Chief Horn says the police officers screwed up yet he blames the incident on incompatible radio communications. Then he says the operation went flawlessly. He then says the police had every right to detain and handcuff these people. This has more flip flops the John Kerry's campagne.
Police apologize for botched part of standoff
Police apologize for botched part of standoff
By Leslie H. Dixon/ Daily News Staff
Friday, June 30, 2006 - Updated: 01:49 AM EST
MENDON -- Police Chief Ernest Horn apologized yesterday to a young Blackstone couple who police forced out of their car at gunpoint and handcuffed on the front yard of a house where an armed man held scores of police officers at bay for more than five hours earlier this month.
"We screwed up," Horn acknowledged after reviewing the details of the initial moments of a June 11 standoff that ended in the arrest of Stanley Bouchard of 52 Bellingham St.
Bouchard had barricaded himself in his house with a rifle in the midst of a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.
"We're just looking for accountability," Kelly Boccia said earlier this week.
In a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Boccia and her husband, Jason, got caught up in the standoff as they headed home from dinner at a nearby restaurant. Boccia claims it took a call from the local newspaper two weeks later and a request from herself for a copy of her statement to get any type of police acknowledgment of the incident.
"I assume complete responsibility," Horn said Wednesday.
In a statement issued to the Boccias yesterday, Horn said after a review of the situation, he determined the problem occurred because of "incompatible radio systems between some of the initial responding law enforcement agencies" and that "assumptions were made that led those officers to believe that the couple may have been involved in the unfolding (situation)."
Families from about 60 homes in the area were evacuated that Sunday night as police from at least seven towns and a SWAT team converged on the house, shutting down streets in all directions and ordering the evacuation of houses on Bellingham Street, Carby Drive and Theresa Drive.
"The operation went flawlessly but clearly now we know there were problems," said Horn, who issued a letter of apology to Kelly and Jason Boccia yesterday after speaking to Kelly Boccia for about 45 minutes Wednesday.
The couple was pulled into the drama as they headed home to Blackstone by way of Bellingham Street after a leisurely dinner at Lowell's Restaurant on Rte. 140.
According to Boccia, as she and her husband approached the area of Bouchard's home at 52 Bellingham St., they were stopped by a heavily armed Bellingham Police officer who blocked the road. Boccia said another cruiser immediately blocked them in from behind.
According to the Boccias, an unidentified officer yelled at the couple to "Get the hell out of here," and when they asked where they should go, they were directed down Bouchard's driveway.
Earlier this week Horn explained that police were mistakenly focused on the house across the street because that's the house from which a caller told them a gunshot was heard.
So as guns pointed to the wrong house, the Boccias were told the safe place to go was Bouchard's driveway.
Kelly Boccia said she got out of her car to tell the homeowners why they were in their driveway. She went to the wide-open side door to the left of the house and could hear two people talking. When no one came to the door she said she went to the back screened-in porch where an older woman -- who was later identified as Bouchard's mother -- came out. She told the woman that police had said to come down her driveway and asked the woman if she knew what was going on.
"She seemed very unaware," Boccia said of the woman's reaction.
Although she could hear other people talking in the house -- which at that point was wide open but later Bouchard barricaded it -- Boccia said she did not sense anything was wrong.
By this time, Horn said police realized they were at the wrong house. As they redirected their focus to Bouchard's house, police were being told that a black Audi with two people were in the driveway.
Boccia said she got back inside her car and overheard a police radio transmission about the couple. She said suddenly the car was surrounded by four or five officers who told the couple to put their hands in the air, get out of the car, walk backward and go face down on the ground where they were handcuffed.
"I was really scared," said Boccia, who said she recalls one officer had his gun trained directly at her. She stressed police did not mistreat them. "They weren't rough at all."
At the same time, police put Bouchard's girlfriend, Pamela Boudah -- who police later identified as having shot the rifle in the house during the domestic incident -- on the ground in front of the couple's car and handcuffed her.
Kelly said Bouchard's mother came out of the house saying, "It's all my fault."
The mother and the Boccias were put in a cruiser and driven up the street to a fire truck stationed outside the "danger zone."
Boccia said Bouchard's mother, who apparently saw how shaken Boccia was, commented, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to get her so upset."
Boccia said she was very shaken. "I didn't feel safe no matter where I was," she said.
