DRACUT — Acting Chief Stephen D. Chaput wishes to provide the following statement in response to the Board of Selectmen’s resolution in support of the Dracut Police Department:
“I’d like to thank the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager and the Dracut community for their incredible show of support. The proclamation issued by the board last night helps make a very difficult job a little bit easier and recognizes the efforts of the outstanding men and women of the Dracut Police Department during these trying times.
“During my tenure as chief, I look forward to continuing to work with the board, the town manager and the community to consistently address community issues and work together to always maintain and improve the level of police service to this community. We recognize that the authority we are provided to exercise our duties is afforded to us by the very community we serve. We will always strive to do so with dignity, empathy and compassion and without bias.
“Police in our community and throughout Massachusetts are some of the most highly trained and highly educated officers in the country. The Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council has been providing training on Social Justice, Crisis Intervention, Mental Health, De-escalation and appropriate Use of Force for decades, all of which combine to enable our officers to provide the highest level of service to the people of Dracut.
“While our officers are well-trained and are dedicated to serving their community, we know that law enforcement in Dracut and in Massachusetts are not perfect. That is why I’m supportive of targeted reforms, like adequate investment in training, a formalized certification program for police officers, and more holistic criminal justice reform that is mindful of the disadvantages dealt to people of color systemwide for generations.
“The support of our community is the foundation upon which we serve that community, and our entire department is grateful for this show of support.”
Click here to read the resolution in full.
###