Tag Archives: police

Walpole Police Officers to Receive Award

COMMUNITY NEWS 08/21/2026 Leave a comment

On December 5, 2025, Walpole Police Officers Joshua Healy and Jonah Merkle responded to a call to locate a missing person. They quickly realized that this was not simply a search for a missing individual—the person was likely injured and in urgent need of assistance.

Within a very short time, Officers Healy and Merkle located the individual lying in the Cold River and suffering from severe hypothermia. Thanks to their quick response and the efforts of the Walpole EMS team, the individual was rescued, transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, and ultimately made a full recovery.

On September 25, 2026, Officers Healy and Merkle will receive the New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Award. This award recognizes law enforcement officers who go above and beyond their normal duties in service to others and is presented by members of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation.

Please join me in congratulating Officers Joshua Healy and Jonah Merkle on this well-deserved recognition and thanking them for their dedication, professionalism, and service to the citizens of Walpole.

Steve Dalessio

Special Town Meeting Results

Uncategorized 08/18/2026 1 Comment

At 7pm on 8/17/2026 voters met at the Town Hall to vote on just one Article.  The article was in regard to the Town acquiring a 3 million dollar Bond to help build a new Police Station.

The results of the Special Town Meeting are as follows:

There were 175 ballots cast.

104 were in favor of the Article.

71 were not in favor of the Article.

To pass an Article regarding a Bond, a 3/5 majority is required.

3/5 of 175 ballots is 105.

Therefore, the Article was NOT passed, because 105 votes in favor were needed but only 104 were cast in favor.

Opinion: Police Station Building

OPINIONS 08/18/2026 Comments: 2

[Editor’s Note: Occasionally, The Walpolean receives correspondence that addresses a current topic affecting the local community. Robbie Mahrou asked me to share his letter about the Police Station Building. Robbie is a Walpole resident and Independent candidate for Congress in NH-02.]

When I think about our police department in Walpole, I know the right answer. Justin and his team need a new home. I have spent time with him, I understand his dilemma, and frankly, it kills me how we have failed him.

But we also need to understand how we got here.

For four years this project has been kicked around. I have been to a number of the meetings and asked some pretty basic questions. What is our actual crime profile? What do our officers deal with most? Senior fraud, scams, domestic incidents, traffic issues and the everyday problems of a small rural community. Why do we need three holding cells? Are we designing this building around Walpole’s actual needs?

Too often, the answer came back to the grant and federal specifications.

There is nothing wrong with taking grant money. Hell, we should. But the first question should have been, “Justin needs a police station. What does Walpole need that station to be?” Instead, it feels like we started with what the grant would fund and worked backwards.

Now we are looking at a $5 million-plus project and roughly a $30 tax increase per $100,000 of home value. That is a significant burden, and it doesn’t end when construction does. We will own, heat, maintain and repair this building for decades.

So where was the bigger conversation? If we are making a $5 million investment in Walpole, why weren’t we asking what else we could accomplish with that investment? We have an aging population, medical access needs, farmers who desperately need processing capacity, and a future operating budget to consider. Where was the discussion about solar, renewable energy and lowering the lifetime cost of the building?

I am not saying a police station needs to solve every problem in Walpole. It doesn’t. But a $5 million investment should have brought a broader conversation than simply meeting grant specifications.

And there is another issue: local control. If Walpole taxpayers are paying for this facility, we should have a say in what activities take place inside it and what our building, personnel and resources are being used to support. We have to follow the law, but there should be transparency and local oversight before taxpayer-funded resources become part of federal immigration enforcement or other federal operations.

You remember Andy Griffith? Small town, different needs. Walpole is Walpole. We should build for the community we actually have.

I don’t blame Justin. I think we failed him. We waited too long, and now he is trying to solve a problem inside a process that became too expensive and too restrictive.

Justin needs a new home. Walpole taxpayers deserve a responsible investment. Those two things should never have been put at odds with each other.

We can do better. And frankly, we owe it to ourselves to do so.

Robbie Mahrou

Police Station Building Committee Meeting Minutes – 8/10/26

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POLICE STATION BUILDING COMMITTEE

Meeting Minutes

August 10, 2026

Steve Dalessio called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm in the Selectboard Office. Present were Andrew Dey, Cheri Watson, Trevor MacLachlan, Jay Punt, Chief Justin Sanctuary and Peggy Pschirrer.

