Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein, Town Administrator Mark Ullucci and Swansea/Somerset Public Health Nurse Desiree Harding, on behalf of the towns of Somerset and Swansea, invite residents and members of the public to participate in the upcoming blood drive hosted with the American Red Cross on May 1.
Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein invites community members to attend an upcoming meeting to learn more about the development of the Town of Swansea’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein would like to share information with Swansea residents about the upcoming citizen’s petition to create a Marijuana Establishments Overlay District which will be voted on at a Special Town Meeting.
SWANSEA — Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein, Town Administrator Mark Ullucci and Swansea/Somerset Public Health Nurse Desiree Harding, on behalf of the towns of Somerset and Swansea, invite residents and members of the public to participate in the seven upcoming blood drives hosted together with the American Red Cross.
Donors must register for a donation time online ahead of the clinic they wish to attend. Those wishing to register can click on the hyperlinks for the day they wish to attend.
Registration will open for the clinics hosted in September through December at a later date.
The Somerset Council on Aging building, 115 Wood St.
Anyone 17 years old and older can donate blood, so long as they are in good health and weigh at least 110 pounds. There is no upper age limit for donating, so long as the individual is feeling healthy and well and meets the other criteria.
In Massachusetts, a 16-year-old may donate blood as well but they’re required to have a consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian prior to donating.
Blood donations help save lives, and are desperately needed. To learn more about the serious need for blood supply donations, see the American Red Cross donation information page.
Residents wishing to donate blood are encouraged to sign up sooner than later to ensure appointments are still available. Appointments are made on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There are three ways to schedule a blood donation appointment for this drive:
Those giving blood can use RapidPass to complete a pre-donation reading and health history online before arriving at the blood drive site. This can save several minutes at the appointment.
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SWANSEA — Chief Marc Haslam is pleased to announce that the Swansea Police Department is seeking qualified candidates for the position of full-time police officer.
The Swansea Police Department is seeking qualified applicants for the position of full-time police officer. The individual should demonstrate good moral character and judgment, be able to handle high-pressure situations and demonstrate good problem-solving and leadership skills.
The starting pay is $67,650 per year, plus benefits.
Those interested should apply online here. Applications must be completed online by Friday, March 24. at 4 p.m.
A written exam will be held at the Swansea Police Department on Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m.
Upon passing the written examination, candidates will be required to complete a physical agility test (PAT). The PAT will consist of one-minute push-ups, one-minute sit-ups, a 1.5-mile walk/run and a 300-meter run. Successful candidates will then participate in an oral interview, medical examination, psychological examination and intensive background check.
For questions about the hiring process, please contact Lt. Patrick Mooney at 508-674-8464.
The Town of Swansea is an equal opportunity employer. No person shall be denied equal access because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
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SWANSEA —Chief Eric Hajder is pleased to announce that the Swansea Fire Department was awarded $4,381 for the Fiscal Year 2023 Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) Program and $2,277 for the Senior SAFE Program by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.
The funding gives the department the opportunity to work directly with students in schools and seniors to educate them about fire safety and prevention. Each program is tailored to the common needs of each age group and includes general fire prevention reminders and safe practices in the home. Lessons feature many safety topics including steps to take if a fire alarm goes off.
The lessons taught in the school-based program are in line with the standards of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Health Curriculum Frameworks and the state Department of Fire Services Curriculum Planning Guidebook.
Twenty-seven years after the introduction of the S.A.F.E program within schools, the rate of annual child fire deaths has decreased by 78%, according to the state’s Department of Fire Services, which administers the two programs.
To learn more about the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services’ S.A.F.E program, click here.
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SWANSEA — Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein and Town Clerk Diane Pelland wish to provide residents with information regarding how to vote early in the April 2023 Town Election.
The 2023 Town Election will have two options available for voting, in addition to voting on Election Day, Monday, April 10. Polls open at noon and close at 8 p.m.
Early voting by mail:
Early voting in-person:
Any resident who is unsure of their voter status should contact the Town Clerk’s Office to verify their information prior to voting.
The deadline to register to vote is Friday, March 31, by 5 p.m. in the Town Clerk’s Office.
More information on the Town Clerk’s office can be found at swanseama.gov.
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Chief Eric Hajder and the Swansea Fire Department would like to share important fire prevention tips for community members to be mindful of while decorating for the holidays.
Chief Marc Haslam reports that the Swansea Police Department will conduct random alcohol compliance checks at local establishments licensed to sell alcohol over the next couple of months.
SWANSEA — Chief Marc Haslam is pleased to announce that the Swansea Police Department has launched a body-worn camera program for all sworn officers today.
The program officially launched Friday, Dec. 2. All officers, including Chief Haslam, have been outfitted with a body-worn camera, which is embedded in the officer’s uniform to prevent it from detaching, and have received training on how the device operates and functions by Motorola.
“Launching our very first body-worn camera program is a great step for the department to further increase transparency and legitimacy in policing within the community, and it couldn’t have been accomplished without the unwavering support from the Board of Selectmen, the Fraternal Order of Police Patrolmen and Superior Officers police unions, and the citizens of Swansea,” Chief Haslam said. “I would especially like to commend the Fraternal Order of Police Patrolmen and Superior Officers police unions for their support and input on this initiative as their collaboration was integral to finalizing our policy which culminated in the launch of this program.”
Under this program, officers are now required by department policy to wear the body-worn camera at all times during their shifts. Policy dictates that they activate the camera during all police interactions, while keeping in consideration the expectation of privacy, such as while on medical calls or when in contact with confidential informants.
In addition to body-worn cameras, the department also outfitted each frontline vehicle with in-car video systems, which include unlimited storage.
The department first approached the Swansea Board of Selectmen in July 2021 to discuss the potential of equipping the department with body-worn cameras. Chief Haslam then presented a proposal to the Board in August 2021 seeking grant funding from the state for body-worn cameras as well as consideration from the town to fund front-line dashboard cameras.
Chief Haslam and the Swansea Police Department received overwhelming support from the Board and went on to apply for a state grant to fund the program.
At a Special Town Meeting held on Nov. 1, 2021, Town Meeting members approved a funding request of $80,000 to purchase in-car video systems (Dash Cams) for all patrol cruisers. Then, on Nov. 18, 2021, the department was awarded an Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research (OGR) Body-Worn Camera (BWC) program grant in the amount of $69,816 to support the body-worn cameras program.
Upon receiving funding, the department was required to come to an agreement with both collective bargaining units of the department on a mandatory policy regarding the use and wear of body-worn cameras.
Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein and Chief Haslam bargained with both the Patrolmen’s Union and Superior Officers Union. An agreement was met and memorandums were signed by both unions and the Board of Selectmen in March 2022.
In October 2022, additional funding for a backup video server, which is needed to ensure the department maintains proper backups of all footage, was approved at a Special Town Meeting.
“I thank the members of the Swansea Police Department for their willingness to be a leader in their industry with the launch of this body-worn camera program,” Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein said. “These cameras are a tool not only in accountability of police officers, members of the public and overall police work, but also a tool for training as our department continually strives to improve.”
Board of Selectmen Chairman Steven Kitchin added, “This is a cooperative effort between the Town and our officers in taking one more step to make all of our police interactions with the public and other parties as transparent as possible. This will protect our officers from frivolous complaints and lead to positive relations with the community.”
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