Haverhill Police Receive $100,000 Grant for More Patrols

State Rep. Brian S. Dempsey welcomes Gov. Charlie Baker to downtown Haverhill as Mayor James J. Fiorentini looks on. (WHAV News photograph.)

State Rep. Brian S. Dempsey welcomes Gov. Charlie Baker to downtown Haverhill as Mayor James J. Fiorentini looks on. (WHAV News file photograph.)

A $100,000 state grant will be used toward increased police foot patrols in Haverhill’s Mount Washington and Acre neighborhoods.

The Municipal Safety Staffing Grant, awarded to the Haverhill Police Department Tuesday by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, according to Rep. Brian S. Dempsey, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini told WHAV Wednesday, the money, in conjunction with “smart policing” software used by police, increases the number of foot patrol officers on streets in the Mount Washington and Acre neighborhoods when and where they are most needed.

“We have what’s called predictive software. We’re the only community in the east coast, at least we were the first one, that had it. And we use that predictive software to say, ‘These are the are areas where you’re most likely to experience crime.’ And that’s where we put our patrols and it’s worked,” Fiorentini said.

Fiorentini, while noting the new grant would not increase the number of police officers, said grants and city spending brought 11 more officers over the past three years and claimed police staffing is at its highest level since Proposition 2 ½ took effect.

“And this grant and the extra patrols we’re able to put into the Acre and Mount Washington area is one of the reasons why crime is down this year, for the third year in a row. And we’re now seeing really big reductions in burglaries, house breaks and some of the other types of crime—assaults—that really upset people, real quality-of-life crimes,” Fiorentini said. “We’re going the extra mile to make certain the citizens of Haverhill are safe.”

Dempsey, Fiorentini said, succeeded in changing the law a few years ago to allow the city’s eligibility for the grant.

“The Municipal Police grant will assist the Haverhill police department by providing support for extra officers in the city,” Dempsey said in a statement. “A well-maintained and staffed department is a critical component of promoting public safety in Haverhill.”

Grant funds “can be used to restore, retain or hire police and fire personnel or for overtime if needed to provide adequate shift coverage to maintain appropriate staffing levels.” Eligibility is determined by a number of factors including population, the number of calls for service per capita, the percent of staff positions that are currently unfunded and the percent of the police department’s budget from fiscal year 2016.

“This funding is critical to provide adequate levels of public safety personnel in Haverhill, which is particularly important when the opioid crisis and domestic violence are creating new challenges for our first responders,” said Rep. Linda Dean Campbell of Methuen, whose district includes a part of Haverhill.

5 thoughts on “Haverhill Police Receive $100,000 Grant for More Patrols

  1. “We’re going the extra mile to make certain the citizens of Haverhill are safe.” –

    I really wish politicians would stop saying things like this. Politicians, nor the police, can “make certain” or guarantee your safety. This is especially true in a city, a state, and a country where the rule of law is selectively enforced.

    • “Pulls through”?
      If advocating for sanctuary city policies where criminal trespassers in the country illegally flock to Haverhill to sell drugs and rape young women and has turned the City of Haverhill into a VERY dangerous place is “pulling through”, then you’re absolutely right.