The Committee reviewed the final floor plan of the proposed new Police Station.  All agree that if the building were to be built tomorrow, they would be happy with results.  

Both Trevor MacLachlan and Andrew Dey reviewed the detailed cost estimates.  The Committee discussed potential cuts to the proposed budget.  Granite curbing will be limited to the front of the building. Cost of siding will be reviewed.

Mr. Dalessio reminded the Committee of the public informational meeting to be held Saturday, August 15 at 10 am in Town Hall.  The Special Meeting is scheduled for August 17, 2026, at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.  Jack Wozmak, Town Moderator, will conduct the meeting as he does every Town Meeting.  The only agenda is whether the Town will vote to accept a three-million-dollar bond for construction of the new station.  Voters will register as they do at any Town Meeting.  Bond issues require a 3/5 vote to pass – or 60% of the voters present and voting.  The Committee will meet briefly at the end of the Special Meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:40 pm.

Police Station Bond Information Meeting Minutes – 8/15/26

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[Editor’s Note: The Selectboard has requested a Special Town Meeting that will be held tonight, August 17, 2026 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall, for the purpose of approving a Municipal bond of $3,000,000 to build the new police station. Walpole residents are encouraged to attend.]

Town of Walpole, New Hampshire Information Meeting

New Police Station Bond

AUGUST 15, 2026

Selectboard Present: Steven Dalessio, Chair; Carolyn Vose and Cheryl Mayberry

Staff Present: Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

Public Present: Sign in Sheet Attached to Official Minutes in Selectboard Office

Call to Order: Ms. Vose called the Information Meeting to order at10:04 AM in the Walpole Town Hall. This is a discussion in preparation for the Special Town Meeting Monday evening, August 17th at 7:00 PM in the Town Hall.

Why do we need a new police station? For the protection of our officers, to provide an adequate work environment, and for efficiency. The discussion bounced around a lot, so rather than chronological minutes, the questions are grouped by topic.

The Building: The Committee has worked on the design of the building for three years. When first presented to the voters, it was larger and would have cost $7,000,000 to build. The Town felt that was too much space and too expensive, so it was back to the drawing board and the frills were removed.

  • The Charlestown Police Station, built in 2010, has a much smaller footprint. What does it not include that we need? They have two stories, but they have less holding space and fewer Sallie ports. When both stories are considered, the Walpole plan is just slightly bigger.
  • Will the Juvenile holding be separate from adults? Yes, there are three one-person cells, one of which can be totally separate from the others, including solid walls and a pull-down shade (similar to what schools have for classroom security).
  • How are we going to prevent vehicles from driving into the building? Although not shown in the rendering, there will be granite boulders between the parking and the building.
  • What is the maximum size of the force that the building is designed for? It is designed to accommodate up to ten officers. We currently have six. It is expected that the building will be adequate for fifty years. There is also space to the north to enlarge the building if needed.

The Police Department: The Department consists of Police Chief Justin Sanctuary and five other officers.

  • How many arrests are there? We have about 100 – 180 arrests per year. However, there are about 400 calls per month. Because currently the only way to detain someone is to handcuff them to the wall, the three holding cells will provide better options for the officers and they will not have to do as much on the side of the road. The holding cells are a much better option.
  • How do we get to see the monthly Police stats? The Police Department prepares the statistics monthly and they are sent to the Walpolean and Clarion, but that doesn’t mean they are published. Moving forward, they will be published on the Police page on the Town website (WalpoleNH.us) – that way the Town can ensure this information is published.
  • Why is the Walpole Police Department so much larger than surrounding towns?
  • If the population is greater than 3,000, the Town is required to have a Police Department. Walpole is the only Town around that has managed to be fully staffed for the last two years. Alstead is now down to one officer, other towns such as Westmoreland and Chesterfield depend on the State Troopers for policing, but the Troopers are also overloaded, and they need to prioritize which calls to respond to, often when the situation has escalated to an emergency.
    • Because of our location, we are easily accessible from Interstate 91 via the two bridges in Walpole, and there is a lot of traffic between Claremont and Keene. All of this means more police calls and more patrols.
    • Our Police handle personal disputes. People don’t talk to each other and work things out, so the Police handle the resolution. This is better than not having issues resolved as in other towns.
  • Why does Walpole respond to calls in other NH towns and in Bellows Falls? Walpole is a member of Mutual Aid (both Fire and Police). When there is an emergency Walpole will respond if requested. The Towns with no Police Department can’t return the favor. However, it works very well with Bellows Falls – Walpole is there about 6 times a week and they help us about 6 times a week, especially when there is no one on duty in Walpole. We do not have enough Officers to cover 24 x 7, and they help us while our officers get to the emergency from their homes.
  • Why do the officers take their cars home, especially when they live outside Walpole – that’s a big expense? We do not have full-time coverage, so when there is an emergency, the officers respond directly from home to the scene. That saves a lot of time over driving their own cars to the police station to get their cruisers to go to the scene.
  • Statistics say that when there are more cops, there is more crime. Actually, the crime is there either way, but it is not being addressed or reported unless there are police officers.