Horn said the couple were held at the fire truck until information could be ironed out. Three hours later they were allowed to go to the police station to make a statement.
"Things were developing so fast that at the end of the day, a mistake was made," said Horn who acknowledged he was unaware of what had happened to the Boccias until this week, but stressed that under state law police had every right to detain and even handcuff the couple.
After Horn ordered a SWAT team to gas the home and take Bouchard into custody, Bouchard was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Bouchard is expected to be back in court July 13.
Leslie H. Dixon may be reached at 508-634-7521 or by e-mail at [email protected]
=D>
By Leslie H. Dixon/ Daily News Staff
Friday, June 30, 2006 - Updated: 01:49 AM EST
MENDON -- Police Chief Ernest Horn apologized yesterday to a young Blackstone couple who police forced out of their car at gunpoint and handcuffed on the front yard of a house where an armed man held scores of police officers at bay for more than five hours earlier this month.
"We screwed up," Horn acknowledged after reviewing the details of the initial moments of a June 11 standoff that ended in the arrest of Stanley Bouchard of 52 Bellingham St.
Bouchard had barricaded himself in his house with a rifle in the midst of a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.
"We're just looking for accountability," Kelly Boccia said earlier this week.
In a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Boccia and her husband, Jason, got caught up in the standoff as they headed home from dinner at a nearby restaurant. Boccia claims it took a call from the local newspaper two weeks later and a request from herself for a copy of her statement to get any type of police acknowledgment of the incident.
"I assume complete responsibility," Horn said Wednesday.
In a statement issued to the Boccias yesterday, Horn said after a review of the situation, he determined the problem occurred because of "incompatible radio systems between some of the initial responding law enforcement agencies" and that "assumptions were made that led those officers to believe that the couple may have been involved in the unfolding (situation)."
Families from about 60 homes in the area were evacuated that Sunday night as police from at least seven towns and a SWAT team converged on the house, shutting down streets in all directions and ordering the evacuation of houses on Bellingham Street, Carby Drive and Theresa Drive.
"The operation went flawlessly but clearly now we know there were problems," said Horn, who issued a letter of apology to Kelly and Jason Boccia yesterday after speaking to Kelly Boccia for about 45 minutes Wednesday.
The couple was pulled into the drama as they headed home to Blackstone by way of Bellingham Street after a leisurely dinner at Lowell's Restaurant on Rte. 140.
According to Boccia, as she and her husband approached the area of Bouchard's home at 52 Bellingham St., they were stopped by a heavily armed Bellingham Police officer who blocked the road. Boccia said another cruiser immediately blocked them in from behind.
According to the Boccias, an unidentified officer yelled at the couple to "Get the hell out of here," and when they asked where they should go, they were directed down Bouchard's driveway.
Earlier this week Horn explained that police were mistakenly focused on the house across the street because that's the house from which a caller told them a gunshot was heard.
So as guns pointed to the wrong house, the Boccias were told the safe place to go was Bouchard's driveway.
Kelly Boccia said she got out of her car to tell the homeowners why they were in their driveway. She went to the wide-open side door to the left of the house and could hear two people talking. When no one came to the door she said she went to the back screened-in porch where an older woman -- who was later identified as Bouchard's mother -- came out. She told the woman that police had said to come down her driveway and asked the woman if she knew what was going on.
"She seemed very unaware," Boccia said of the woman's reaction.
Although she could hear other people talking in the house -- which at that point was wide open but later Bouchard barricaded it -- Boccia said she did not sense anything was wrong.
By this time, Horn said police realized they were at the wrong house. As they redirected their focus to Bouchard's house, police were being told that a black Audi with two people were in the driveway.
Boccia said she got back inside her car and overheard a police radio transmission about the couple. She said suddenly the car was surrounded by four or five officers who told the couple to put their hands in the air, get out of the car, walk backward and go face down on the ground where they were handcuffed.
"I was really scared," said Boccia, who said she recalls one officer had his gun trained directly at her. She stressed police did not mistreat them. "They weren't rough at all."
At the same time, police put Bouchard's girlfriend, Pamela Boudah -- who police later identified as having shot the rifle in the house during the domestic incident -- on the ground in front of the couple's car and handcuffed her.
Kelly said Bouchard's mother came out of the house saying, "It's all my fault."
The mother and the Boccias were put in a cruiser and driven up the street to a fire truck stationed outside the "danger zone."
