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Town's Entire Police Force Resigns at Once

The Massachusetts State Police have pledged to protect the residents of Blandford after all four members of the town's police department resigned this week.

By Kristin LaFratta

The Massachusetts State Police have pledged to protect the residents of Blandford after all four members of the town's police department resigned this week.

The entire Blandford police department resigned on Monday over what they referred to as unsafe working conditions. Mass. State Police Spokesman Dave Procopio said troopers will continue to serve the town and take on additional responsibilities following the news.

"The residents of Blandford may be assured that the State Police will continue to protect their community," Procopio said in a statement.

State Police already "exclusively" provided police services in Blandford for overnight shifts, and state troopers will now assume additional duties to maintain day-to-day police operations.

Any 911 calls made in the town for police assistance will now be directed to the Mass. State Police barracks at 90 Westfield Road in Russell, according to Procopio.

Blandford, a small town in Hampden County, has less than 1,300 residents according to recent census measures.

A letter obtained by MassLive and signed by Interim Blandford Police Chief Roberta Sarnacki and officers Chris Anciello, Gage Kerlik, and Krysten Scapin, said their resignation was effective immediately.

"For some time we have been dealing with unsafe working conditions. Policing is inherently dangerous, however it has been made much (more) so by our town's administration," the four officers said in the written statement.

(c)2018 MassLive.com, Springfield, Mass.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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