Funding the Construction of a New Police Station: There seems to be a consensus that the current Police Station is not adequate, but there is concern about how a new station will be paid for, and how much it will cost taxpayers.

  • How much will the new Police Station cost and how will it be paid for? The estimate is that the Station will cost about $5,200,000 – the previous estimate is 18 months old. An additional professional estimate is being prepared. At the same time value engineering is starting so the Committee will know which items add the least value. For example, granite curbs all the way around might be replaced by concrete.
  • Walpole has already been approved for a $2,058,000 Federal grant. On Monday night there will be a vote on whether to get a 20-year $3,000,000 bond to build the Police Station. If the bond is accepted, a Police Station will be built on Upper Walpole Road. In addition, checks are arriving almost daily in response to the fundraising request.
  • If the bond is approved, how much will it cost taxpayers? The interest rate on the bond will be released in January. It is likely it will be 3-4% as the current rate is 3.84%. It will be a fixed rate bond, which means the annual expense will decline as it is paid off. If our rate is 3.84%, the impact on taxes would be $0.35 per $1,000 assessed (about $88 on a $250,000 assessed home) in the first year and decline for the remaining years.
  • Someone could build a house that size for $1,000,000, so why is it so much more expensive to build a police station? There are special codes for public buildings, and a police station has additional costs like a separate HVAC system for the area where drugs are processed, walls must be bullet proof, and it will have ballistic glass.
  • Are there special requirements for the grant? The Federal government requires that competitive wages be paid and that we “Buy America – Build America” (i.e. use American made products”), which increases the cost.
  • How can construction costs be controlled? There will be an escalation clause in the contract, and there will be a competitive bid process to build the Police Station.

The Process to Get a New Police Station: The next step is the Special Town Meeting on Monday, 8/17/2026 at 7:00 at Town Hall.

  • What is next? The next step is to attend and vote on Monday.
  • How does the Special Town Meeting work? Just like the Annual Saturday Town Meeting.
  • Can we vote on paper ballots? Typically, the Moderator would call for a voice vote. If there is any question what the outcome is, the Moderator will call for paper Yes/No ballots. Also, if the Moderator is presented with a request signed by five (5) registered voters before the vote, there will be no voice vote, and it would move directly to paper ballots.
  • What if the vote is to approve the bond? The Committee will continue its work finalizing the design details and put the Police Station out for bid. The Selectboard will obtain the Bond.
  • What if the vote fails on Monday? The vote will be back on the ballot in March, but the cost of construction is expected to be higher due to inflation and other factors.

Adjournment: Ms. Vose declared the meeting adjourned at 11:10 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the August 20, 2026 Selectboard meeting.)

Special Town Meeting – 8/17/26

Uncategorized 08/12/2026 Leave a comment

Special Town Meetings are a rare event.  Special Town Meetings may be scheduled only with the permission of the Attorney General’s office and an agreement from the Superior Court. The format of the meeting follows the same format as any annual Town Meeting.

The Selectboard requested the Special Town Meeting to be held August 17, 2026, at 7:00 pm in Town Hall for the purpose of approving a Municipal bond of three million dollars ($3,000,000).  Approving this Bond will enable the Town to move forward in the construction of a new Police Station.  Denying the Bond will push the bond vote to March 2027, delay construction and significantly increase the cost.

The New Hampshire Bond Market does not set its interest rates until the date of the Bond sales which will be in January 2027.  However, recent interest rates for twenty-year bonds have been 3.84%. The Town could assume at that rate, their annual principal payment would be $150,000; debt service would be $115,200.  Our tax impact would decline each year as bond balance is paid down and interest expense decreases.  This is hypothetical until the interest rate in determined in January of 2027.

