Granby Police Department Blog

The Town of Granby has contracted with Emergency Communications Network to license its CodeRED high-speed notification solution. This system provides Granby officials the ability to quickly deliver messages to targeted areas or the entire Town.

Several Town addresses and phone numbers, which were gathered from different databases, have already been placed into the calling database.  However the system is only as good as the telephone number database supporting it. If a resident’s phone number is not in the database they will not be called. One of the reasons the CodeRED system was selected is it gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own phone numbers directly into the system’s database.

No one should automatically assume his or her phone number is included.  The system provides the capability for residents to input their contact information including phone numbers, cellular numbers text messaging and also email.   

All residents are urged to login into the “CodeRED Community Notification Enrollment” page.   Links to this page are located on the following Town websites.

www.granbyfire.org                               www.granbypd.org                                         www.granbyma.org

Those without Internet access may call the Granby Public Safety Complex at (413-467-9222), Monday through Friday, (9AM-5PM) to supply their information over the phone. Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code, and primary phone number, additional phone numbers can be entered as well.

All businesses should register, as well as all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number or address within the past year, and those who use a cellular phone or VoIP phone as their primary number.

CodeRED allows geographically based delivery, which means street addresses are required to ensure emergency notification calls are received by the proper individuals in a given situation. The system works for cell phones too, but we need to have an associated street address to provide relevant messages.

Questions about the system can be directed to the following individuals:

Fire Chief Russ Anderson 413-467-9697

Police Chief Alan Wishart 413-467-2222

Town Administrator Chris Martin 413-467-7177

On September 27^th at approximately 9:15pm, Granby Police received a call for a structure fire on Chicopee St. Fire Department Personnel arrived within minutes of the call for service. Granby Police also responded to assist. Responding Personnel found the home at 92 Chicopee St. fully engulfed in flames. Granby Fire Department Personnel, along with personnel from several other area departments responded to handle the incident. The other departments who assisted in the incident include Ludlow Fire, South Hadley District 2, Belchertown Fire, Bondsville Fire, Palmer Fire, and Westover Fire.

The cause of the fire is in under investigation. Granby Police, Granby Fire, and Massachusetts State Troopers assigned to the Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the incident.

On September 16, 2011 at approximately 7:07 pm, Granby Police, Fire and Ambulance Personnel were dispatched to Aldrich Lake, off of Amherst St. for a capsized canoe. Upon arrival officers from the Police Department were sent to the east side of the lake, towards Trout Lily Lane, and they were told there were two people in the canoe and it was believed only one knew how to swim. As Officer Kurt Carpenter proceeded down a path along the lake, he came across one person and asked if he was in the canoe. The witness responded that he was not but he witnessed the incident and told him the canoe had been flipped back over and the two parties were back in it. Officer Carpenter made contact with the parties and advised them to come to shore. Upon arrival to shore, Mr. Jason Spear, of Granby, and a juvenile were checked by ambulance personnel and refused treatment. At this time, it was also confirmed that there were only two people in the canoe at the time of the incident.

This week officers from the Granby Police Department and Granby Fire Department attended an EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course) Course at the Public Safety Complex. The course was offered by the Town’s Insurance Company, Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association. The course consisted of a two hour classroom time and approximately fifteen minutes in the driving simulator. There were two different simulators, a police cruiser and a fire truck. Officers were given a situation and needed to respond and be prepared for different traffic hazards along the way, including vehicles not stopping for red lights, not stopping and pulling to the right for an emergency vehicle, and animals crossing the road. The photos above show Sergeant Mark Smith driving one of the simulator courses and the other photo is of the simulator trailer that was parked behind the Public Safety Complex this week.

The Granby Select Board Chairman has declared a STATE of EMERGENCY for the Town of Granby.  The declaration is effective as of 6:00 PM on August 27, 2011 and will remain in effect till further notice.  Residents needing shelter are advised to call the police department.

The public safety complex was visited by two lost sheep today.  The animals were returned to their owners with help from concerned citizens.

On August 6, 2011 at approximately 2:20 pm, Granby Police, Fire, and Ambulance Personnel were dispatched to the area of 127 Pleasant St. for a roll-over motor vehicle accident. Upon arrival officers found a 2006 red Chevy Cobalt that was being operated by Mr. Christopher Mayo, age 24, of Chicopee, Ma., on its roof against a tree in the yard of 128 Pleasant St.. It was reported on scene that Mr. Mayo was ejected from the vehicle at some point during the roll-over. Witnesses report the vehicle rolled several times before coming to rest against the tree. Mr. Mayo was attended to by Good Samaritans and Granby Police officers until ambulance personnel arrived. Mr. Mayo was then transported by Granby Ambulance Personnel to Baystate Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries. Mr. Mayo was traveling alone at the time of the accident. The accident is being investigated by Sergeant Kevin O’Grady and Patrolman Paul Anderson. Granby Police believe that speed was a factor in this accident.

On May 26, 2011 at approximately 09:46 am officers of the Granby Police Department were dispatched to a residence on Amherst St. for a reported breaking and entering. The calling party reported that she encountered the suspect in her kitchen and when the suspect saw her he fled the scene. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. Detective Barbara Fenn interviewed the victim and processed the scene for fingerprints. Latent prints were recovered by Det. Fenn at the scene and she forwarded them to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab in Springfield to compare with prints on file. A positive match was located and Det. Fenn subsequently requested a warrant for Mr. Jeremi Thibeault, age 20, of 115 Dubois St. in Springfield. Mr. Thibeault was taken in to custody Tuesday July 12, 2011 at his residence, by the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section. He was then booked at the Granby Police Department and transported the Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown for arraignment on the charge of Breaking and Entering in the Daytime Placing a Victim in Fear.

The Select Board has announced that Interim Chief of Police Alan P. Wishart Jr. will be sworn in as the Chief of Police on Thursday July 14, 2011 at 7:00 pm. The ceremony will take place at the Granby Senior Center, 10 West State St., and the public and press are invited.

On Tuesday June 22, 2011, Officer Stephen Marion was dispatched to the Granby Landfill to take a theft report of tools that were taken from the scale house on June 21, 2011. When Officer Marion arrived he was given a copy of the surveillance video from the day in question. The video showed a middle aged white male enter the scale house and keep looking out the window as he searched around the facility. Eventually he was seen taking a box out of the scale house. Officers from this department and South Hadley Police Detective Mark Domenick were shown copies of the video and Det. Dominick and Officer Ian Howard positively identified the perpetrator, from previous encounters. On Tuesday June 28, 2011, officers of the Granby Police Department executed an arrest warrant for Mr. Stephen Charpentier, age 41, of 12 Crosby St. Chicopee, Ma. At that residence, Mr. Charpentier attempted to hide from the officers on scene but was located in the residence by Granby Police K-9, Ralph. Mr. Charpentier was arrested and booked on charges of breaking and entering daytime to commit a felony and larceny over $250.00. Bail was set at $2,500.00 and he was arraigned at the Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown on Wednesday June 29, 2011.