314 Main St. Suite 205
Wilmington, MA 01887
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Law Enforcement Officers from NEMLEC Member Agencies Attend Advanced Tracking Course to Help in Search and Rescue Efforts
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, Inc. (NEMLEC) is pleased to announce that eight municipal law enforcement officers from its member agencies recently attended an advanced search and rescue and suspect tracking course offered by the Department of Homeland Security.
The five day class was held from March 27-31 in San Diego, Calif. Homeland Security Agent Christopher Hoelter led the class, which is called the BORTAC Tracking Course (Border Patrol Tactical Unit Tracking Course.)
The course included day and night scenarios, where officers learned how to find a “sign” and then use it to locate a missing person or suspect. A sign is a disturbance in the environment, often very small, that a person or group of people leave when travelling through an area. Students completed up to eight hours of practical exercises tracking the training staff.
“Our NEMLEC K-9 handlers, SWAT officers, and search and rescue units respond to numerous missing person cases and suspect searches in our member communities and it is always important to sharpen our skills,” said Billerica Police Sgt. John N Harring, who is a K-9 officer in his department. “The tactics that our handlers learned during this training will enhance the skill sets they regularly use while working with their K-9 partners.”
This is the first time a group municipal law enforcement agencies has been asked to attend the class. The following NEMLEC member agency officers attending the training:
- Officer David Leo, Chelmsford Police K-9
- Officer Nicholas Ziminsky, Chelmsford Police SWAT
- Officer Michael Connor, Andover Police K-9
- Officer Chuck DiChara, Waltham Police SWAT
- Officer Cory Taylor, Belmont Police K-9
- Officer Joe Papsedero, Burlington Police K-9
- Sgt. John N. Harring, Billerica Police K-9
- Officer Justin Ellenton, Danvers Police SWAT/K-9
For more information about NEMLEC visit the website.
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