Boccia said Bouchard's mother, who apparently saw how shaken Boccia was, commented, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to get her so upset."
Boccia said she was very shaken. "I didn't feel safe no matter where I was," she said.
Horn said the couple were held at the fire truck until information could be ironed out. Three hours later they were allowed to go to the police station to make a statement.
"Things were developing so fast that at the end of the day, a mistake was made," said Horn who acknowledged he was unaware of what had happened to the Boccias until this week, but stressed that under state law police had every right to detain and even handcuff the couple.
After Horn ordered a SWAT team to gas the home and take Bouchard into custody, Bouchard was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Bouchard is expected to be back in court July 13.
Leslie H. Dixon may be reached at 508-634-7521 or by e-mail at [email protected]
=D>
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The operation "...went flawlessly...", yet they were focused on the wrong house, directed passersby into the fire zone and are now issuing apologies/explanations.
I guess "flawless" has been redefined. The war in Iraq is now flawless. The reporting of the NYT is now flawless. The security of POTUS JFK was flawless. Thank GOD, we can all feel good about ourselves now, regardless the results of our actions.
Welcome to what's left of our civilization.
I guess "flawless" has been redefined. The war in Iraq is now flawless. The reporting of the NYT is now flawless. The security of POTUS JFK was flawless. Thank GOD, we can all feel good about ourselves now, regardless the results of our actions.
Welcome to what's left of our civilization.
Way to go. The LECS are really something, aren't they? If I was the one they stormed on, I would demand the Mendon Chief resign and call for the Legislature to seriously consider disbandoning the LECS. Next time you want a raid done right, call in the BIG BOYS in who know what they are doing and who have been doing it for over 30 years. I would have more confidence in the DOC SRT than these LECS!
NEMLEC won't travel that far. :jestera:nirtallica said:. Next time you want a raid done right, call in the BIG BOYS in who know what they are doing and who have been doing it for over 30 years.!
I am through supporting the LECs in any form not that I ever did. The town I live in has 2 Cruisers on (sometimes even 3 if we're lucky). First I see the CEMLEC Command Van, I'm like okay there all going in that van. Then I see the Unmarked cruiser from my town flying up route 16. I can bet $ that his shift wasn't covered... If its an "organized effort" example being a task force preplanned, that way we know officer XYZ is out and officer ZYX will be replacing them thats cool.nirtallica said:Way to go. The LECS are really something, aren't they? If I was the one they stormed on, I would demand the Mendon Chief resign and call for the Legislature to seriously consider disbandoning the LECS. Next time you want a raid done right, call in the BIG BOYS in who know what they are doing and who have been doing it for over 30 years. I would have more confidence in the DOC SRT than these LECS!
I have no problem with sharing resources, however why doesn't the PD's follow like the Fire Departments do for Mutual Aid? If Mendon is on Fire would Douglas send ALL their Fire Trucks and not have anyone cover Douglas's Fire Station with a Fire Truck incase there is a fire in Douglas. Similar to how the US Army is supposed to protect the US Border.
The big question is (to confirm) the MSP do the same thing have the gear in their car and go to the incident. As far as I know the MSP will call someone to cover that Trooper's area who is now en route to the incident.
Towns that have 2 officers on per shift, now have 1 Officer on because the other one is enroute to the incident. No coverage is called for the officer responding to the LEC call.
That Mendon Chief sounds like he is really with his men. If I was Chief I would have said my officers pulled up on a scene of reported gunfire and were investigating the incident. We apologize to that couple for this, however it is our job to protect the public with the resources (limited thank you Selectmen and Taxpayers at hand).
Gunshots don't work like E911.
Finally how about they give every department a M-16 style rifle to be kept in the cruiser and training? As mentioned in past LEC threads the Uniform Officers on patrol will be the first responders. Its kind of childish how some communities have a TV View of the State Police, like the State Police are going to come in and take over. Some of these towns act like Sheriff Will Teasle from Rambo First Blood. The young deputy says "You Sure you don't want to call the State Police?".
jeeze !!! would you cut this chief and the other LEO's on scene some slack. I'm glad no one
got hurt but come on all you Monday Morning Quarterbacks out there. Your all sounding
like reporters from the Globe. The scene was undoubtedly a chaotic one and what I'm reading thru the lines (AS ALL THE LEO'S SHOULD BE DOING) is the PO's on scene secured
everyone who needed to be secured, with no-one getting hurt. More importantly the PO's
went home to their families that night.=D>
got hurt but come on all you Monday Morning Quarterbacks out there. Your all sounding
like reporters from the Globe. The scene was undoubtedly a chaotic one and what I'm reading thru the lines (AS ALL THE LEO'S SHOULD BE DOING) is the PO's on scene secured
everyone who needed to be secured, with no-one getting hurt. More importantly the PO's
went home to their families that night.=D>
There's a huge difference between chaotic and dangerous. They hand no control of the situation....that's not an ops, that's a cluster fuck.
