I was homeless in Cambridge in 1984 or so and without a shirt in late fall when it was really cold…read more I slept on the berm of the Harvard University particle accelerator out of sight. Things looked dim and didn't show much chance of changing, so I decided to attempt suicide. I bought a bottle of sleeping pills and that night took them all. The only thing it did was put me to sleep. The next night I bought two bottles of sleeping pills and tried again. This time I went asleep and woke up starting to die but it was so uncomfortable I decided not to let it happen and roused myself. Walking away from the bushes, a Harvard University police squad car drove slowly up and the officer at the wheel beckoned me to approach. He rolled down his window and handed me a $50 bill. Then a few days later the Harvard police invited me to a party being held by the staff of the Harvard student newspaper. I went and it was a breath of fresh air. They were so respectful. I had been managing editor of my high school newspaper at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, IL so it meant something to me. I owe the Harvard University police my deepest gratitude for stepping in at a moment when my life was on the line. Thank you so very much!

Not what I was expecting at all. When I signed up for my recent two days of training, I was under…read morethe impression it would be held at the Cambridge PD, not HUPD. Not having much dealings with them, i had no idea what to expect. No worries, everyone was quite kind and professional, precisely what one would expect. the school is lucky to have such a wonderful department should the need arise.

Katie and other dispatch workers are very kind and helpful and 100 times better at their jobs than…read moreSaint Paul Dispatch Workers.

Half the reason I moved from Watertown had to do with the cops there. I have no criminal record and…read morehave never been violent nor threatened anyone. Yet I was threatened and belittled so many times by the police that I felt I could no longer safely live in Watertown. In summer 2012 I went alone to the police dept to report a crime done against me. I had been assaulted. I had a written statement for them. I was doing this on encouragement from my acupuncturist, who felt I needed some closure on the issue. In retrospect, now that six full years have passed since then, I realize the cops never intended to take me seriously in the first place. They didn't even try to take me seriously. I was profiled even before I got there. He was the law-abiding citizen and I was a piece of trash to them. When II left there, after they told me I had "fabricated the story," I just felt numb. Nothing. Then months or perhaps years later I realized just how wrong it all was. I lived in public housing and that was half the problem. We were all treated badly by the police. In fact, I recall my neighbors discussing this very same issue one night. Many stated they were afraid to call 911, ever, because they'd get accused of a crime they never committed, or they'd have their place searched. Because of the way the cops treated me and my fellow neighbors I have a fear of the sound of sirens, to this very day. Most of my elderly neighbors were hard of hearing but I could hear the cops every time they came in. Once, the cops and other first responders came to help a neighbor who only spoke Armenian. I didn't see what was going on, but i heard them yell and threaten her, saying, "Speak English!" They said they wouldn't help her unless she did. I felt so sorry for her, and I didn't know what to do (except write about it). They had keys to all the apartments. They took their liberties. Once I went out with my dog and heard the ambulance come while we were out. I returned to find the cops had broken into all our apartments. My door was left ajar. I complained to the housing authority. They didn't care. I never, ever felt safe there, never felt i had the privacy in my own home we are supposedly granted in this country. I hated being scared of them all the time. In 2013 I went into kidney failure. I recall leaving the place fairly clean and neat, but when I returned from being in there 11 days, my place had been torn apart. It hadn't been broken into. It had been searched. To this day I don't know who authorized this illegal search (we have laws here, remember?). I hadn't committed a crime nor did they have a warrant. I found out pretty quickly what they'd come looking for, and it sure wasn't anything illegal. Do they realize they are raiding the place of a human being who has the same rights as any other citizen? How could they justify this? On January 10, 2014 I came home from a long day out in the cold in Boston. Ten minutes after my return there was a loud knock on the door. It was "them." What on earth? What happened next was shocking. To this day I can't believe what they did. There was one cop and two people from my church. They accused me of planning to kill someone! They had no warrant and didn't have a single bit of paperwork nor valid evidence. Finally, I got them out of there. I know now that part of this was retaliation on the part of the church, but why did the cop (Melissa) go along with it? Was the church paying her on the side? Was she on duty at the time? You would think a cop would know the law, and refuse to do this. It was illegal! The best thing I ever did was to leave Watertown far behind. I was really trapped there in that situation. After I left I phoned up a couple of the state legislators and told them what happened, reported everything. I am not sure that anything was done, but at least they believed me. I want justice, of course, at least a formal apology. In writing this review I hope my story gets the visibility it deserves. I love living where I am not profiled, not seen as a violent criminal by the local police when by all means, I am not. I am certain that if I ever reported a crime where I live now, i'll be taken seriously. And privacy! Blessed privacy! If you are being treated badly where you are, consider relocating far away and starting over. It really changes things to find new people and situations. If you feel trapped like I did, know that there is likely a way out. You just have to be persistent, have hope, and don't give up.

Concord is a town full of history and therefore, full of memorials. This set of plaques honors…read morethose who gave their lives while in the United States military. There are three stones. The largest is the center one, which is "In memory of these Concord men who gave their lives in the Second World War" and lists entirely too many names in alphabetical order. Underneath, "As we reverently and respectfully acknowledge the deeds and the faith of these men of Concord, we must rededicate ourselves to the protection of our independence. -Omar N. Bradley:" Below, "1941-1945 World War II. A grateful community dedicates this memorial to those who served our country." The monument to the left is for those who fought and died during the "Korean Conflict" and "Iraq" with names below each. The monument to the right is for those who found and died during the war in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam. The small park also has flags for each of the branches of the military, the United States and the POW-MIA flag. The brick walkway is quite smooth and it is a lovely tribute. [Review 15317 overall, 819 of 2021, number 1121 in Massachusetts.]

Any time you can visit a monument honoring veterans, you just do it. Congrats to the town of…read moreConcord for honoring their heroes. The town green is really nice with two monuments.

This very large stone stands as tribute on Concord's Monument Square. There is a brass plaque added…read moreto the stone. The marker reads, "In memory of these Concord men who gave their lives in the World War. So nigh is grandeur to our dust. So near is God to Man. When Duty whispers low thou must. The Youth replies I Can." As well, the marker lists the 25 names ranks and service area of each. The stone is surrounded by a cobble area and it is in good condition. Stop by and pay your respects because back then, there was just the one World War. [Review 15236 overall, 738 of 2021, number 1096 in Massachusetts.]

Couldn't be more thankful for Maria, who helped me & my fiancé get our marriage license. With…read moreeverything going on, it's caring people like her who really stand out & make the difference! Thank you for being there for us when most places were closed & unable to.

Not so much a review but some feedback on the new trash streaming system just recently instituted…read morein the Town of Watertown, MA -- love that it saves us money but it has meant that I recycle 1/3 as much as I used to. Was that the point? We get one regular trash barrel and one barrels for all recyclables. I called to ask for another recycle barrel and was told we can only have one per household. But I recycle more than that, I responded. "Use your neighbor's barrels if you have too much, " I was told. WHAT? So, I just recycle less -- much less. Was that what was supposed to happen with the new system? Doesn't make sense to discourage recycling.

There was a RAD class hosted by PPD about 1.5 yrs ago which I signed up for and attended. It was…read moreamazing, we got to meet the officers working in our community, they taught us some great self defense tricks. We appreciate the effort and the hard work!

The Dewitt Center, in Roxbury, is a gathering place for various groups in the greater Boston…read morearea... such as Age Strong Boston. The people who patronize it are as diverse as the types of groups. THE DEAL: This is a great community center to host group event, events, meetings, and more.