Chief Richard Howe is pleased to announce that the Tyngsborough Police Department launched marine patrols on Lake Mascuppic and the Merrimack River this summer thanks to assistance from the Lake Mascuppic Association, which generously donated a boat to the Department.
The Tyngsborough Police Department also joined the Merrimack River Task Force, a regional collaborative group organized by Massachusetts Environmental Police to create and maintain a safe environment on the river.
Members of the Lake Mascuppic Association, including President Ed Smith, approached Tyngsborough Police in 2020 with concerns about reckless boating on the lake.
Police and community members began discussing solutions. Members of the Lake Mascuppic Association purchased a 1997 Cobia boat at auction last winter and worked with police to refurbish the boat for use as a Marine Patrol Unit.
Tyngsborough Police worked with Environmental Police and the Merrimack River Task Force to have Officers Matthew Koziol, Timothy Sullivan, and Jacob Ahern trained to conduct marine patrols.
Police then used the Marine Patrol Unit to enforce boating laws on Lake Mascuppic, Massapoag Pond, and the Merrimack River, every weekend this summer 2021.
The Merrimack River Task Force was organized by Environmental Police. The Task Force includes the Lowell Police Department, Chelmsford Police Department, Dracut Police Department, Methuen Police Department, Lawrence Police Department, and Andover Police Department. Task Force members patrolled the river throughout the summer.
To view common boating safety tips shared by Tyngsborough Police, click here.