WEST BARNSTABLE - A Cape Cod Community College student has been convicted of bringing a loaded gun to the campus last March. Jason P. Whitehead, 23, of South Yarmouth was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison. He will have to serve 18 months.Back on March 19th, a security guard discovered ammunition in the console of Whitehead's Jeep while on routine patrol. Barnstable Police Officer Kevin Donovan was dispatched to the campus, where he made the same observation. As Officer Donovan was starting his investigation a male party wearing camouflage pants and carrying a black back pack approached him and Security Officer Fitzpatrick. The male was identified as Whitehead, who was an enrolled student at the College. Whitehead stated that he was the owner of the Jeep Wrangler. A pat frisk of Mr. Whitehead revealed that he was carrying a loaded .380 semi-automatic handgun in his backpack, along with the firearm he also had 3 magazines filled with hollow point ammunition.
Mr. Whitehead was placed under arrest and transported to the Barnstable Police Headquarters, where he was booked and charged with carrying a firearm on a school campus, carrying a firearm without a license, and unlawful possession of ammunition. Mr. Whitehead stated that he was carrying the firearm for protection and that he had taken it from his mother’s house.
Yarmouth Police and Fire departments support USMC Battle Color Ceremony
SOUTH YARMOUTH - On Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 5 p.m. the Yarmouth Police and Fire Departments as well as members of the Massachusetts State Police will be present to welcome and provide support services to the world famous United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Team (pictured at right), Marine Band, and Marine Corps Color Guard on the football field at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School.The Marine Corps’ Battle Color Detachment, which performs all over the world, consists of the Silent Drill Platoon, the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Marine Corps Color Guard. The detachment’s performance showcases the esprit de corps of United States Marines and recognizes those serving around the world who exemplify honor, courage, and commitment.
The nearly two-hour long ceremony will honor the 13 Gold Star Families with ties to Cape Cod who have lost loved ones in the ongoing Iraq and Afghanistan Persian Gulf War with a special presentation of the national flag and Marine Corps official colors known as the Battle Colors. The 54 streamers known as ‘Battle Colors’ symbolize the awards given to the United States and foreign units, expeditions, and campaigns in which the Marine Corps has fought in.
Thanks to the sponsorships of Marine Corps League Cape Cod Area Detachments 125 and 955 and the Town of Yarmouth Tourism Revenue Preservation fund the Battle Color ceremony is free of charge and everyone is invited to come and enjoy this one of a kind presentation.
U.S. Marine Corps Battle Color Ceremony
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 5:00pm
Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School Football Field
Media release provided by the Yarmouth Police Department
Vineyard crash victim passes away
EDGARTOWN - One of the victims of the July 4th crash on Barnes Road in Edgartown has passed away. Heather LaFlamme, 21, of Berlin, NH was a passenger in a Jeep that was struck by a Volkswagen Tiguan. Two others from the Jeep were also flown to Boston. State Police are continuing to investigate the crash.
Wellfleet Police weekly arrest report
WELLFLEET - Wellfleet Police report three arrests for the past week. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
On July 3rd at 1:19 a.m.
James Mushinsky, 49, of Shrewsbury was charged with
Operating under the influence of liquor
Speeding
On July 4th at 7:53 p.m.
Doug A. Cleary, 38, of Wellfleet was charged with
Operating under the influence of liquor
Improper operation of a motor vehicle
On July 6th at 10:25 p.m.
Amy Paine, 49, of Wellfleet was charged with
Assault with a dangerous weapon
Media release furnished by Wellfleet Police
Sandwich Police weekly arrest report
SANDWICH - Sandwich Police report the following arrests for the past week. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
On July 3rd at 10:41 p.m.
Sean W. Wallace of Bourne was charged with
Oprating MV after license revoked
Leaving scene of property damage
On July 7th at 1:55 a.m.
Tara M. Prendergast of Whitman, MA was charged with
Possession of a Class E substance
Warrant arrest
Data furnished by Sandwich Police
Sheriff awarded nearly $1/2 million grant to upgrade communications
BOURNE - The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office has received a $426,000 grant to upgrade its computer-aided dispatch (CAD) capability. CAD, in turn, is what drives the Sheriff’s emergency communication center, a critical satellite operation housed at the Massachusetts Military Reservation.
News of the award arrives not a moment too soon, with the existing system pushing ever closer to capacity and with more municipal dispatch operations likely to join the network in the months ahead.
“A huge monkey has been lifted off the back of public safety on Cape Cod,” asserted Sheriff James M. Cummings. “Outgrowing a shirt or a hat is one thing. Outgrowing the capacity to handle all emergency calls is something else again. Once the money arrives and the work begins, we won’t have to worry about that -- for a good long while at least.”
The Sheriff says the funds should arrive any day now and that the expansion/enhancement project will likely take about six months to complete. The award comes from the State 911 office, a division of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
State 911’s goal is to develop and enhance what are called public safety answering points, another name for emergency communication centers, and the trend line is clear: increasing regionalization and de-emphasizing local stand-alone operations.
In fact, seven months ago an independent study found “the financial justification for a regional dispatch model is overwhelming for Barnstable County.” Annual savings are pegged between $4.5 million and $5.8 million, according to Intertech Associates of New Jersey, the study’s author.
“Congratulations,” write Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan and State 911’s Frank Pozniak in the grant award cover letter to the Sheriff. “Your continued efforts to find creative ways to most effectively improve public safety within the Commonwealth are commendable.”
The grant follows in the wake of meetings Sheriff Cummings has had with state agencies like the 911 office, with state lawmakers, and with the governor’s point man on the project – Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray. Concluded Sheriff Cummings: “It seemed only prudent as we saw existing capacity shrinking and interest in regionalizing emergency dispatch accelerating.”
The Sheriff’s Office as a player in emergency communications, meanwhile, has a long historic arc – eighty years all told. It was the first to explore police radio’s future in Barnstable County (1933), the first to actually operate a “police broadcasting radio system” (1938), and first in the state to unveil a Centralized Medical Emergency Dispatch System (1973).
Then, 5½ years ago, Sheriff Cummings moved the center – “911,” fire mutual aid, emergency medical services, HazMat, regional emergency management, and the rest – to the military reservation next to Office headquarters. Its eight multi-functioning dispatch positions have six computer screens apiece as well as high-tech mapping capabilities. But it’s the seamless receptivity of computer-aided dispatch that will enable the Sheriff’s call-answering telecommunicators to meet expanding volume.
Eight of the Cape’s 15 towns now rely on the Sheriff’s center to handle their incoming “911” calls and nine town or district fire departments are part of the network as well. More are considering a similar move. “And now,” says the Sheriff, “we’ll be ready for them.”
Media release furnished by Barnstable Sheriff's Department
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