Police, Fire & Courts

Jewelry store thief sentenced to prison

A New Bedford man who stole jewelry from two stores at the Dartmouth Mall has been sentenced to serve up to five years in state prison, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday. Jesus Torres, 29, pleaded guilty in Fall River...

Police investigating delivery robbery

A driver was allegedly robbed while making a delivery on Walsh Street Saturday night, according to Dartmouth police. Officers were called to the scene at around 9:45 p.m. to meet with the driver who reported the theft.He told police that while he...
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Man arrested with illegally possessed gun after dispute at Dunkin’

Dartmouth Police arrested a Connecticut man they said threatened Dunkin’ employees with an unlicensed firearm. Officers were called to the franchise’s Dartmouth Street location on Sunday, June 19 at around 11:10 a.m. Upon arrival, they learned an...

New Bedford fugitive found in Connecticut

A New Bedford man wanted on charges of sexual assault who recently fled the area with his two minor children has been arrested in Connecticut. The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that 46-year-old Leon Mejia-Vicente was...

New Bedford man wanted for child rape

Authorities are asking the public's help in locating a New Bedford man accused of the rape and abuse of a child. They also hope to find his children, who they believe to be in danger. On Wednesday, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office...

Man arrested for vehicle break-ins near Mirasol’s

Dartmouth Police arrested a man Tuesday suspected of breaking into multiple vehicles at Mirasol’s Cafe. At around 11 a.m. police responded to the scene following reports of a suspicious man looking inside of vehicles. Upon arrival, police found the...

Fire District 2 to renew search for new chief

Dartmouth’s Fire District 2 Prudential Committee decided at a Monday night meeting to seek candidates to replace former Fire Chief Timothy Andre, who resigned from the position last November . The move is the most tangible sign yet that the...

Fire District 2 officials signal intention to seek new chief ahead of Monday meeting

Dartmouth’s Fire District 2 Prudential Committee will hold a meeting on Monday in which they will “review the employment status” of Acting Fire Chief Greg Edgcomb before discussing the search for a new fire chief, according to the meeting agenda...

Dartmouth schools to see increased police presence through end of academic year

In response to last week’s mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, police announced Wednesday that Dartmouth’s public schools will see increased security through the end of the academic year. Police said the decision was made in collaboration with the...

Fire District 1 welcomes new firefighter

Dartmouth’s Fire District No. 1 added a new firefighter to its ranks: Alexander Magalhaes. The recruit recently completed his training at the State Fire Academy, graduating with 34 others on May 23 at Bridgewater State University. “Now the work...

Fire Chief’s extension at risk amid contract dispute

The contract extension of District 2 Interim Fire Chief Greg Edgcomb may be in jeopardy. At a heated Prudential Committee meeting on May 24, newly-elected members said they were blindsided by an already-signed contract that they, along with the...

Dartmouth man arrested following standoff with police

A Dartmouth man was arrested after an extended standoff with police on Sunday, May 22, according to Dartmouth Police. The man, Derrick Paine, 40, of 1 Fenton St., reportedly barricaded himself in his house with a firearm following an altercation in...

State Supreme Court rules sheriff’s office can charge commissions from inmate calls

The Massachusetts Supreme Court on Tuesday, May 17 affirmed that Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson and his office have the authority to generate and collect revenue from inmate calling contracts. Hodgson praised the ruling, calling it a “win for...

Four new officers join Dartmouth Police Department

Dartmouth Week - Dartmouth, MA news
Expect to see four new faces patrolling town. On May 17, Max Szteligan, Logan Larrabee, Everett Normandin, and Caden Kehoe were sworn in as the latest additions to the Dartmouth Police Department. The four recently graduated from nearly six months...

Missing Dartmouth man found dead

A Dartmouth man who was reported missing earlier this week was found dead Wednesday afternoon, according to Dartmouth Police. Police said the department received a call at around 2:45 p.m. from a woman stating that she believed to have found the...

Fire District 1 approves reduced budget, higher pay rates

Dartmouth’s Fire District 1 held its annual meeting on Wednesday, May 11 unanimously passing every article of its warrant with little discussion. In total, the meeting voters approved a budget of $1,358,715, a decrease of $17,672, or about 1.3%,...

