A Positive Sign for Community Policing

The Revere Police and its Community Relations arm – based out of the Pleasant Street substation – is preparing to ratchet up several programs and initiatives this spring.

Community Officer Gerard Salvati, and Community Relations directors Carl Borgioli and Dennis Moschella said they are preparing to place signs throughout the city where Neighborhood Watches and Business Watches are being established.

All three said they have been through the business districts and through the neighborhoods over the past few months helping to organize shopkeepers and neighbors to organize and work with the police.

Signs for businesses will be placed on Broadway, Shirley Avenue, Revere Street and Beachmont.

The Neighborhood Watch signs will be placed in each ward for every neighborhood that establishes a watch.

“A lot of people don’t ask for help,” said Moschella. “People are ready and able to help, but just want to be asked. However, people are often afraid to ask. The community policing angle really breaks down these walls. That’s why we established this community policing office and why we’re having informal meetings with groups who are bringing issues to us.”

Said Borgioli, “You have so many community activists out there who want to help and we’ve found a way to get everyone on the same page working together to fight crime.”

While Salvati, Moschella and Borgioli do the legwork, the signs are part of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). Part of the grant allowed for $2,812 to supplement materials for community outreach.

Salvati said they chose to produce the signs with the money, and begin an effort of organizing local businesses and neighbors.

Already, they have worked with businesses to be able to utilize their surveillance cameras to fight crime. Moschella said this came out of a situation on Broadway more than a year ago where a woman was dragged to death by an MBTA bus. That partnership with a local business and its cameras helped sort our the situation.

“If every business that has a camera could turn it so that it shows the street as well, we’d have cameras up and down Broadway,” Moschella said.

Meanwhile, while meeting with potential Neighborhood Watch groups in Beachmont, police learned that a major problem in the area is overdoses in public bathrooms.

“When we’re able to learn about these things, we can reach out to the businesses and to the police in the area to help stop it,” said Salvati.

Cutline –

The City’s Community Policing Office on Pleasant Street is gearing up this spring to place new Neighborhood Watch and Business Watch signs all over the city – along with organizing efforts to establish watches in every ward. Shown here is Carl Borgioli, Officer Gerard Salvati and Dennis Moschella.