FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ's)
Below are some frequently asked questions which may be helpful to you or others.
QUESTION |
ANSWER |
ANIMAL CONTROL QUESTIONS |
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| My neighbors dog barks all the time? Who do I call? | Contact Animal Control Officer Daniel Chauvin and file a complaint. He will follow-up on nuisance animals Note: The police department is limited in their capacity regarding animal calls. If a dog outside barking and homeowners are not home, the police have no means of impounding the dog. |
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT QUESTIONS |
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I was recently involved in a Motor Vehicle Accident, what do I need to do? |
Download or pick-up an accident report, complete three (3) separate copies and submit them to the following: 1. Your insurance company 2. The department where the accident occurred 3. The registry of motor vehicles address listed on the first page of the accident form. This must be completed within 5 days. Accident forms may be obtained by going to the "Forms" section of this web site and clicking on the accident report link to the Massachusetts RMV web site or at any police department. |
MOTOR VEHICLE STOP AND CITATION QUESTIONS |
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| What am I supposed to do if an officer stops me while I am driving? | Pull as far to the right side of the road as possible in a safe spot. Do not remove your seatbelt until the officer has conversation with you and do not exit the vehicle unless requested. They will request your license and registration at the minimum, which you should have in a location where you can find quickly. |
| I was stopped and received a citation which I do not agree with. The officer would not answer all my questions and just returned to his/her cruiser. Why? | If you have received a civil citation with fine/dollar amounts you have twenty (20) days to pay or appeal the citation and mail it back in the envelope you received on the stop. If you do not agree with the results of the stop, you have the right to two (2) appeals if you wish. The first appeal is held in front of a Clerk Magistrate. You may appeal the citation at a hearing in front of a Judge if you are not satisfied with he clerks findings, which costs a small fee at the time of he clerks hearing. The side of the road is not the proper forum to argue the merits of a citation, first and foremost because of safety. Please utilize the dual appeal process noted above. If you received a criminal citation, the box on the bottom will be checked "criminal application". There will be no fine amount listed on the citation. You may do one of two things: a) Write a letter to the district court clerk's office within (4) days and request a show cause hearing. The address can be found on the bottom right corner of the citation or online. You will recieve a notice for a Clerk-Magistrate hearing within approximately one month. b) Wait and receive a summons for an arraignment in front of a Judge. If you received a written warning, there is no required action. Note: The above citations are all on the same form, the boxes checked on the bottom of the citation determine the type of citation and course of action. |
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