Look, Duff112, I don't know to whom you were referring, but I didn't "Monday-morning-quarterback" the situation. I merely pointed out the dichotomy of the chief's statements: "flawless" versus "apologies" for admittedly making mistakes. A refreshing result of the incident is a chief actually admitting culpability...he has ended his career, but shown himself to be a man of honor.
We need more like him.
Fat chance.
We need more like him.
Fat chance.
According to the news print they had evacuated families from about 60 homes. Now I'm no great tactician but if you are evacuating homes in the neighborhood why would you direct someone to the driveway across the street from the suspects location? Granted the only thing I know about the incident is from the press, but if it's even remotely correct, Mendon and the LECS have some serious training issues to contend with.
boy oh boy, i usually just read this bs but i couldn't take any more of this. First off the chief did the right thing by apologizing, seems pretty stand up. So much has been said I hardly know where to start. I'd like to say--hey you second guessing idiots mind your business because we should be taking care of our own. Let the public do the motherf*^#ing and we'll protect each other. But i've been here far too long to think that'll ever happen.
As far as this incident goes--i preface this by saying i wasn't there but knowing what i know i realize that these things tend to get real hairy, especially after the fact when the media does there report---apparently none of you have ever given a statement to the press then read it later and said "what the F*#@, i never said that" or that's way out of context. So i'll fill you in..THE MEDIA writes it however they want, it doesn't matter what the Chief "actually" said, it's how the twist it to some interesting.
The LEC issue is a joke, it always goes down this road. The involvement of Cemlec wouldn't have happened until much later in the incident. If you read the article and assume you can read, you'll see that two uniforms made the initial confrontation. SWAT dealt with the barricade, not the initial call. I'll promise you this every LEC member thanks the troopers for there arrogance and attitude because it's all but cemented them into Massachusetts policing. Thanks for your continued support......
The evacuation is part of stabilizing the incident, should be done as soon as possible, once the location in contained.
These guys did the best they could under the circumstances, things can always be done better, especially after the fact, that's what debriefs are for. I'm sure they worked out the kinks and things will probably go better next time. There are three decisions to be made at every incident, big or small, -the right one, -the wrong one and -none. They may have made some mistakes but in the end they made a decision which set into motion a chain of events that ultimately turned out ok.(maybe not flawless). I've seen plenty of you clowns who have something to say about what everyone else does and how "we" can do it better---blah, blah, blah...Truth is you're the "none" guy, always afraid to make a decision, you're the dangerous ones. Always have the answers after the event but hide behind the desk when it's going down, hoping someone else will deal with it. Well in this incident they did, they made an attempt to save lives and in the end they did; end of story.
You're a bunch of leaches feeding off of the mistakes of your so called brotherhood. You and your cynicism is what make the 99% of real cops out there look bad, not some BS article about the police botching an incident. What the F do these people know about what we really do anyway?
If you're so smart call the Chief and offer you're consulting services, or get the info on the incident and debrief it like a man, face to face, not on some public forum where you can hide. Nope, that won't happen because you're a coward, could do it any better but still feel the need to speak. I guess it make you feel important. You're a joke
Hope all you scabs out there got the herald today, there's another juicy article in there for you to dissect.
youareadolt
As far as this incident goes--i preface this by saying i wasn't there but knowing what i know i realize that these things tend to get real hairy, especially after the fact when the media does there report---apparently none of you have ever given a statement to the press then read it later and said "what the F*#@, i never said that" or that's way out of context. So i'll fill you in..THE MEDIA writes it however they want, it doesn't matter what the Chief "actually" said, it's how the twist it to some interesting.