Fire District 2 voters reject proposal for new full-time firefighters

Dartmouth’s Fire District No. 2 saw a record turnout at its annual meeting on Monday night, May 9 with voters filling the Russells Mills village station to consider large-scale changes to the department’s structure that were ultimately rejected. “It...

Police seek help in finding missing Dartmouth man

Police are searching for a Dartmouth man who was reported missing Monday. Anthony “Tony” Medeiros, 55, is described by police as white, 5’10” with brown eyes, bald, and with a goatee. He was last seen around 9 a.m. Monday walking along Beverly...

Fire District 3 approves budget at annual meeting

Dartmouth’s Fire District 3 held its annual meeting on Monday, May 2, where voters unanimously passed each item of the district’s budget for fiscal year 2023. The district’s budget will total $3,602,367.94 for the next fiscal year, $330,731.59 less...

Murphy retains seat on Fire District 1 Prudential Committee

Fire District No.1 held its annual election last week and Kevin Murphy will remain on its Prudential Committee for another three-year term. This year’s election saw 46 ballots cast, with Murphy receiving 27 votes. His opponent Steve Melo received 15...

Police investigating shots fired near mall, no injuries reported

Dartmouth police are currently investigating gunshots fired near ALDI late Friday night. Police said the shots were reported at the mall parking lot at around 10:30 p.m. No injuries were reported. Upon investigation, police said detectives recovered...

Here's what's on the docket for Dartmouth's fire district annual meetings

The town’s three fire districts will each hold their annual meetings in the next few weeks to approve new budgets and other items, including the possibility of more full-time firefighters in District 2 and a vehicle replacement for District 3. The...

Write-ins take over Fire District 2 prudential committee spots

Despite not appearing on the ballot, two new faces will be added to Fire District No. 2’s prudential committee. The committee's annual election was held on April 25 and saw 198 residents cast their ballots — one of the highest turnouts in years,...

Man arrested for narcotics, posession of stun gun

A Dartmouth man was arrested Sunday evening after police found him operating an unregistered vehicle on a suspended license, along with possession of narcotics and a stun gun. Police said 25-year-old Gary Hamel was stopped at around 6:10 p.m. on...

Dartmouth motorcyclist hospitalized after head-on collision with car

A 53-year-old Dartmouth motorcyclist is in the hospital with serious, but non-life threatening, injuries after colliding head-on with a car in the area of 95 Russells Mills Road on Friday, April 22, according to Dartmouth Police. The 2022 Harley...

New Bedford man arrested for car break-in

A New Bedford man was arrested for allegedly breaking into a vehicle near the town line on April 13. According to Dartmouth police, officers responded to Walsh Street on a report of a male breaking into a vehicle at 12:20 a.m. The officers observed...

UPDATED: Two rescued from vehicle submerged in Lake Noquochoke

Police rescued two people from their vehicle on Friday night after a 21-year-old motorist drove into Lake Noquochoke, police said. According to police, at approximately 10:40 p.m., emergency crews responded to the area of 950 State Road where they...

UPDATED: Suspected Dartmouth arsonist arrested after hours-long chase

A man suspected of starting a fire in a South Dartmouth home was arrested at the Connecticut border after an hours-long chase on Wednesday, April 13. Ian Grant, 36, of Dartmouth was taken into custody around 2 p.m. after an hour-long standoff with...

Three arrested in narcotics bust at Dartmouth motel

Three Bristol County residents were arrested and two were charged with possession of illegal substances on Tuesday, April 5 in relation to a narcotics investigation at a Dartmouth motel, according to Dartmouth Police. Justin Reilly, 42, of Taunton...

Former Dartmouth resident indicted for string of sexual assaults

A former Dartmouth resident was indicted last week by a grand jury on multiple charges, including three counts of rape that took place in New Bedford in 2013, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced Wednesday. The indictment...

11-year-old injured in campfire explosion

An 11-year-old was injured Saturday night after his campfire exploded, according to Dartmouth Police. Police said emergency crews responded to a residence on Collins Corner Road at around 9:20 p.m. after reports that the child had received multiple...

