Sector policing to help with rowdy students

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - Amherst Police are asking for residents’ help after dozens of student arrests last weekend.  They are now looking to include residents in the "sector policing” process.

The effort comes after Labor Day weekend, which turned out to be a busy one for the department. Just as thousands of students moved into the town, police arrested more than 30 students and cited thirty others for alcohol and noise violations. 

“I come from Providence which has a good population there of students and I think the communities where people live just really need to work together to make it a better community,” said Daisy Broudy who moved to Amherst in November.  

Amherst Police have divided the town into six sectors and assigned up to five officers to continually patrol the area. Sergeant Brian Daly says they are trying to increase the dialogue between residents and sector officers.  

“Take a proactive approach in trying to get these problems to [not] start, before we have to get to the point of custodies and vandalism.  We are tying to change behaviors, really at the ground level,” said Daly. 

And changing behaviors is what Dick Howland says he’s been doing since 1952, when he first moved to Amherst.  He tells 22News dealing with them is a constant battle but something as simple as knocking on their door and introducing himself has gone a long way.

“I've always been living around students and I feel like a have a pretty good relationship. I like to have it quiet and I like to be able to say it, please keep it quiet,” said Howland, a retired lawyer who represented UMass students.

Amherst residents told us they were pleased with the police department's quick response to noise disturbances this past weekend. 

If you would like more information on sector policing, click here .