend our police department.  It’s admirable of them to volunteer.”

 

 

                Chief David Hughes appeared before the selectmen Thursday evening, described the three days of hurried preparations for the trip and the quiet but purposeful mood the officers were in when they left earlier in the afternoon.  “It was like the scene before going into battle,’ he said.  “And we know the scene down there is very, very difficult right now.”  News stories earlier in the week reported that New Orleans police officers were exhausted from around the clock crises they have faced for nearly two weeks, that many had stopped working because of diseases from working in contaminated water and from the emotional trauma of losing their homes and families and dealing with thousands of angry victims of flooding who had suffered catastrophic losses as well.  There have even been reports of at least two New Orleans officers having committed suicide in the past few days.

 

 

                Hughes said that his men were headed for Gonzalez, Louisiana , 50 miles northwest of New Orleans , the staging area for police officers responding from around the country.  They do not know exactly what duties they will be assigned or even what towns they may work in.  They are assured that they will be assigned to work together as a team.

 

 

                Walpole police volunteers include Sgt. Richard Westney, Sgt. Michael Paquette, Officer Joseph Marquay, and Officer Michael Milano.  The four will be reporting in with Chief Hughes in the middle of next week.  In their absence, Hughes will be covering the town’s policing needs with the remaining full and part-time officers.

 

 

                Hughes’ understanding is that the State of Louisiana will be providing three meals per day and lodging for the officers while they are there but that they need to provide their own transportation, meals, logging, etc. for the travel to and from their staging area.  Hence this week’s fund raising efforts.

 

 

                If people wish to make tax deductible contributions to support the Walpole officers’ actions, they should make their checks payable to Town of Walpole and turn them in at the Police Station in North Walpole or to the Selectmen’s office in the Town Hall. More contributions are requested as the exact costs of the officers’ mission are unknown at this time, and any surplus will go to hurricane relief.

 

 

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