# Challenges Heightened For Police: Numbers Show More MA Cops Assaulted



## fscpd907 (Jun 5, 2003)

*Challenges heightened for police: Numbers show more assault charges result from fights with cops2-10510*
By *Norman Miller*/ Daily News Staff
Sunday, June 11, 2006

*T*here's a saying among police officers: "You don't put your hands on the sheriff."

But in growing numbers, more people are touching the sheriffs, attacking and fighting with police officers on an almost routine basis.

Police officers are sometimes hurt in such attacks, leading to assault and battery charges against the combatant.

There are different theories about why it appears to happen more often, but no one has a clear-cut answer.

"I think we're dealing with a generation that wants to question authority," said Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl. "They question your authority and they'll initiate contact."

Marlborough Police Chief Mark Leonard sees the attacks as an example of a cultural breakdown.

"I don't have any good answer for it, but certainly there's a lack of respect, not only for police officers, but in general," he said. "People don't seem to give a lot of thought in assaulting others."

Natick Police Lt. Brian Grassey said the attacks frequently come from people who are drunk or on drugs.

"You can look at the low price of heroin and crack cocaine. We're getting more and more people who are connected with that type of lifestyle," said Grassey.
Confrontations are not unusual in those circumstances, he said.
"We deal with people at the worst times of their lives. Emotions run high," he said.

In Framingham alone, the number of people charged with assault and battery on a public employee -- which includes not only police, but also firefighters, paramedics and even teachers -- increased from 18 in 2004 to 33 in 2005.

So far this year, 17 people were charged with the crime through May 31. That projects to be 41 people charged with assault and battery on a public employee by the end of the year.

For police officers, the numbers spell danger.

"The challenge is we're dealing with human beings who aren't dealing with clear mind-sets," said Framingham Police Lt. Paul Shastany. "There's a fight or flight mentality, and we do not allow flight. It seems people are more willing to challenge us than in the past."
Sometimes, police officers are sent to arrest someone who has a record of fighting while being taken into custody. There is not much the officers can do, Framingham Deputy Police Chief Craig Davis said.

"You psychologically prepare for it, but that's all you can do," said Davis. "You can't come in swinging just because nine out of nine times before it ended up in a fight. The suspects are the ones who determine the level of force we use. The person we're confronting is always in control of the force we use."
Things are different than in the old days, though, Carl said. Confrontations were more violent.

"We (he and Shastany) went to the old Red Star bar to interview witnesses about an assault the night before," said Carl. "He went in first, and I came in and there's a patron in his face, threatening him."

"He was saying get out of here, this is not Russia," Shastany said.

"The next thing we knew, we were in the middle of a bar fight, and (Shastany) broke his foot," Carl said.

But now, things are different. Shastany said when he first went on patrol, he was given a gun and handcuffs, and he would be forced to fight blow-for-blow if someone tried to get rough. He said he once had to choke someone unconscious in the middle of downtown to stop a fight.

Today, officers have asps -- collapsible clubs -- pepper spray and Tasers, which can be used as deterrents. Recently, a man fighting with officers stopped once he was threatened with an electric shock.

"A show of force can stop a situation from happening," Davis said.

Another way to keep things calm is talking, Shastany said. The lieutenant said he took a course called "verbal judo," which teaches officers how to deal with potentially violent suspects.

"The style of language we use can bring out better behavior, it's giving them a sense of control," said Shastany. "When people have a sense of no control, it puts them in the the flight/fight mode. We don't want that. In the real world, everyone wants an explanation. They want to know why this is happening to them, and you explain it."
Sometimes, nothing can be done. Several officers have been injured over time during struggles. Framingham Police Officer Shelly Hughes had surgery on her right hand after a fight in March.

In January 2005, officers Michael Degnan and William Fuer were stabbed when they went to question a suspect.

"We only use the minimum amount of force we need to make an arrest," Davis said.
Grassey said he has not seen a rise in assaults on police officers, but has seen more episodes of resisting arrest.

"I tend to reserve that charge when it's a flagrant offense," Grassey said.
The same is true in Framingham, Carl said.

"We only charge someone with A&B on a PO if there's a premeditated attempted to injure an officer," said Carl. "In a lot of arrests, the officers end up on the ground, rolling around, catching an elbow. That's usually resisting arrest."

Marlborough's Leonard said some suspects believe fighting is part of a cop's job.
Davis said that does not justify the crime.

The crime should never be diminished," said Davis. "Yes, it's part of the job, but it should never be accepted, and it should never be justified."


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## fscpd907 (Jun 5, 2003)

*Officers under assault2-3789*
Sunday, June 11, 2006

*W*ith the rise of incidents of assault and battery on police officers, here are some recent examples.
 
1. On April 28, Police Sgt. Kathryn Esposito had several clumps of hair ripped out of her head at the station after a woman was arrested.
Kenise Williams, 19, was arrested after a disturbance. Once at the station, Esposito tried to calm the woman, and she allegedly grabbed Esposito's hair and pulled.
Police had to use pepper spray to get Williams under control, police said.

2. On April 7, a Hopkinton man was charged with jabbing Officer Brett Poirier with a hypodermic needle when the officer responded to a report of a man doing drugs in the Tin Alley Grill bathroom. Because of the stabbing, Poirier had to take medicine five times a day as a precaution against HIV and other diseases. The suspect, Ryan Devine, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, along with drug charges.

3. On March 5, Framingham Police Officer Shelly Hughes injured her hand deflecting a punch from a man attempting to escape police custody at the MetroWest Medical Center's Framingham Union campus. Mark DeMelo, 31, of Framingham, was later arrested and charged with the assault, police said. Hughes had to have surgery on her right hand after the incident, and is still out of work.

4. On Jan. 7, 2005, the most serious recent incident involving assault and battery on a police officer occurred when two veteran Framingham patrolman were stabbed.
Officers Michael Degnan and William Fuer were sent to 119 Mellen St. to question John Meloni about a possible assault earlier in the day. When Meloni opened the door, he instantly stabbed Degnan four times in the chest and once in the side. Fuer was sliced on the hand and required reconstructive surgery. They still made the arrest before being taken to the hospital. Meloni is still awaiting trial, while Degnan and Fuer are back on the job.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2006)

When almost every A&B P/O charge is automatically CWOF'ed, should this really surprise anyone??

Make A&B P/O a felony with a mandatory minimum 6-month sentence, and see how fast assaults on cops drop.


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## Deuce (Sep 27, 2003)

Some A Hole judge here in Worcester actually sent a letter over to our chief for us to stop charging A+B/PO.. Says it's part of our job.. What a co**sucker.. Those charges are usually dismissed by the DA's office 9 times out of 10 anyways. Resisitng usually gets CWOF'd too. I hate this state......


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## SinePari (Aug 15, 2004)

Deuce said:


> Some A Hole judge here in Worcester actually sent a letter over to our chief for us to stop charging A+B/PO.. Says it's part of our job.. What a co**sucker.. Those charges are usually dismissed by the DA's office 9 times out of 10 anyways. Resisitng usually gets CWOF'd too. I hate this state......


I would forward the letter to the newspaper, and also to the the Public Safety Commitee and the Secretary of PS at the same time. See how fast they change their tune.

That's like saying stop charging shitheads with possession of Class D...it's part of their job.


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