Page 14 - French and Electric Blue - Winter 2017-2018

Helping Fellow Citizens in Need

Troopers Assist Police, Residents in Puerto Rico After Devastation

By Lieutenant Bob Leverone

Hurricanes Irma and Maria decimated assisting the Puerto Rican Policia Estata (State
the island of Puerto Rico in September, leaving Police). They were followed by Wave 2, which
millions without power, running water, and, in departed on October 18, and Wave 3 on November
many instances, without a home. Much of the 1. Upon arrival, all three waves were sworn-in
critical infrastructure of the island, including with Puerto Rican police powers and put to work
roads, bridges and the aging electrical grid were assisting island authorities with calls for service
also destroyed, making everyday life impossible. and traffic control duties in the Carolina area,
just east of San Juan. The Policia Estata were very
appreciative of our support and were effusive in
their praise of our efforts. A special shout-out
goes to Lt. Josue Polanco, commander of the
Carolina district. Lt. Polanco was our direct, daily
contact, and he did everything in his power to
make us comfortable and prepared for policing in
his district.

Many of the patrol duties were carried out
in Massachusetts State Police cruisers, which were
shipped to Puerto Rico in time for Waves 2 and 3.
To say the two-tone blue turned heads would be
an understatement. The sight of our cars elicited
Damaged road in Carolina, Puerto Rico

Lacking the resources to mitigate the wide-scale
calamity, Puerto Rico reached out for help through
the Federal Emergency Management Agency with
an Emergency Management Assistance Compact
(EMAC) request for help.

Massachusetts answered the EMAC
request with an array of assistance, including
law enforcement services. The Massachusetts
Emergency Management Administration sought
officers from around the Commonwealth to
staff three successive waves of police services to
the island. Troopers and officers from around
Massachusetts responded to help, and the wheels Cruiser 1413 at Policia Estata in Carolina, PR
were set in motion to make it happen. Three
composite groups of officers from varying agencies cheers, thumbs-up, honking horns, and fist pumps
were assigned to carry out this historic and vitally in grateful recognition of our service to the island.
important mission. While performing traffic control duties in the hot
sun, our officers were often given food and water
Wave 1 departed Logan Airport on October when performing traffic control duties, despite the
7 to begin the first of three two-week missions
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