State Troopers hit the dunes for safety

REVERE – At any given time of the day or night, a steady stream of Massachusetts State Troopers can be seen patrolling Revere Beach with one mission in mind: keeping the busy area crime free.?It?s all about visibility,” said Sgt. Ralph McNeil. “We?re not out here to punish anyone, or to be the biggest jerk in town. We?re here to keep the area safe for people of every age to have a good time.”McNeil, who heads the Troop A Community Action Team (CAT), which patrols the Revere, Lynn and Nahant beaches, has taken a different approach to crime fighting.Slowly cruising along the sandy shore on a John Deere all-terrain vehicle, Trooper Mike Crowley and his partner survey the crowd of beach goers, keeping a watchful eye out for alcohol or any suspicious activity.?We really needed more exposure on the beach and this gets us to where we need to be,” Crowley said. “It makes it a lot easier, plus, it beats walking.”With a top speed of nearly 40 mph, Crowley said the Gator is key for assisting with water rescues, injuries, and other medical needs. It also works out well for transporting those who have been arrested.?Before we got the Gator, if we saw someone smoking pot or drinking on the beach, a lot of times, we couldn?t get there fast enough,” McNeil said. “Trooper Crowley saw one that DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) was using last year on the beach and borrowed it. It worked out well so we made a request to headquarters (in Framingham) and got one for the summer months.”On any given night, McNeil said Crowley picks up six or seven offenders on the beach as part of a zero-tolerance policy to keep the area and boulevard a safe and clean spot for families and people of all ages to visit.?We look for anything and everything,” McNeil said. “Sometimes you see things and just shake your head and laugh. But if something we see is a health concern, we call an ambulance. If someone needs to sleep it off, we take them into protective custody. But if someone is causing a problem, we arrest them.”Aside from the Gator, McNeil said troopers have access to several hand-held thermal imaging machines to track down suspects hiding in the shadows, which can also pick up a heat image on beer bottles or even guns quickly tossed away.?It gives us total access,” McNeil said. “Doris Park (across from the beach) used to be a haven for gang activity a couple of years ago but, by being a pest and always asking ?What?s your name, etc??, the gangs don?t come here anymore. The whole atmosphere has definitely improved.”Once the summer months come to an end, the CAT team transitions into a different mission and assist officers in cities such as Lynn, Lawrence and Lowell.?We?ll arrange a Friday or Saturday night in, say, Lynn because of their volume of arrests and coordinate with them,” McNeil said. “It?s full teamwork and frees them up. Plus, if they happen to have a major incident, we?re there to help.”