The LEC issue is a joke, it always goes down this road. The involvement of Cemlec wouldn't have happened until much later in the incident. If you read the article and assume you can read, you'll see that two uniforms made the initial confrontation. SWAT dealt with the barricade, not the initial call. I'll promise you this every LEC member thanks the troopers for there arrogance and attitude because it's all but cemented them into Massachusetts policing. Thanks for your continued support......
The evacuation is part of stabilizing the incident, should be done as soon as possible, once the location in contained.
These guys did the best they could under the circumstances, things can always be done better, especially after the fact, that's what debriefs are for. I'm sure they worked out the kinks and things will probably go better next time. There are three decisions to be made at every incident, big or small, -the right one, -the wrong one and -none. They may have made some mistakes but in the end they made a decision which set into motion a chain of events that ultimately turned out ok.(maybe not flawless). I've seen plenty of you clowns who have something to say about what everyone else does and how "we" can do it better---blah, blah, blah...Truth is you're the "none" guy, always afraid to make a decision, you're the dangerous ones. Always have the answers after the event but hide behind the desk when it's going down, hoping someone else will deal with it. Well in this incident they did, they made an attempt to save lives and in the end they did; end of story.
You're a bunch of leaches feeding off of the mistakes of your so called brotherhood. You and your cynicism is what make the 99% of real cops out there look bad, not some BS article about the police botching an incident. What the F do these people know about what we really do anyway?
If you're so smart call the Chief and offer you're consulting services, or get the info on the incident and debrief it like a man, face to face, not on some public forum where you can hide. Nope, that won't happen because you're a coward, could do it any better but still feel the need to speak. I guess it make you feel important. You're a joke
Hope all you scabs out there got the herald today, there's another juicy article in there for you to dissect.
youareadolt
For what its worth, I just looked up the address on google earth and got a satalite immage, there are not even 60 people in that neighborhood, let alone 60 homes.dfc2502 said:According to the news print they had evacuated families from about 60 homes. Now I'm no great tactician but if you are evacuating homes in the neighborhood why would you direct someone to the driveway across the street from the suspects location? Granted the only thing I know about the incident is from the press, but if it's even remotely correct, Mendon and the LECS have some serious training issues to contend with.
I am not on SWAT, but based on my prior military exeperience I would say that there were about 10 homes in the direct line of fire, then some heavy woods around there too.
Albeit old satalite immages, on the site the home "directly" across the street is about 100 feet down the road and off to the side.
So once again I wonder what really happened when we cut through the media garbage
And their own incompetence, inferiority complex and lack of training will end it.youareadolt said:I'll promise you this every LEC member thanks the troopers for there arrogance and attitude because it's all but cemented them into Massachusetts policing. Thanks for your continued support......
So Thank YOU!
LOL Bbelichich you were just patiently waiting for something like this to happen LOLbbelichick said:And their own incompetence, inferiority complex and lack of training will end it.
So Thank YOU!
Good Point!dfc2502 said:According to the news print they had evacuated families from about 60 homes. Now I'm no great tactician but if you are evacuating homes in the neighborhood why would you direct someone to the driveway across the street from the suspects location? Granted the only thing I know about the incident is from the press, but if it's even remotely correct, Mendon and the LECS have some serious training issues to contend with.
i'm glad you chimed in BBALLICK, your one of the guys i was speaking of.. I've followed your posts for some time now and you continually speak about issues that you know nothing about. Policing in general but especially related to LECs. I've viewed your bs for years and have yet to see you speak correctly about the lecs. Fortunately the only ones who believe your venom are your fellow desk jockeys and other malcontents looking for something to hate. Thanks again for your continued support.
I know plenty about policing and TONS about the LECs.youareadolt said:i'm glad you chimed in BBALLICK, your one of the guys i was speaking of.. I've followed your posts for some time now and you continually speak about issues that you know nothing about. Policing in general but especially related to LECs. I've viewed your bs for years and have yet to see you speak correctly about the lecs. Fortunately the only ones who believe your venom are your fellow desk jockeys and other malcontents looking for something to hate. Thanks again for your continued support.
You are a two post wonder and have to resort to childish name calling.
The LECS will die as their funding is cut off. We both know it is true.
The LECS will never die, just multiply. Get use to it. Long live the LECS. =D>bbelichick said:I know plenty about policing and TONS about the LECs.
The LECS will die as their funding is cut off. We both know it is true.
I've seen it all now..Brian O'Hare said:What happened to my message?
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