Selectmen Approve Police Department's Finalized Action Plan

At a Selectmen's meeting at Wednesday night, Police Chief Robert Picariello laid out a three-year improvement plan for the local police department that was unanimously approved by board members.

The plan was crafted by the Police Action Plan Review Committee, which was made up of local police officers and an assortment of town officials. The group was charged with reviewing and expanding on a and providing board members with a clear plan for the future.

The committee was formed by the selectmen after the town commissioned a following controversy over the death of 15-year-old Allie Castner, who was by an automobile on Pleasant Street.

The 13-page report, entitled "Looking Forward: An Action Plan for the Future of the Marblehead Police Department," was described by committee member Philip Devaux as ambitious.

"I think (the report) addresses every issue that came out of the report that was done by the consultant," Picariello said. "This is a three-year plan that would normally have been a five-year plan but we wanted to get these changes in place quickly."

In a presentation that lasted a little more than half-an-hour, Picariello laid out plans to have the department accredited, develop awareness programs, modernize the police station, have officers partake in a series of training programs and hold annual open houses and community forums.

Other proposed changes include having a larger police presence in local public schools; forming a closer interdepartmental relationship with the ; developing programs for the Council on Aging, the Marblehead Rotary Club and potentially becoming a full member of the .

Picariello said local police officers have already taken part in several required training programs aimed at team building and improving communication skills, including "Verbal Judo" and "Polishing the Badge."

"All of the officers went through a program in which they learned better ways to speak to people, better ways to go about getting information," Picariello said. "I went and took a program about better ways to work with your subordinate officers and I found it to be a very good program."

Devaux, who said he was relieved to have the plan finalized, pointed out that the police department's command staff will be challenged to implement all of these changes while going about their day-to-day business.

"If you think about it, they are going to do this with the same number of people as we have sitting around this table tonight," Devaux said. "So in addition to doing their day-to-day work they’re going to try to do everything on these 13 pages. It is very ambitious."

In closing, Picariello reminded board members that despite the review, local officers have been diligently doing the job they've sworn to do - to protect and serve the residents of Marblehead.

"A lot has been said over the last year and I just want to let you know and town residents know that the police department is coming to work every day and they are a remarkable group of men and women," Picariello said. "They work very hard and they keep you safe on a daily basis and I think that should be noted here. They have been doing their job all along to keep the town safe and secure and I think the town has been very well-served."

The Action Plan Advisory Committee included Devaux, Picariello, Lt. Matthew Freeman, Sgt. Sean Brady; Marblehead's Counseling Center's Executive Director, Paul Crosby; Town Counsel, Jeff Shribman; Fire Chief Jason Gilliland; Council on Aging Director Patricia Roberts; Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ann Marie Casey; Principal Ken Weinstein; Finance Committee Vice-Chair, Patricia Moore; and local resident F. Marshall Bauer.

The full report is expected to be posted on the town's website in the near future, Picariello said.