Conclusion

I didn’t hear about this until I read it in Wednesday’s paper, but it looks like a former star of the blog, Michael Canada, will be going away for a while.
Canada, who previously made the blog for firing a gunshot into a car during an attempted drug rip, was sentenced to 4 to 5 years in state prison for that crime this week.
The entire thing was allegedly over a small amount of weed. Sad what people will do eh?
One of the two victims in the attempted drug rip later ended up being murdered. Canada was not involved in the murder, and several other men have been charged.
I’m not sure what happened with Canada’s case up in Pelham, and it’s too late to find out right now.

State Police Infrared

The State Police Airwing has really been doing some impressive stuff with the forward looking infrared in their helicopters recently, and today they released some video to show off the capabilities.
I first took note of this last month when the airwing had this guy in their sights for quite a while as dozens of officers on the ground searched for him following a police chase.
Troopers in the helicopter were even telling guys on the ground when the suspect was crawling or leaning against a tree. I listened to those radio broadcasts and wondered just how much detail they could see.
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1570028818
This video, I think, shows that a little bit.
This video was shot in both infrared and visible spectrum by Air 4, which was called into the air from Lawrence early this morning as Concord Police searched for a distraight woman who had vanished into the woods near Walden Pond.
The search had been ongoing since about 4:15 a.m. The helicopter arrived on scene about 6:05 a.m., and using infrared Trooper John Hazelrigg, the pilot, and Trooper Ronald Baker, the tactical flight officer, found the woman 14 minutes later.
They directed troopers and emergency responders on the ground to the woman, and dropped an emergency blanket for her to keep warm with. Temperatures overnight were near freezing.
Emergency crews then got her out of the woods and got her medical attention, as seen in the end of the video.
State Police aren’t releasing any information on the woman or her condition. Great technology, though. Forward looking infrared is a technology that senses heat signatures instead of visible light.

Want To Know How Police Do Their Thing?

If you read the blog because you think police work is interesting, or if the blog has made you curious about how officers and detectives do some of this stuff, you’ve got a chance to really learn some tricks coming up early next month.
Sharon Callery and Officer Paul Corcoran are once again organizing the city’s Citizen’s Police Academy, which will run from April 6 to May 25.
Paul has been a cop since I was 5-years-old. This blog can’t teach you anything compared to what Paul and the officers who stop in at the academy can.
The academy is one class per week, 6 to 9 p.m., Wednesday nights, and it’ll cover tons of topics, listed below.
- criminal investigations
- criminal law
- juvenile law
- domestic violence
- the gang unit
- the vice unit
- hate crimes
- Internet safety
- identity theft
- CPR and first responder
- crash reconstruction
- how to be a good witness
- motor vehicle law
- OUI and the Intoxilizer
- family services
The only caveat is that applicants cannot have a criminal record. Background checks will be conducted to ensure that.
Anyone who wants to apply should download this application and then mail it to or drop it off at the Lowell Police Department, 50 Arcand Drive, Lowell, MA 01854.
If you’re just looking for more information on the academy, call Callery or Corcoran at the West Centralville Precinct by dialing 978-937-3210.

Late Night Swim

Police got a call for a suspicious person behind Middlesex Tire & Auto Center, 1555 Middlesex Street tonight at 11:01 p.m.
A man fled as officers arrived, and led police on a 15 to 20 minute pursuit that included a police canine. Eventually, officers spotted Paul Christian, 30, of Lowell, neck-deep in the Merrimack River.
Bear in mind the temperature at the time was 33 degrees, according to the UMass-Lowell Weather Center.

Officer Joe Comtois went into the water after Christian, who still refused to give up, and I’m told Comtois had to use pepper spray on Christian before he would finally surrender.
Pictured above is a soaking wet Paul Christian as he’s led from the river bank to a prisoner transport wagon. Video shows the same, but it won’t be uploaded until I edit it for some choice language.
Police called Trinity Ambulance to make sure Christian was okay. When an EMT asked Christian why he went into the river, Christian replied “because I’m stupid.”

After Christian was in custody for trespassing and disorderly conduct, officers went back to Middlesex Tire and Auto Center and found a minivan parked out back, filled with over 20 tire rims that Christian had allegedly been taking from a scrap yard.
Police were still working early this morning to determine what additional charges Christian will face.
Here’s some video I shot once I got there.
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1570028818

Shots Fired in Dispute

Police were called to 17 Fifth Street in Centralville this afternoon about 3:41 p.m., for a report of gunshots.
Officers found a single .45 caliber shell casing, but no evidence that anything or anyone had been struck.
Police have a suspect, but have made no arrests.
It sounds like there is a dispute between residents of two homes less than a block apart there on Fifth Street, and police ended up getting called back to the area two more times yesterday afternoon.
By evening they had put some extra officers into the area to keep the situation quiet, but as Spring and warmer weather approaches, I’ll bet officers will be back there soon enough.