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Date: 6/14/2023
BELCHERTOWN — Police Chief Kevin Pacunas and Fire Chief John Ingram individually met with the Select Board at its June 6 meeting to provide department updates and receive a review from the board.
Select Board Chair Ed Boscher said, “We have a few contract positions, and they are for review once a year. The discussion is more around what have they been up to the past year as well as the chance to engage with the board.”
One thing that was highlighted was the Belchertown Police and Fire departments hosted a joint Public Safety Citizens Academy for three hours every Wednesday from March 22 to June 7.
Pacunas and Ingram said the academy was done to better educate the citizens of Belchertown on the daily operations of their respective departments.
Some Fire Department topics included inspection and smoke detectors, fire investigations, EMS operations, CPR certification, fire extinguisher usage, mental health, fire tactics, building searches and burn building demonstrations.
Police Department topics included criminal and constitutional law, court procedures, juvenile issues, motor vehicle law and accident investigations, crime scene investigations, dispatch operations, patrol procedures, K9 operations and firearms/defensive tactics.
Ingram has been Belchertown’s Fire Chief for three years.
He said, “A lot has happened in those three years, but I want to say thank you to the board and everybody who helps assist. Especially the staff at the department. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am, and I thank them for all they do.”
Ingram said the department continues to do a great job conducting drills at Belchertown Public Schools, conducting regular inspections, completing training exercises as a department and staying involved in the community.
He is also happy with the amount of grant funding the department has been able to secure to help add firefighters, update their equipment, vehicles and programs.
On Sept. 21, Belchertown was awarded a federal Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant in the amount of $1.47 million for the purpose of hiring firefighters. The grant will allow the department to install six new firefighters and will provide full funding for those positions, including benefits, for three years.
Ingram said he also has made it a priority to focus on mental health in the department.
“Mental health has become a forefront in the fire service because there are many people who suffer from what they have seen or come across. We have done very well and I am proud of Belchertown for the ones who have stepped up and taken care of each other,” Ingram added.
All of the Select Board members commended Ingram on his efforts to keep the community safe while upgrading the department.
Pacunas was appointed police chief in August 2022 and said that everything has been going well for himself and the department.
He reported that staffing was one of the main issues when he first started but said the department is almost at full staffing after two officers finish the academy.
“Community engagement is obviously important. We do a lot of that with a lot more going on this summer,” Pacunas added.
The Police Department is also hosting a summer youth program this summer, works closely with Belchertown Overcoming Adversity Together and conducts the appropriate drills in school.
An important grant that Pacunas applied for is to continue a three year extension on its domestic violence grant.
Pacunas said, “We have domestic violence advocates in our station that work with victims of domestic violence. It’s complete anonymous we don’t get involved. Our advocate follows up with them, assists them on services.”
He added that he has applied for other grants to help train officers in crisis intervention training and upgrading their equipment that us outdated.
One recent item the Police Department was able to achieve was accreditation status by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
The accreditation means the town’s police force has excelled with its written policy and procedures, abides by best police practices, including how they recruit, hire and train new officers, maintain their facilities and vehicles in good order and strives to correct deficiencies right away.
Pacunas said, “We are one of only seven departments in all of Western Massachusetts that has this status. It a very prestigious sought after award. There are over a hundred departments in Western Massachusetts, and we are one of seven that credited so we are proud of that.”
The Select Board said that Pacunas is doing a great job with his department and applaud him for all his work.