Wellesley Police Jack Pilecki presented his quarterly department update to the Wellesley Board of Selectmen on June 18, 2018. The leading item on the update was the announcement that Officer Kathy Poirier has been named a School Resource Officer starting in July. Officer Poirier will join Officer Evan Rosenberg, who is also a School Resource Officer, and assigned to the school system full time.
Officer Poirier was selected from several qualified Wellesley Police Officer candidates that applied for the new position. Each candidate completed an interview process with Police Chief Jack Pilecki, Wellesley School Superintendent Dr. David Lussier, Deputy Chief Scott Whittemore, Lieutenant Jeff Renzella, and Sergeant Brian Spencer. Chief Pilecki noted to the Board of Selectmen that Dr. Lussier was active participant in the process, and was part of the decision to choose Officer Poirier.
Officer Poirier has been a Wellesley Police Officer for six years. Prior to becoming an officer, she was a Wellesley Police Department emergency communication center dispatcher for two years. Officer Poirier has worked in the patrol division, and more recently assigned to the Wellesley Police Bike Unit. As a bike officer, she has patrolled the Wellesley Square, Hills, and Lower Falls areas of town during the day on a police mountain bike. She also utilizes her bike during large scale events, including the Boston Marathon, the annual parade and fireworks, and during community functions around town.
Officer Poirier has also served as the department’s domestic violence officer, following up on domestic violence related investigations and victim assistance. She specialized in security assessment surveys that the department offers free of charge to Wellesley residents and businesses. In this area, Officer Poirier conducts detailed security assessments of homes and commercial business. Once the survey is complete, Officer Poirier offers extensive advice on what can be done to improve a home or business and make it more secure.
Officer Poirier has also been teaching the department’s PRIDE program to fifth grade students in the Wellesley Public Schools for the last three years. The PRIDE program focuses on teaching children how to make good decisions, recognize bullying, and learning how to be safe on the internet. During the most recent school year, Officer Poirier, a certified ALICE instructor, was instrumental in the department working with schools for active shooter training and emergency evacuation drills that took place.
The Wellesley Police Department and Wellesley Schools will work through the summer to define the role of the second SRO for the start of the start of the 2018-2019 school year.
The additional SRO position was funded by the spring 2018 Town Meeting.