Brookline Location may be a Factor in Recent Armed Robberies

By: Mary Vitale

BROOKLINE – Around 8:30 p.m. on February 6th, Pramod Bawadi was working the night shift at the One Stop Market on Cypress Street when a man posing as a customer grabbed him from behind, put a knife to his throat and demanded all the market’s money. Bawadi, a 30-year-old resident of Allston, remains wary of customers entering the store.

“It’s been crazy,” he said. “Whenever a guy comes in now, I always immediately get nervous and wonder if he is really a customer or if he is going to try and rob me.”

Eight days later, less than a mile away at a Walgreens on Harvard Street, the store’s assistant manager was locking up for the night when a young man robbed him at gunpoint and stole money out of the cash register. Walgreens’ employees have refused to comment on the incident.

“At this point we do not believe the two robberies were related,” Captain John O’Leary said. “Different weapons were used in each incident and many characteristics about the way each robbery was carried out do not correspond with each other.”

There has been a steady decrease in Brookline crime over the past 10 years. About 1,297 Part A, violent crimes tracked by police, crimes were reported last year compared to 1,714 in 1998, according to the Brookline 2007 crimes statistics report. Violent crimes decreased 28 percent last year.

Armed robberies dropped 5 percent in 2007, however, they decreased the smallest amount compared to other categories of violent crime such as aggravated assault and rape. Residents and storeowners said they feel safe in Brookline, but say armed robberies are inevitable with Boston so close by.

Allen Macpherson owns a Philips TV and Video store directly across from Walgreens and said the recent robbery was a result of criminals having such close access to the businesses of Brookline.

“The Brookline police do a great job keeping us safe, but it is extremely easy for outside criminals to hop in a car, come into Brookline and quickly get back out again,” Macpherson said. “We’re really surrounded on all sides by West Roxbury, Brighton and Jamaica Plain.”

Purma Rajak, another cashier at the One Stop Market, said the store’s proximity to a major road leading in and out of Jamaica Plain leaves them vulnerable to quick and easy robberies.

“It can be a scary location,” Rajak said. “Cars are running all the time past the store and we are vulnerable to robbers who just quickly drive by from other areas and then maybe head back into Boston.”

O’Leary said the robberies may be connected with a crime that has committed other robberies in Brookline.

“We do not think they are residents, but know they have some sort of connections within the town,” he said. “Our location definitely makes us vulnerable to outside crime.”

O’Leary said Brookline police are working with police in Boston and Newton to solve robberies. However, he said robberies are extremely difficult to prevent.

“I don’t think there is really anything the police can do,” Bawadi said. “If someone wants to carry a weapon into the store and steal something, it usually happens in under five minutes. What can they really do to stop that?”

Business owners, including CVS manager and resident Gul Hassan, said they take precautions to protect themselves.

“If I’m here alone at night, I usually lock the door,” Hassan said. “We also installed an alarm system and security cameras, but that is about as much as we can really do.”

The Brookline police department has recommended some tips that may make stores less susceptible to armed robberies, including increased visibility inside stores so pedestrians can see if there is a problem, security cameras, keeping limited amounts of money kept inside the cash register at night, and always keeping doors properly locked after closing. O’Leary said the police department stresses cooperation when citizens find themselves a victim of an armed robbery.

“We ask all residents of Brookline to give into the robber’s demands when they ask for money,” he said. “In the end, it’s only money and it’s not worth getting hurt or killed over.”
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Brookline Town Officials and Activists Clash Over Proposed Tax Override

By: Mary Vitale

BROOKLINE – Town officials and activists spurred this week over whether Brookline taxpayers can afford to approve a tax override to close the town’s $3.5 million budget deficit and to cover expenses for new school programs.

Based on the findings of the Override Study Committee, the total override would cost taxpayers about $6.7 to $7.6 million. Residents and officials questioned where this money, not needed to essentially close the deficit, is coming from. The override is also calling for $1.5 million for town building repair and maintenance, $1.8 million to lengthen the Brookline school day and $800,000 for a world language school program, according to the committee’s recently published report.

Chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen Nancy Daly said the board plans to put the override on the ballot in May, but has yet to decide how to present it to voters.

“The main question before us now is if we include these new programs in the overall override question or if we place them in a pyramid vote to allow voters to decide each clause individually,” Daly said.

A pyramid vote would allow residents in Brookline to vote separately on each proposal put forth by the OSC.

The Brookline School Committee unanimously voiced support for including the new school programs in the tax override last week. Chairwoman Judy Meyers said the programs are vital.

“All these components are really important for moving forward,” Meyers said. “We need these programs to continue to attract excellent teachers who must have adequate time within the school day to teach students all the required learning material.”

Friscia said the additional school programs should be included in the override because residents will only end up paying more to add them in future years.

“Brookline hasn’t had an override since 1994 and hopefully won’t need another one for a long time,” Friscia said. “Rather than put these off until a later date, it makes sense to include these in an override proposal.”

