Outpouring of Appreciation from Community Overwhelms Watertown Police

Piles of pizza boxes, bouquets of flower and trays of chicken wings blanketed the tables of the never more appropriately named Community Room at the Watertown Police Station Saturday.

The gifts were signs of the love from the thankful residents of the town, the state and the nation to the police for capturing ending the terror caused by the Boston Marathon Bombers. The police received so many edible thank you notes that they are not sure what to do with them all.

"You could give us three weeks and we wouldn't be able to get through this," said Watertown Police Officer Ken Swift as he looked at spread of food.

The donations rolled in early and often, said Watertown Police Capt. Raymond Dupuis. 

"I got here this morning and it was all here," Dupuis said. 

Some brought in boxes with notes of appreciation, others delivered stacks of pizza. A couple from Waltham brought by Red Sox tickets.

"We had a pair of tickets for (Friday's) game, and we couldn't go so we brought them down to see if any officers were interested in using them," said Waltham's Stephen Weisman. 

Weisman and Kate Tracey spent Friday in their home with the shades drawn as police searched for the second bombing suspect. 

"It was absolutely terrifying," Tracey said. "Hopefully it is the worst experience any of us go through."

Most people were able to drive in to drop off their gifts, but some made long distance deliveries.

Kelly Forsyth, general manager of the Halfway Cafe, brought over a tray of boneless chicken wings for Watertown's finest courtesy of fans from far and wide.

"People have been calling from Washington and Philadelphia asking us to do something for them," Forsyth said. "They all want to do something for the police."