Select Board opens three-part diversity series with policing roundtable

LINCOLN — September 22, 2020 — Lincoln Select Board opens three-part diversity series with two-hour policing roundtable. Member Jonathan Dwyer moderated as Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Police Chief Kevin Kennedy briefed roughly 77 residents on bail reform, diversion, training and use-of-force policy; no votes were taken. Ryan said her office's 2018 decision to stop seeking pretrial bail in non-incarceration cases produced only a half-point bump in failure-to-appear rates, which "flattened right back out." Kennedy reported 9,459 traffic stops in the most recent reporting year and said Hispanic motorists are disproportionately summonsed for driving without a license. Town Administrator Tim Higgins put the LPD budget at roughly $1.8 million — 93 percent personnel, 4.3 percent of town spending — and acknowledged the 13-officer force includes one female officer. Kennedy said he will bring a body-worn-camera proposal to the Select Board before requesting capital funds. Roundtables 2 and 3 follow Oct. 7 and Oct. 21.