Critics of the override say the additional costs would manipulate voters into spending more of their tax dollars. The Brookline Coalition Against Unfair Taxation said the programs should not be funded until the Brookline budget is under control. Roger Blood, chairman of the BCAUT, said he and his coalition support the initial override to prevent future service cuts. However, he said the costs of the school initiatives should remain a separate question on the spring ballot.

“The prospect of loading and combining costs of new programs with the deficit crisis would be an inappropriate political move,” Blood said. “It is simply wrong to scare the voter on something to avoid cuts without realizing what they’re paying for. We just need to let the voter vote against tax cuts and that’s it.”

Some residents reject the idea of any tax override. Town Meeting member and President of the Brookline Taxpayers Association Michael Robbins said mishandled political spending has caused Brookline’s budget deficit. He added the town government has not considered the effects on lower income residents.

“Many people in Brookline cannot afford more taxes and we don’t want Brookline to become a town where poor people get squeezed out,” Robbins said. “We have to stand up for these citizens who are not usually the ones involved in the politics of the town because they are too busy working to make ends meet.”

Robbins said residents must continue opposing tax overrides because town and school officials are dishonest when they project the money needed for certain projects. He cited an incident a few years ago involving Brookline High School when the school committee claimed they needed $9,000 to build new science labs and ended up spending close to $4 million. Robbins said officials must cut excessive spending.

“Only when you say no to money that isn’t there will the town government start saving money by rejecting frivolous projects,” he said. “An example of this would be the large skyscrapers that some Town Meeting members talked about building. Saying no to things like that not only will cut costs for our residents, but will preserve the beautiful uniqueness of our town.”
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A Brookline Deputy Fire Chief who's not Afraid of any Challenge

By: Mary Vitale

BROOKLINE – One of Keith Flaherty’s fondest childhood memories was going to visit his father at the firehouse in their hometown of Everett. He would walk with his mother to bring his father lunch at the station and then stay for hours, playing inside the big red engines and having a laugh with the other firefighters. When he was off duty, his father even took him to fires throughout Everett to show him how a firehouse operates.

Now, 27 years after becoming a firefighter, Keith Flaherty is Brookline’s deputy fire chief, carrying on the family tradition.

“I just got sucked in,” Flaherty said. “I loved the comradery between the guys at the station and I just loved everything about the job.”

High school friend, Ernie Mollrey, said Flaherty has always possessed the necessary traits for becoming a firefighter.

“Keith has been responsible, loyal and hard working ever since I’ve known him,” Mollrey said. “I can’t imagine him doing anything else, but being a firefighter like his father was.”

Flaherty, who lives in Wilmington with his wife and their three children, joined the Brookline Fire Department in 1982. Today as deputy chief, he is responsible for overseeing five fire stations throughout Brookline, a department that answers approximately 7,500 calls a year and is responsible for 57,000 residents.

Deputy Mike O’Rielly of West Roxbury, who has known Dept. Flaherty for 26 years called him a competent leader.

“He really is one of the best and I’m not just saying that because he’s my friend. I have the utmost respect for him,” O’Rielly said. “He always takes control of the situation and is able to think well under pressure, which enables people working under him to do our job efficiently.”

Lieutenant Joe Bullard of Brookline said Flaherty’s thirst for knowledge about firehouse organization is what distinguishes him.

“He is a fine firefighter,” Bullard said. “He’s knowledgeable and he’s willing to learn more. He is always reading and learning more about different aspects of being a firefighter.”

Flaherty recalled many difficult calls that he has worked as a firefighter. One incident occurred when a cancer patient committed suicide by placing his head in front of an oncoming train near the Brookline Village T stop.

“When you’re involved in an incident, you always try to stay clinical and just get the job done, but once it’s over and you sit down and dwell, you do become emotionally involved in things,” he said. “You know we do see what people think we see, which is the darker side of what goes on in the streets.”

Flaherty said being a firefighter is one of the most exciting and rewarding jobs. He said the comradery between firefighters is one of his favorite aspects of being a fireman.

“To be able to pick up the phone and to have friends who know just know what you’re feeling and thinking is great,” he said. “Being a firefighter has proved to be a great way to really connect with another person.”

Many of Flaherty’s fellow firefighters feel the same way about him.

“He is just a great friend,” Captain Robert O’Connell said. “I’ve known him for 25 years. He’s a wonderful guy who always likes to have a laugh.”

“I really wish I could say something bad about him, but I just can’t” O’Rielly joked. “He’s as good as they come.”

Flaherty said his only regret was not opting to be a member of a larger fire department such as New York City, Boston or Philadelphia. He said when his father died in 1980, his mother was left alone and in declining health so he decided to remain in the area to help take care of her.

“This limited looking around for a bigger job, which is somewhat of a regret,” he said. “But I have never for one second regretted becoming a firefighter…best job in the world.”

Now, Flaherty is trying to figure out what will come next in his future.

“This is a big year for me,” he said. “I’ve reached a point where I’m trying to decide what I want to do in the future. I’ve graduated school, I’ve made deputy chief; I guess I’m trying to pick a new challenge now. I just don’t know exactly what yet.”
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