Fremont Street house fire extinguished without injury

A house fire at 26 Freemont St. in Padanaram caused damage to the roof and interior walls but no injuries to the occupants on Tuesday, March 29 as Dartmouth Fire District 1 arrived quickly to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters received a 911 call...

Incendiary structure fire under investigation

Police and fire crews are currently investigating the cause of a fire that occurred at an abandoned building on Saturday. According to Dartmouth Fire District No. 3, a passerby reported seeing a structure fire at 498 Old Westport Road at around 8:21...

UMass Dartmouth police union calls on university to remove chief

Dartmouth Week - Dartmouth, MA news
The union representing UMass Dartmouth’s police department is calling on university officials to remove chief Haydee Martinez from her position, accusing her of fostering a hostile work environment and being “unwilling and unable to effectively...

Eight graduate from Bristol County Correction Officers Academy

The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office welcomed its eight newest corrections officers at academy graduation on March 9. Over the past eight weeks, graduates completed both classroom and hands-on learning on a variety of corrections topics, including...

Man pleads guilty to Dartmouth robbery

A New Bedford man could face up to 20 years in prison for the July 2021 robbery of the Bristol County Savings Bank in Dartmouth, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday. On March 10, 43-year-old New Bedford resident David Frates pleaded...

Fire District No. 1 awarded grant money for fire safety training

Fire District No. 1 has been awarded more than $4,000 in state grants for fire safety education, Chief Peter Andrade announced. According to a press release from the department, $3,100 of Student Awareness of Fire Education grant money will go...

New Bedford man accused of exposing self in Dartmouth parking lots

Police arrested a New Bedford man they say allegedly exposed his genitals to two different woman in two different retail parking lots in Dartmouth on Valentine’s Day. Police said the suspect, 25-year-old Noah Garris, was identified after patrol...

Gov. Baker signs Nero’s law into effect

Dartmouth’s four-legged K9 officers will now be able to receive immediate emergency care and transport if they are injured in the line of duty under a new law signed by Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday. The bill, known as Nero’s Law, was initially...

New Bedford man arrested for exposing self at Dartmouth store

A New Bedford man accused of having repeatedly exposed his genitals to employees of the Dartmouth Mall H&M store was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 7, according to Dartmouth Police. Police were called to the scene after the suspect, Jeremiah Moran...

District No. 2 offering CPR training classes

Dartmouth Fire District No. 2 is will be holding American Heart Association certified Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training at its Russells Mills Road station. Participants will learn compressions and how to use and automated external...

New Bedford woman killed, two injured in Dartmouth crash

A New Bedford woman died Sunday night in a single-vehicle crash that left two other passengers with serious injuries. State police said troopers from the Dartmouth barracks responded to the crash on I-195 westbound in Dartmouth shortly after 10 p.m...

Fire District No. 3 seeks call firefighters

Dartmouth Fire District No. 3 is seeking applicants interested in becoming call firefighters. Those interested in becoming call firefighters must be at least 18 years old, must have a valid driver’s license, and must live within District No. 3’s...

Conch shell murder suspect pleads ‘not guilty’ in Fall River court

FALL RIVER — David Reed, who is accused of of killing his half-sister with a conch shell in 2001, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and armed robbery on Friday, Jan. 21. Reed agreed to be held without bail until trial and to have no contact...

20-year-old woman dies in Dartmouth crash

Dartmouth Week - Dartmouth, MA news
A 20-year-old New Bedford woman died early Friday morning in a single-vehicle crash in Dartmouth, according to state police. Police said troopers from the Dartmouth barracks responded to the crash on I-195 westbound near the Faunce Corner Road exit...

Fire District 1 awarded grant for safety equipment

Fire District No. 1 has been awarded a $19,000 state grant, Fire Chief Peter Andrade announced. According to Andrade, the funding, provided by the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2021 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program, will be used...

Canfield Street garage fire extinguished without injury

A small fire was extinguished at a residential garage on Canfield Street on Wednesday, Jan. 12, leaving minimal damages and no reported injuries. Dartmouth Fire District No. 1 responded to the incident and was able to put out the flames before they...