The Police Building Committee has held several public meetings and have responded to citizens’ concerns that the building was too big and/or too expensive.  Walpoleans agreed through these discussions that our current station is too small, unsafe and ill equipped for the Officers who work there.  Our Police Officers are confronted daily by a wide variety of crimes involving drugs (I-91 is a drug corridor), potential suicides, burglaries, speeding, car/truck accidents, battery, domestic violence, runaways etc.  They experience it all.  They deserve a safe, well-equipped building in which to work.

Recently, our Police have seen an increase in retail thefts, an increase in DUIs (often involving motor vehicle crashes), and increased requests by homeowners for house checks while they are on vacation.  

The Speed Radar Trailer was on Main Street by Union Street for a week in July. It was monitoring traffic coming into Town.  In one week 16,563 vehicles were traveling north. One hundred eighty (180) of them were traveling over 35 mph in a 25-mph zone. The average speed was 24 mph.  Currently the radar trailer is on County Road where a recent car clocked by at 70 mph!

All the while our Officers are at work, the Police Building Committee is raising money to supplement a USDA grant of two million dollars and with your support a three-million-dollar Bond.  We will build a new station! Thank you for your contributions.

Please join us all Monday, August 17 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.

Peggy Pschirrer

Police Station Building Committee Meeting Minutes – 7/13/26

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POLICE STATION BUILDING COMMITTEE

Minutes of July 13, 2026

Steve Dalessio called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm in the Selectboard Office. Present were Andrew Dey, Trevor MacLachan, Jay Punt, Cheri Watson, Chief Justin Sanctuary and Peggy Pschirrer.

Trevor MacLachlan moved the minutes of June 29, 2026, be approved; Cheri Watson seconded the motion, and the minutes were approved unanimously.

Ms. Pschirrer distributed letters addressed to local Walpole citizens and business. She asked that committee members sign and write a message on each letter.  The letters will be folded, put in an addressed envelope which will include a return envelope and be mailed tomorrow, July 14th.

Mr. Dalessio distributed the newest drawings of the police station which illustrate the changes within the building and the addition to a covered entry in the front of the building. The training room will be accessed from the lobby.  The officers’ work room has been moved and the entry to the mechanicals’ room will be at the front of the building.  There will be no storage space in the overhead mechanicals room.  This new drawing will be displayed with the Town for residents to see the proposed changes.  The size of the building is unchanged.

The committee discussed the location of a dumpster and the location of a tower which will be built on a pad at the back of the building.

The Special Town Meeting to request the approval of a three-million-dollar bond will be held August 17, 2026, at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.  The Selectboard and Sarah Downing are working with the Bond Attorney Renelle L’Huillier of Devine Millimet, to meet all the requirements of an application for a municipal bond for twenty years. Applications for the Bond market are due in October for a purchase of a bond in January 2027.  Bonds are also available for thirty years.

During the last public meeting, someone ask if absentee ballots would be distributed.  The answer is “no”. Absentee ballots for any annual meeting or special meeting are not legal because the warrants under consideration may be amended during a meeting, thus nullifying any absentee ballot.  

Rena Peck of USDA in NH has asked that the Town arrange a meeting with her to begin the process of accessing the federal grant we have been awarded.  We will meet as soon as possible.

Ms. Pschirrer agreed to call Mike Hubbard’s landscaping service to request he mow the Lot on Upper Walpole Road where the police station will be built.

The committee discussed the need for a construction manager (CM); Mr. Dey has sent the group a list of potential CMs.  An RFP will be prepared for distribution.

A review meeting is scheduled for July 16, 2026, at 2:00 pm with Black River Design. Mr. Dalessio will circulate the web site; anyone may attend.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held in the Selectboard Office on August 10th at 6:30pm.

Police Station Building Committee Meeting Minutes – 5/11/26

Police Building Committee, Uncategorized 06/03/2026 Leave a comment

Police Station Building Committee Minutes

May 11, 2026

Steve Dalessio called the meeting to order at 6:35 pm at the Hooper Institute. Also present were Cheri Watson, Trevor MaLachlan, Jay Punt, Chief Justin Sanctury, Andrew Dey, and Peggy Pschirrer.

