Keep the Holidays Happy. Drive Sober

The Salem Police Department and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division would like to remind everyone to "Keep the Holidays Happy. Drive Sober.” Make the right choice this holiday season and don't drink and drive.

Phone Line Outage - Resolved

All phone lines are now back in service.

The Salem Police are currently experiencing problems with our main phone number 978-744-1212. We are aware of the issue and investigating the cause. This issue is not affecting our business or emergency lines.

If you have a non-emergency request for the police please dial 978-744-0171.

If you have an emergency request for the police, fire, or ambulance please dial 9-1-1

Again, if you have a non-emergency request for the police please dial 978-744-0171 until further notice.

---

Update Friday, November 28, 2014 10:00 am

The problem has been rectified by our service provider and all lines are now back in normal service.

---

Update Friday, November 28, 2014 7:00 am

We have identified the issue with the phone line and are waiting on our service provider to resolve the issue. At this time there is no estimated time frame for that to be completed.

This outage only is impacting our 978-744-1212 phone number. All other emergency lines, direct phone lines, and fax lines are operating normally. Please continue to contact us at 978-744-0171 for routine or business issues and at 9-1-1 for all police, fire, or medical emergencies.

Follow our Facebook page, Twitter page, MyPD app, or this website for updates.

Records Holiday Closure

Our records division will be closed on November 27th & 28th 2014 due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Records will reopen on Monday, December 1st 2014 at 10am.

Underage Alcohol Enforcement

The Salem Police Department is participating in the FFY 2015 Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Program. The program goal is to reduce young drivers (age 20 or younger) involved in fatal crashes. There are 3 activities that we are employing:

1.     Reverse Stings/Cops in Shops- This program places undercover police officers in a bar, nightclub, or package store. The undercover police officers stop anyone who looks to be under the age of 21 who attempts to purchase alcohol or who uses or possesses false identification.

2.     Party Patrols- This allows the police department to have dedicated patrols for breaking up underage parties.

3.     Surveillance Patrols- In conjunction with the above programs, the police department conducts surveillance in areas of suspected underage drinking.

Haunted Happenings Text-A-Tip

The Salem Police in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Police have established a Text-A-Tip line for this weekend's festivities. The system allows for anonymous two way messaging between the public and the police. We encourage everyone to program the number into their phone, and to report any suspicious activity to us right away.

The Text-A-Tip was for the festivities and is no longer being monitored!

Although our staff will regularly monitor this service, it is not a replacement for 9-1-1 in an emergency. Citizens can also contact us at 978-744-1212 with any concerns.
The Salem Police thank the Massachusetts State Police for providing this valuable resource to us.

Halloween Road Closures

The Salem Police will be closing the following roads on Friday, October 31, 2014 from about 4:00 pm until 11:30 pm:

• Washington St. from New Derby St. to Bridge St.
• Essex St. from Barton Square to Union St.
• Derby St. from Lafayette St. to Union St.
• Brown St. at New Liberty St.
• Lafayette St. from Derby St. to Front St.
• Hawthorne Blvd. from Derby St. to Essex St.
• Washington Sq. West from Essex St. to Brown St. Washington Sq. South closed. Washington Sq. North closed from Brown to Winter St.
• Winter St. at Bridge St. closed to inbound traffic.
• Williams St. at Bridge St.
• Congress St. closed at South Harbor Garage. Vehicles will be detoured to Pickering Way out to Derby St. Derby St. inbound traffic detoured to Wharf St. out to Congress St.
• Front St., Charter St., and Central St. closed to traffic.
• Federal Street closed to traffic from St. Peters St. to North St.

Bridge Street will also be closed at the North Street Overpass through the James Ayube Bypass Road at 10:00 pm through 11:30 pm.

The Salem Police will also be posting and enforcing "No Parking - Tow Zones" from 4:00 pm until 12:00 am on the following streets:

• Lafayette St. both sides Front St. to Derby St.
• Public parking lot along Front St. Public parking spaces located on Central St. in front of old police station.
• Essex St. from Barton Sq. to Hawthorne Blvd.
• Derby St. both sides between Union St. and Lafayette St.
• Hawthorne Blvd. both sides.
• Front St.
• Central St.
• Washington St. from New Derby St. to Bridge St. both sides.
• Washington Sq. North, South, and West both sides.
• Norman St. from Washington to Crombie St.
• New Derby St. between Klop Alley and Lafayette St.

