By Rachel R. Briere
The Lowell Sun
LITTLETON, Mass. — As a town-wide hiring freeze continues, budget cuts abound and Littleton experiences fiscal concern all around, the police and fire departments couldn’t have received the news of a large donation at a more pertinent time.
“This couldn’t have been more timely,” said Fire Chief Stephen Carter. “When I got the phone call asking if the fire department would be willing to accept this donation, I couldn’t believe it.”
A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, gave the town’s public safety departments $30,000 a piece. The stipulation is that the police department use the gift to train two new officers and the fire department needed to put it toward equipment purchases that were cut back due to budget shortfalls, Carter said.
“The person wanted to make sure it was put to good use for the firefighters,” Carter said of the donor.
Police Lt. Matthew King and Carter both know who the generous resident is, however they cannot divulge the name. King said the same person purchased the department a new police cruiser about three years ago. The police, who recently were an exemption by the Board of Selectmen to hire two new officers, will use the money to cover all the expenses of training and education. The new recruits will enter the Lowell Police Academy on June 14 and graduate in November, King said.
“It absolutely would have been very difficult to acquire the funding needed for training the officers,” King said. “This person greatly appreciates and speaks highly of the police and fire departments in this town.”
Carter said Coady’s Towing of Lawrence recently gave the Fire Department a heavy-duty trailer that will be used for highway incidents and to tow equipment. He says the department responds to an average of 100 calls on Route 2 and Interstate 495 a year. The donation was used to purchase a sturdy pickup truck to pull the new trailer. Carter says the 2011 Ford F250 crew cab cost $28,170 and should arrive soon.
“We were brainstorming how we could afford to buy this pickup truck when I found out about the donation,” Carter said. “Someone in town really appreciates the public safety we and the police provide. We are both grateful.”
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