Danvers Police Chief: 'We Will Not Tolerate Acts Of Violence'
Crime & Safety
Danvers Police Chief: 'We Will Not Tolerate Acts Of Violence' Danvers Police Chief James Lovell spoke at the Select Board meeting amid a rash of juveniles on bikes harassing and attacking residents.DANVERS, MA — Danvers Police Chief James Lovell told the Select Board Thursday night that the department "will not tolerate acts of violence in our community" as he addressed its response to reports of youths on bicycles terrorizing residents and visitors downtown and in the area of the rail trail, and looting stores, in recent years following the attack on a special needs resident near Plains Park last month.
Chief Lovell said the department has responded to 111 complaints about youth behavior — including 39 regarding youths on bikes — and outlined the responses, which range from speaking with the youths on proper behavior and following the law, to reprimanding them and contacting their parents for harassing and disrespectful acts toward residents and drivers, to the confiscation of bicycles.
"Danvers police officers are encouraged to proactively engage with youths on bicycles, reinforcing positive behaviors, and educating or taking action when their behavior is dangerous or disruptive," Lovell said.
Among the challenges, he said, in responding to the complaints are that youths often flee the area before police officers arrive, that officers are not allowed to engage in a "chase" of youths who take off on the bikes, and the pushback from parents when they seek disciplinary action.
"Parents are the core of the whole problem," Select Board member Michael Bean said. "If you are not scolding your kids, sorry, that's what you get. It's on us as parents."
There was an arrest and assault and hate crimes charges filed against a 15-year-old last month a week after the special needs man, affectionately known as "Ducky" throughout the community, told the Select Board he was "really, really afraid" after his attack and pleaded for protection from the community.
"This event has deeply impacted our community and we are all looking to seek justice for those responsible," Lovell said. "Multiple officers were assigned to this case and have worked diligently to investigate the incident thoroughly."
He said that because of the age of the suspects involved, and because it remains an ongoing investigation, he could not reveal more specifics about any other suspects or specifics about the assault.
Lovell said the lack of timely reporting of an incident so that police can respond in the moment, or posting the incidents to social media instead of reporting them directly to police, hamper officers' ability to effectively respond.
"That is kind of a frustration that we have at times," Lovell said.
Select Board members and those in attendance requested more foot and bicycle patrols, with Lovell saying those are done when time allows but that officers often are often called away to respond to calls.
"We really encourage officers to be downtown after school," Lovell said. "But 2 to 4 (p.m.) is a busy time with accidents, shoplifters, domestics. We have a lot of mental health issues that we deal with in town. We have two very large rehab centers that require service. So we're busy."
Lovell added that recent juvenile justice reforms limit charging younger children — ages 7 through 12 — with crimes and prohibit a lot of interactions involving school activities.
Select Board Chair Daniel Bennett requested that Lovell come before the Select Board with updates on a monthly basis and to put forth a budget that reflects the need to increase patrols where necessary.
Bennett initially resisted public comment directly in response to Lovell's appearance but relented amid pressure from the dozens in attendance, and what followed were more heated exchanges reminiscent of those from the Oct. 15 meeting in the days after the attack.
"It's really tough as a member of this community — it actually hurts — to see for two consecutive meetings with the tone," said School Committee Chair Gabe Lopes, who said he was speaking as a resident and not on behalf of the School Committee. "I think everyone knows that. But I also know that it's not the majority of anyone's experience in this town."
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at X/Twitter:
