Selfies, Coyotes, and Mayhem: Deciphering the Lynnfield Police Log

There are beautifully constructed sentences, paragraphs that hold your interest, and thoughtfully inserted words. But in the Lynnfield police log, ya, there's none of that. Granted the goal of the public document isn't to entertain, but as best we can figure out, here are a few excerpts pulled from last week's log and called the "narrative" of each incident.

The numbers for each item are the department call & number.

Note: Comments in parenthesis are the writer's thoughts.

Monday, March 13:

17-1852 -- Four of the first five items were traffic enforcements. The one that wasn't came from officer Mark Bettencourt. It was a property check on Apple Hill Lane that took about five minutes. The narrative: "All in order."

17-1859 -- An accidental/defective alarm caused a response from Car 21 with the narrative, "alarm co. al re: secure."

17-1860 -- Apparently it was Car 21's day for alarms. This one was an alarm fire that was investigated. The narrative? "Alarm received. Handled by fd."

17-1861 -- Originating from the Lynnfield High School, this was what they call an Abandoned/Hang Up 911 call. Car 2 handled this one and it took them 10 minutes to come up with the narrative: "a3 re: accidental."

17-1862 -- Car 21 took a break from alarms to handle another Abandoned/Hang Up 911 call, this one from the Christmas Tree Shop. The narrative: "al re: everything ok." (I can't imagine how you'd accidentally call 911 but I guess it happens).

17-1863 -- Car 21 was back at it 20 minutes later with a Medical Aid-transport-RESCUE, combining with fire department staff to transport an individual. The narrative: "caller re: mother fever uti r1 transports 1."

17-1864 -- Car 2's turn and at least this one was a little different. Responding to a call at a Summer Street home, it only took officers eight minutes to come up with this narrative: "caller re: playing video games online player stated he was going to hack me. a3 re: spoke with mother." (Sounds like someone is going to get in trouble).

17-1866 -- There's something "Suspicious" at 1 Hunting Lane and Car 22 was on the case. But after three minutes at scene officers had this narrative: "Caller reports open window in unoccupied house. She states this window has been closed until today. A1 re: all appears in order." (I've seen crime shows on TV and something "suspicious" usually takes an hour and has five commercial breaks. Three minutes can't be right.)

17-1868 -- With a snow storm approaching, an Edgemere Road resident was concerned about trees. The narrative: "Caller reports a large tree limb unstable on tree, she states she is concerned about snow causing it to fall. A2 re: Branch still attached to tree, will block roadway with any weight or wind, needs to be addressed before storm starts. DPW notified they will get it in morning before storm."

17-1869 -- Car 4 checks out a call from a resident at Chestnut Street and Main. The narrative: "Caller reports 2 black dogs loose in the area. A3 re: unable to locate."

17-1871 -- A report from a resident at Walnut Street and Summer implied a sequel to Fast & Furious was being filmed in town. The narrative: "Caller reports dark colored SUV on Walnut Street headed to Summer St driving at a high rate of speed and over curbs. Units report checked area, unable to locate."

Tuesday, March 14:

17-1877 -- An unknown caller alerted police to a medical emergency on Edward Ave. The narrative: "Caller reports 37 male chest pain." He was transported to hospital.

17-1886 -- Not everything is obvious. Car 22 reported to an accident on route 128 near exit 43. That much is clear. But in this case the narrative is near-impossible to figure out. "sp re: mva. a1 fd re: being waved off by state everything ok." (at least everything was ok.)

17-1885 -- A family dispute brought Cars 8, 21, and 22 to the scene on Salem Street. The narrative: "caller re: father and son argument. a1a2*5 re: verbal agreed to stop arguing."

17-1887 -- If you need proof it snowed Tuesday the next four items should help. On Main Street the narrative was: "caller re: tree across main. handled by dpw."

17-1888 -- On Lowell Street the narrative was: "peabody police re: tree across roadway. a1 assisted in blocking off road."