Additionally both sides of Federal St. from Washington St. to the Old Superior Court Building (32 Federal St) and Washington St. in front of 50 Washington St. will be "No Parking - Tow Zone" from 8:00 am until 12:00 am (midnight) on Friday.

Additional roads may be closed on an as needed basis

Help us keep Haunted Happenings safe, contact us at 978-744-1212 with any public safety concerns.

Halloween Trick-or-Treat Hours and Safety Tips

Chief Paul F. Tucker has announced that neighborhood Trick or Treat times for Halloween will be on October 31, 2014 from 5:30 p.m. through 8:00 p.m.

The Salem Police have also released the following informational pamphlet with information for parents to help keep this Halloween fun and safe for all.

Be sure to check back later this week for detailed information about this weekend's Haunted Happenings Festivities.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SalemMAPolice and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SalemMAPolice for additional information about Haunted Happenings including safety tips, contact information, road closures, and public safety notices.

October 18th and 19th Special Events

The Salem Police remind everyone this will be another busy weekend in Salem. In addition to crowds and heavy traffic, residents should remember there will be the following road closures, parking restrictions, and special events:

• Saturday 10/18: The Salem YMCA Witch City 5K starts at 9:00 am at Salem Willows Park. There area no road closures or parking restrictions in effect for this event, however residents should expect traffic to be impacted along the course.

• Saturday 10/18: The Police Department anticipates closing Essex Street from Hawthorne Boulevard to New Liberty Street to accommodate pedestrian traffic from about 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. This will also be a “No Parking” area. The Museum Place Mall Garage will still be accessible from Brown Street.

• Sunday 10/19: The Witch Ride Motorcycle Ride will arrive in Salem around noon time. Residents should expect Lafayette Street (Rt. 114), Derby Street, and Congress Street to be closed while the ride arrives in the city. There will also be a “No Parking – Tow Zone” established on Derby Street from Lafayette Street to Congress Street from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

• Sunday 10/19: The Police Department anticipates closing Essex Street from Hawthorne Boulevard to New Liberty Street to accommodate pedestrian traffic from about 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. This will also be a “No Parking” area. The Museum Place Mall Garage will still be accessible from Brown Street.

• Sunday 10/19: The first cruise ship, the Seabourne Quest, is expected to dock. The Blaney Street parking lot at the Salem Wharf will be closed from Saturday 10/18 at 10:00 pm until Sunday 10/19 at 6:00 pm. All vehicles must be removed from the lot prior to the closure. The lot will be available to Salem Ferry customers after passing through a security check point. Alternate parking is available for residents at the Bentley School Lot, the rear row of the VFW (95 Derby St), and the House of Seven Gables lot (115 Derby St). Cars must be removed from the Bentley School and VFW by 8:00 pm Sunday night and from the House of Seven Gables at 8:30 am Sunday morning. The city anticipates this to be a one time situation and that permanent facilities for future cruises will be completed.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter (@SalemMAPolice) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/SalemMAPolice) for updates as the weekend progresses.

Help us keep Haunted Happenings safe for all! Please report any suspicious or concerning activity to us at 978-744-1212!

Salem Police on Social Media

The Salem Police Department is excited to announce our new initiative to expand our presence on social media. The department recognizes the potential that services like Facebook and Twitter can provide to allow us to expand our connection with our community. We have established official accounts on both Facebook and Twitter, and will begin posting regularly to both as well as our department's website.

We invite everyone to follow us at the following accounts:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SalemMAPolice (@SalemMAPolice)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SalemMAPolice
Our Website: www.salempd.net

Although we will regularly monitor messages and comments on these sites, we would like to remind the public they are not an appropriate method of contacting the department about in progress incidents. Please continue to contact us at 911 in an emergency or at 978- 744-1212 for non-emergency requests for assistance.

Any questions about this program should be directed to Lt. Conrad Prosniewski, Salem Police Public Information Officer at 978-740-0171 ext 200 or by email at cprosniewski@salempd.net.

