by Frank Schroth

Last night’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting began with a brief discussion of a regional Fair Housing Committee. Town Planner Bill Clark appeared before the board to discuss Milton participating with 4 other communities on a joint committee regarding Fair Housing that would likely benefit the participating towns in terms of support from HUD and other federal agencies and housing organizations.

Clark explained that fair housing is not the same as affordable housing. Milton has in the past run afoul of fair housing practices. Fair housing ensures that all buyers are shown all properties that they may have an interest in and are not steered to particular neighborhoods based on race, religion or other criteria. The selectmen endorsed the idea. Milton already has a fair housing committee. They voted to appoint current members to the joint committee. They are Joe Duffy, Tom Callahan and Alex Whiteside. Bill Clark will also be on the committee. There is at least one additional seat to be appointed. THe committees will run in parallel for some period of time but the intent is to retire the Milton Committee once the new regional committee is fully established.

With children playfully chirping and clambering on their chairs and other family members in attendance Town Clerk Susan Galvin swore in Kristen Clifford as a Sergeant and Thomas Wilson as a Lieutenant on the Milton Police Force. It was a brief but proud moment for the officers and their families. The audience applauded these officers who swore to uphold the laws and protect the citizens of Milton.

Chief Wells gave a quarterly report on the police department. At the request of the Selectmen, department heads are appearing before them to give updates on their respective departments. Joe Prondak, the Building Commissioner, appeared previously.

The Chief emphasized the value of and the continued need for community policing. Break ins are up. There were 27 residential burglaries in 2012. There have been 45 to date in 2013. Similarly, there were 26 Car breaks in 2012. There have been 75 to date in 2013. The Chief has repeated what he has said on many occasions (and we have published here). Stay vigilant, lock your cars and lock you homes. He noted that cars are left open and perps climb in, rifle the glove compartment etc looking for change and small electronics (phones, GPS units) and they simply duck below dash if a passing car comes by. The up tick is largely due to increased drug use. The crimes are crimes of opportunity. Residents can deny the opportunity by locking up. This is increase in burglaries is not unique to Milton the Chief noted; but a trend in the entire Boston metro area.

The Chief cited the current popular DARE camp as an example of positive community policing (You can find photo updates on the MPD Facebook page). He noted, in response to a question from Member Conlon that community policing have become part of the culture of the department. He confessed that when the concept first came up years ago he was skeptical, (the community doesn’t police – We’re the police!) but know that active participation for the community and building relationships with residents is an integral part of the overall policing of the town.

He also touched on recent technology improvements to the school that enable two way radio communication with officers on school premises. The school’s construction impeded communication. Antennae’s and other infrastructure have been installed to address and rectify that. Chair Keohane and the Chief credited School Committee member Leroy Walker with his tenacity on the issue and seeing it through. “He wasn’t taking no for an answer,” the chief said. In addition to the infrastructure improvements the chief noted that there will also be changes in operations to improve school security and that the department is in close contact with the MPS administration on this.