How These Waltham Police Officers Are Making A Difference

WALTHAM, MA — When the governor and MEMA sent out a call for volunteer bilingual police officers to help in Puerto Rico, half of the Waltham Police Department's Spanish speaking force stepped forward.

Admittedly, there are only about six police officers on the Waltham Police Department who speak Spanish, but the three who are headed to Puerto Rico said they're sure that had it been an open call for more hands on deck many more would have stepped forward to help.

"It's a pretty good reminder of why we got into this job in the first place. We wanted to help," said Sargent Katilyn MacPherson who leaves with Detective Jorge Orta this Wednesday to help the hurricane devastated U.S. Territory. Officer Patrick Dean will head out when they return on a separate deployment.

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While the details aren't absolutely clear to them yet, the trio will be deployed in Puerto Rico along with 69 other law enforcement officers from the state to assist local law enforcement with enforcing the curfew, traffic duties, and other security measures. The deployment will be divided into three separate two week rotations and while they're out there they'll be staying on a ship off the coast. It will rain. And they've been prepped to understand that the places they'll be helping aren't cushy. None of them have family or friends in Puerto Rico. But they still wanted to help, so when the call for help came and it matched their skill sets, these three stepped up, say their supervisors.

"This just speaks to their selflessness: They're leaving behind their loved ones to help others," said Capt. Jeff Rodley.

"If we had more bilingual officers I think half or more would have volunteered with us ... We like helping," said Dean.

For MacPherson, who was recently promoted to sergeant after a dozen years on the force and was engaged, this is the first type of trip for her. She's never been to Puerto Rico before, and although her fiance "wasn't too enthusiastic," she still felt the pull to go. She learned much of her Spanish on the job after taking it in school, it's an obvious way to use her skills for good.

Detective Jorge Orta who's been on the force for 23 years said he's talked to others deployed and knows to pack extra rain gear in addition to his police gear. Orta's wife was concerned for him, too, but, he said, he remembered the time when he got on the force and there were many more Puerto Ricans in the city.
"I went to high school with a lot of people who were from Puerto Rico, and they feel frustrated and worried," and like Kaitlyn he couldn't just stand by and not do anything.

"If I lived there I would want help," said Officer Patrick Dean who has been on the force for 13 years. " It's an opportunity for us to help." He was a Marine when he met his wife, so she's a bit more understanding about Dean's pull to travel and to help.

The trio will hop a flight along with the other law enforcement and aid workers headed south. They're not sure if they'll be checking their weapons and gear or even how much they're supposed to bring, but those will details will be cleared up sometime between now and Wednesday.

Once they get to Puerto Rico they'll be be staying on a the USS Empire State VI — a federally-owned training ship operated by SUNY Maritime, which has been bringing pallets of supplies.

The death toll from Hurricane Maria rose to 48 in Puerto Rico, according to reports Saturday. Food, clean water and other basic necessities are still hard to come a month after the hurricane slammed into the island. The island is also still mostly without power, adding to complications.

READ MORE:

3 Waltham Police Officers To Go To Puerto Rico

Waltham Church Responds To Puerto Rico Disaster

Firefighter First To Travel To Puerto Rico From Waltham

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Photos: By Jenna Fisher/Patch