Planned Street Closures for October

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dominick Pangallo
Chief of Staff
Office of Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, City of Salem
(978) 619-5600 | dpangallo@salem.com

SALEM, MA – The City of Salem has announced the following road closures and detours planned for events in October.

For additional information, please contact the Traffic Division of the Salem Police Department at 978-744-0171 ext. 115 or online at www.salempd.org or www.salem.com. Travel and parking information for Salem’s October Haunted Happenings festival is online at www.hauntedhappenings.org, with detailed parking information at www.parkinginsalem.com. Follow street closure and traffic alerts for October in Salem on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GetThruOctober (@getthruoctober).

All information below is subject to change. The Salem Police Department will close any street at any time if they determine that a public safety issue exists.

October 2: Haunted Happenings Parade starts at 6:00 p.m. at Shetland Office Park on Congress Street. Residents should anticipate traffic delays on Route 114 and Route 1A. Route 1A from Derby Street to Brown Street will be closed to traffic from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Other road closures are Congress Street, Washington Street, Essex Street from Washington Street to Union Street, Central Street, Front Street, and Washington Square West, North, and South. There will be no parking tow zones along the entire parade route. Log onto www.salem.com for more detailed information.

October 4 and 5: Haunted Happenings BizBaz. There will be no parking at the meters along the portion of Essex Street between Hawthorne Boulevard and New Liberty Street beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday October 4 through Sunday October 5 at 9:00 p.m. This section of Essex Street will also be closed to through traffic from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

October 18: Salem YMCA Witch City 5K road race starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Salem Willows. No road closures are planned, however residents should anticipate traffic delays along the following roadways: Memorial Drive, Essex Street, Route 1A, Route 114 including Hawthorne Boulevard, Derby Street, and Fort Avenue, ending at Restaurant Row.

October 19: Witch Ride Motorcycle Ride. Route 114 and Route 1A will be impacted, but not closed to traffic, from Marblehead to New Derby Street. Route 1A, including Derby Street, will be closed to traffic between Lafayette Street and Congress Street. Congress Street will also be closed to traffic. Residents should anticipate road closures and traffic delays from noon to 3:00 p.m. There will be a no parking tow zone on Derby Street between Lafayette and Congress Street from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

October 25: Devil’s Chase road race starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Salem Willows soccer field on Fort Avenue. No road closures are planned, however residents should traffic delays until 10:30 a.m. on the following roadways: Fort Avenue, Derby Street, Szetela Lane, Webb Street, Andrews Street, Washington Square, Essex Street, Charter Street, Central Street, Derby Street, Winter Island Road, Columbus Avenue, Restaurant Row, and Memorial Drive. Several no parking tow zones will be posted on Memorial Drive, Victory Road, and Larkin Lane.

October 31: Halloween events will include multiple road closures and heavy traffic delays throughout Salem for the entire day and night. Residents should expect major traffic delays on Route 114 and Route 1A. Downtown streets will close to all traffic no later than 4:00 p.m. These road closures include: Essex Street at Crombie Street and Barton Square to Union Street, Washington Street from New Derby Street to Bridge Street, Federal Street from St. Peter’s Street to North Street, Washington Square North and West from Essex Street to Brown Street, Hawthorne Boulevard, Derby Street, Route 1A, Congress Street near Pickering Wharf, Charter Street, Central Street, Front Street, and Lafayette Street from New Derby Street to Front Street. Bridge Street at the Bypass Road will also close to all traffic between the westerly overpass ramps the Bypass Road from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for the closing fireworks.

Underage Alcohol Enforcement

Originally Posted on July 9th, 2014

The Salem Police Department is participating in the FFY 2014 Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Program. The program goal is to reduce young drivers (age 20 or younger) involved in fatal crashes. There are 3 activities that we are employing:

1. Reverse Stings/Cops in Shops: This program places undercover police officers in a bar, nightclub, or package store. The undercover police officers stop anyone who: looks to be under the age of 21, attempts to purchase alcohol, or uses/possesses false identification.
2. Party Patrols: This allows the police department to have dedicated patrols for breaking up underage parties.
3. Surveillance Patrols: In conjunction with the above programs, the police department conducts surveillance in areas of suspected underage drinking.