Announcements and Updates
- The police department is in the process of applying for a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Office of Grants and Research under the FY25 Law Enforcement Body-Worn Camera Grant Program. The program offers up to $250,000 to departments such as Billerica (greater than 50 sworn) for capital costs related to a Body Worn Camera (BWC) program. Administrative costs and software costs are not covered by the grant program. The Billerica Police administration, along with members of its collective bargaining unit (unions), will work together to identify a vendor that offers the best option for the department. It is our belief that a BWC program serves to increase trust and transparency with the public that we serve.
- On Monday, September 30, 2024, Deputy Chief Glen Magnan begins a ten-week training program on executive management in Law Enforcement at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. This program is an exclusive professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement managers nominated by their agency heads because of demonstrated leadership qualities. Once nominated, participation is by invitation only, with less than 1% of police officers gaining admission. It is our belief that investing in the educational and professional development of our police leaders translates into better overall police organizations and safer communities.
- Since the beginning of 2024, the Billerica Police have brought on ten (10) new patrol officers. Of those ten, four (4) are currently fully trained and on the road working with field training officers. This is a big increase from the four (4) officers hired back in 2023. The Billerica Police consists of sixty-six (66) sworn officers, along with seventeen (17) paramedics, nine (9) Public Safety Telecommunicators, two full time and one part time (2.5) animal control officers (shared with Tewksbury), and five (5) civilian support personnel. We also are pleased to have multiple volunteers and interns that work to make the department one of the best in the Commonwealth.
Department Initiatives and Programs
- Billerica will be starting its 2025 Citizens Police Academy. The academy, which is set to being on October 9, 2024, will consist of six (6) Wednesday evening sessions from 6p-830p. It will cover various topics, including:
- Emergency Medical Services
- Criminal Investigations
- Student Resources Program
- Traffic Enforcement
- Mental Health
- Fraud Awareness
- Animal Control
- K9 Unit
- Training Division
To be eligible, you must be a Billerica resident, 21 years old or older, and be able to commit to all six sessions. Please contact the Billerica Police to sign up for open slots at socialmedia (at) billericapolice.org.
- With the start of the new school year, our day shift police officers will be gearing up for their annual Adopt-A-School initiative. This program assigns various officers to elementary schools in their patrol sector, where at the discretion of the school principal, they stop into the school to create positive relationships with students and staff. Officers are also able to assist with making safety and security observations related to the physical school, such as suspicious activity, access control, vehicular and roadway safety, etc. Frequency of the officer visits to the school will vary, with most officers spending 15 to 30 minutes at the school twice per week.