Burlington Police Entering Into Mutual Aid Agreement

The Burlington Police Department was given the go-ahead from the Burlington Board of Selectmen to enter into a Middlesex County mutual aid program. The board voted its approval during the meeting last week. 

Police Chief Michael Kent said the agreement, put forward by the Middlesex Chiefs of Police Association and with laws written by the town of Arlington, will allow officers to respond when in other communities. 

Kent said that the agreement means that if a Burlington officer is at the Woburn District Court, for example, and witnesses a crime, he or she will be able to intervene and perform the normal duties of a police officer. 

Kent also said this agreement will make it easier for officers in pursuit of a suspect to make an arrest if the suspect goes over a town line. He explained that since a court case 20 years ago it has been unclear if officers can legally make arrests in other towns. It would have been an easy legislative fix Kent said, but after 20 years of waiting police chiefs around the state are working to make the change themselves. 

Kent also said he expects all of Burlington's neighboring communities to enter into the agreement and the hope is that all 52 municipalities in Middlesex County will also approve the proposal. There is also a hope that eventually every community in the state will be part of a mutual aid agreement.