The Committee reviewed and approved the contract with Black River Design Architects, PLC.  It was agreed that weekly meetings would be held with Chief Jutin Sanctuary, Mr. Dalessio, and Black River, preferably scheduled for an afternoon, on Thursdays. Chief Sanctuary will be our primary contact with Black River.  It was also agreed that the design changes would be made available in August if the petition for a special Town Meeting is approved by the court.

Mr. Dalessio distributed an outline of fundraising techniques as well as drafts of AI generated fundraising letters.  Ms. Watson has also drafted fundraising letters for local businesses and residents.  Ms. Pschirrer suggested a return envelope be inserted in each letter which will have a suggested gift amount as well as the name of and address of the donor. The envelope will be returned to the Town of Walpole to the attention of Sarah Downing who will be overseeing the fundraising tracking efforts.  It was also suggested we provide a QR code tied to a website at Town Hall for future gifts.

We have verbally been told we have received a federal grant from USDA; Rena Peck is our USDA contact.  The USDA office is minimally staffed. Although we have some information about the grant and its requirements, we are yet to receive everything we need to access the funds.  Our local fundraising the federal grant and a municipal bond of three million dollars are essential to our successful building of a new police station.

Our next meeting will be June 15, 2026.

The meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.

Peggy Pschirrer recorded these minutes.

Police Building Committee Meeting Minutes – 3/11/26

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Police Building Committee Minutes

March 11, 2026

Peggy Pschirrer called the meeting of the Police Building committee to order at 6:30 pm in Walpole Town Hall.  Those present were Steve Dalessio, Jay Punt, Andrew Dey, Chief Justin Sanctuary present by Zoom, and Cheri Watson.  Trevor MacLachlan was absent.  

Ms. Pschirrer acknowledged the resignation of Davd Adams and thanked him for his service.  Mr. Adams will be kept remain on the email list for minutes and agendas.

The Committee received eight responses to the Committee’s Requests for Proposals.  Mr. Dey distribute a scoring matrix for those proposals and suggested we eliminate those proposals the Committee did not believe met our criteria.

Mr. Dey led the discussion citing the features which did not meet our criteria.

Four proposals were eliminated from consideration and four were selected to have more extensive discussion at the Committee’s next meeting.  

Each member of the committee will receive a by email a matrix for the remaining proposals to be completed and returned to Mr. Dalessio no later than March 18.

Because these are public minutes the firms will not be listed because no firm has been notified of the Committee’s decisions.

The Committee will meet March 25, 2026, at 6:30 PM at the Hooper Institute to further discuss the four remaining proposals in detail and decide whom to interview.

The group agreed we will need an Owner’s rep; we do not have the staff to handle all the details, grants etc.

At this point there is confusion in the NH USDA office because our federal grant is the same amount, $2,058,000, as the federal grant given to the Walpole Fire District. Mr. Dalessio is communicating with Rena Peck who is in the NH Office of the USDA.  The staff at USDA has been significantly reduced so Ms. Peck’s workload has been increased.

Attorney Hockensmith has written our appeal for a special Town Meeting for the purpose of presenting a Warran to the voters for an approval of a Bond for the cost of the new police station.  

The Committee will begin fundraising in mid-late April.

Peggy Pschirrer

Police Building Committee Meeting Minutes – 2/18/26

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Police Station Building Committee Minutes

February 18, 2026

The Police Building Committee was called to order in the Walpole Town Hall at 6:30 pm by Peggy Pschirrer.  Present in person were Steve Dalessio, Jay Punt, Andrew Dey, Chief Justin Sanctuary, and Zoom, Cheri Watson and Trevor MacLachlan.

Mr. Dalessio distributed a list of the architects/engineering companies who had indicated they are interested in submitting a proposal for the new Police Station.  The deadline for proposals is February 27, 2026. The Committee will meet on March 3 at Town Hall to review the proposals.

The Committee agreed that a construction manager should be sought before the owner’s representative.

Mr. Dalessio will contact Rena Peck to discuss our USDA grant and its requirements.

Chief Justin Sanctuary has created stationery for the Committee to use in its fundraising which will not begin before the middle of April.  The Committee has made suggestions for changes in the stationery.  

Attorney Hockensmith has drafted an appeal for a special Town Meeting to present a warrant to the voters authorizing the purchase of a bond for the construction of a new police building.

The next meeting of the Committee will be March 3, 2026, at Town Hall to review the proposals from architects and engineers.