What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? I am from Mass and I would like some advise on an arrest. On Oct 31 2003 at 3:00 PM my wife and I walked to the bus stop to pick up our 7 year old son. Right before the bus arrived a police cruiser showed up and parked on our street. My wife and I walked across the street, took our son off the bus, held his hand and proceeded back to our home. As we were walking my son asked why the police were here? I said I don't know, it seems people have too much time on there hands. I made this comment because we were having some serious difficulties with a few of our neighbors. When the comment was made we were walking by the officer who was speaking to one of the female neighbors whose husband is a Watertown Mass Fire Chief. After I made this comment the woman stated to the officer "see he does this all the time". My wife and I just kept walking with our son. A few seconds later the officer yelled out and demanded I walk over to him. The three of us walked over to the officer who was now standing on the sidewalk away from the woman. The first comments out of his mouth were "Mr. R you have to stop wasting our time" I said "what are you talking about?" He said "this is a waste of our time." I said " I still have no idea what you are talking about. Who called you? That is the one who is wasting your time." Now keep in mind my wife was to my left and I was holding my son's left hand. Immediately after I made the last statement the officer grabbed my son by his wrist and pushed him to the ground. He then grabbed my right arm, twisted it and turned me around throwing me up against the police car. The officer forced my arm up behind my back at which time I felt intense pain in my shoulder. He cuffed me and said I was under arrest for creating a disturbance. My son was screaming "NO,NO,NO". My wife started screaming "what are you doing he was just talking to you". It was ironic that on this particular day the neighbors came to the bus stop with video and still camera in thier posession. I was taken to the station and booked for disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. Twenty minutes later as I was still being booked the arresting officer called the station and added a third offense for threatening to commit a crime. He stated that according to the Fire Chiefs wife , while I was in his custody, cuffed in the back seat and as he was driving away to take me to the station I turned, looked through the metal protected holed window and made the statement "I am going to kill you" to the Fire Chiefs wife. The officer didn't hear me say these words while we were in the car together and apparently the chiefs wife can read lips through two inch round holes in metal plates on the cruiser window. As it turns out and was stated on the police report, the Watertown Fire Chief was the one who called the police while he was at work 15 miles away at the Watertown Fire station. At 1:00 PM the Fire Chief called the Maynard police and asked for a police presence for something that he felt might happen. Apparently the police abliged. The charges were eventually dissmissed after 1 1/2 yrs and numerous court appearences and an extreme financial burden on my families savings. My son had to go thru phsycological treatments and I was diagnosed with rotator cuff injuries that required PT and cortizone shots. The Maynard Police even filed a complaint against my wife the same day I was arrested for creating a disturbace because she was emmotional for what happened to me and my son. I found out through the probation office that the arressting officer had a history of bad arrests. The complaints kept on coming from the police. Complaints filed included assaualt, filing false police reports, disturbing the peace,throwing snow on the road, and crimminal harassment. I lived in this town for 20 years and prior to this I never had an issue with the Maynard police. The officers kept suggesting we move out of Maynard. Eventually it took its toll. It cost me $33,000 for this defense, we moved out of town and lost many friends. My 8 year soccer and baseball coaching careers were over as well. I filed an Internal Affair report against the officers and they never interviewed my wife, son or any of the neighbors who knew what was happening and sided with our family. What can or should I do. Do I have any recourse? There is so much more to tell. One example is when the Watertown Fire chief forced my wife and son off the road while driving his Fire Chief's car in Maynard. It was the last day of school and we had already moved out of our home four days earlier. My wife had to drive to Maynard one more time to pick up our son. Five minutes after she picked him up she noteced a red car tailgating her. Suddenly a siren sounded and red flashing lights turned on. The car passed her and forced her off the road causing her to strike her chest on the steering wheel. When the car passed her she noticed it was the Watertown Fire Chief. He had one of his daughters in the back seat. After she regained her composure she continued home now terrified for our son. Approx two minutes later she observed the Watertown fire chief haeding the opposite direction laughing as he passed her. My wife called me at work and told me what just happened. I called the Maynard police to report the event. After I heard nothing back I called the Maynard police chief and he told me the fire chief was taking his daughter to the hospital and he is entitled to use his car for emergencies. The alleged emergency was taking his daughter to the hospital for a hurt hand. Yet my wife observed this same chief driving the opposite way away from the hospital two minutes after he forced her from the road. School just got out 2 minutes earlier and the school did not have to call an ambulance. Knowing about all the tension that existed in our neighborhood, I asked the chief if he requested proof from the fire chief. He responded no it wasn't necesssary. The State police told me this fire chief can not use his vehicle in this capacity yet the Maynard police just allowed it to go unpunished. It goes on and on. What can I do. Please advise. This arrest cost me all of my savings plus the money I put aside for my kids education . I need someones advise. I am now broke, had to up root my wife and three kids and we are still very afraid of the Fire Chief and the powers he holds. I will gladly answer any questions any of you may have but someone please respond.
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