17-1889 -- On Pillings Pond Road the narrative: "Caller re: tree down in the roadway. Department of Public Works notified."

17-1890 -- And on Hutchins Circle, the narrative: "Caller re: tree down on the house. Fire department and building inspector notified."

17-1893 -- It's probably not fair to make assumptions but doesn't it seem obvious what happened at the Colonial Gardens, Housing for the Elderly on Ross Drive? The narrative: "Food on the stove - handled by the fire department." (never happened in my house, no, never).

17-1899 -- This sounds like one of those mayhem insurance commercials. Decide for yourself on this incident on South Broadway. The narrative: "Caller re: Snow thrown by a plow broke the front window."

17-1900 -- Those pesky alarms are back, this time at Kelly Jeep Chrysler Plymouth on North Broadway. The narrative: "Area 1 re: Set off by snow removal contractors."

Wednesday, March 15:

17-1902 -- Car 22 was on Willard Lane for an alarm fire. The narrative: "caller re: gas coming from house handled by fd."

17-1906 and 1907 -- Why put these two alarm calls together? Because one occurred at SweetGreen at Market Street, the other at Hanna Anderson. The narrative was the same: "a1 re: spoke with security and shovelers at market street possibly hit back doors when shoveling."

17-1910 -- An unknown party called about an accident at Loui's Pizza on South Broadway. Car 22's narrative: "Caller re: accident - PI. Patient transported to Salem Hospital. Accident booked by the state police."

17-1913 -- And it was Car 22 again at an accident, this time on Ross Drive. The narrative: "Fire Department re: Hand laceration. Patient transported to Union Hospital."

17-1916 -- The key words in this report were, "Peace Restored." Car 8 went to Pillings Pond for a "Disturbance Neighbor." The narrative: "Caller re: Neighbor will not leave her property. Area 3 re: Spoke with both parties." (But why do I think these neighbors might square off again?)

17-1923 -- Called a well-being check, Car 22 reported to an Ashwood Road home for this narrative: "Fire department re: Sister has not heard from her brother in several days. Area 1 re: Have the ambulance respond. Patient transported to Union Hospital."

17-1928 -- Sounds like road rage when these two get together on Chestnut Street. The narrative: "Caller re: was cut off by vehicle. The driver of that vehicle got out and hit his mirror. The caller said is currently out of town but will come to station to give report once he gets back."

Thursday, March 16:

17-1941 -- Apparently not every likes MarketStreet. This Walnut Street resident complained about noise. The narrative: "caller re: resident on walnut is irate about the noise from snow removal at market st. a1 had them move trucks behind walburgers.

17-1950 -- What's going on up there? That's what this King Rail Drive resident wanted to know. The narrative: "Caller re: Her upstairs neighbor is working out. Area 1 re: Spoke with the resident - ongoing issue. Management is on the scene."

17-1962 -- Car 2 reported to a disabled auto at Main Street and Old Towne Road. The narrative: "A3 re: DMV. Driver got gas and went on his way."

17-1968 -- Car 2 and Car 21 responded to assist a resident at Lynnfield Commons. The narrative: "Caller reports she has fallen out of her wheelchair and the slider in her apt has window shattered."

17-2006 -- Car 2 responds to an Edward Ave. home. The narrative: "Caller re: Ninety four year old female has fallen. Fire Department re: lift assist."

17-2014 -- Car 21 reported to the Lynnfield Senior Center to investigate a suspicious car. The narrative: "Caller reports light colored sedan 4 door in parking lot with 2 male parties walking in and out of tree line. A2 re: kids who live across street taking selfies in the parking lot."

Sunday, March 19:

17-2025 -- A resident walking her dog on Liberty Lane had an encounter with a coyote and Car 21 responded. The narrative: "Caller reports coyote in area who is following people and not scared by loud noises. She states she was out walking her dog and the coyote was following her, she was unable to scare him off. A1 re: Checked the area and unable to locate. Left message with animal control."