East Bridgewater Police Detective John Grillo
How long have you been an East Bridgewater Police Officer?
I will be a full time East Bridgewater Police Officer for 20 years in September 2016.
How many years total have you been in law enforcement?
A total of 30 years
What is your current position within the Department? I am currently a detective
How long have you been in this role? I have been a detective for 10 years
Describe what your duties and case work include within the Detective Division?
I follow up on general cases that patrolmen initiate and do not have the ability to perform the complete, follow-up investigation. I further perform all sexual-based crime investigations, oversee the Sex Offender Registry, and perform sudden death investigations.
I am responsible for crime reporting statistics and juvenile lock-up reports submitted to the Commonwealth. I am the firearms licensing officer and evidence vault officer. I take care of the station’s detainee cells and cell check reporting to the Department of Public Health.
I perform town by-law enforcement in conjunction with the building inspector as well as town licensing inspections and background checks for alcohol establishments and motor vehicle dealers.
I write the grant for under-age alcohol enforcement and administer the grant to perform liquor compliance checks, party patrols and surveillance patrols in the town.
What specialty trainings have you attended over the years?
I have attended numerous training programs in my employment with the East Bridgewater Police Department. I began my career working midnights for the first year. I was then assigned to the day shift and became a Community Policing Officer. I attended specialized training in Community Oriented Policing, sponsored by the MA Chiefs of Police Association, and began the child safety seat program in town after attending the MA Governor’s Highway Safety Council training on the proper use and installation of child safety seats. I am very proud of this program. I also wrote the grant and performed the duties as the liaison for the Executive Office for Public Safety and Security Click it or Ticket Program. I also attended a Police Problem solving certification.
When I became the School Resource Officer in 2001, I furthered my training to include the National School Safety Center training for the COPS in Schools program. I attended the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Safe School Initiative program, a specialized child abuse course as well as many domestic violence courses. I attended the Railroad Safety and Education Program provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. During this time I also attended a Patrol Officers Tactical Training Course.
As a detective my trainings include The MA Police Training Council Sexual Assault Investigator course as well as the Plymouth County District Attorney Human Trafficking investigation and recognition program. I also attended a Sudden Death Investigation for first responders course, Buccal DNA collection, and the warrant writer and investigation program sponsored by the MA State Police. I attended a Juvenile Gang Training sponsored by the Brockton Police and the Department of Youth Services. As the Firearms Licensing Officer I attended a Firearm Law course and as the Sex Offender Registry Officer I attended a MA Sex Offender Training class. Since becoming the Evidence Control Officer I have attended two trainings, one sponsored by the International Association for Property and Evidence and a second by Roger Williams University for Property and Evidence Room Management. Like all officers I have attended the 911 Power Phone Emergency Medical Dispatching training, AED training, Taser, electronic control device, and less-lethal training.
Do you have any hobbies?
Anyone that knows me is aware that I am an avid Science Fiction fanatic. I like to collect memorabilia and autographs from television and movie stars. My favorite hobby is building scale models in many different mediums. When I was the school resource officer I had an after school program that brought model building to the fifth and sixth grader students.
I am also a member of the Masonic Fraternity and have served as a Master of my lodge. I have and continue to volunteer at blood drives and Child Identification Programs (CHIP) throughout eastern Mass.
Are you involved with any other organizations in town on a volunteer basis?
For several years I was a member of the East Bridgewater Community Drug Council. The Drug Council was a partnership between the Police, School, and Community Members to perform programs to enhance the DARE program in a different way. The most recognizable event was the summer kick-off Concert on the Common featuring Dale and the Duds. The Drug Council was dissolved but the East Bridgewater Recreation Commission continued to sponsor this event to keep the tradition going.
I am currently a member of The Board of Directors at East Bridgewater Community Television. Our duties on the board are to act as overseers of the employees at the studio and give them the tools they need to operate EBCTV in a positive and professional manner. I began as a television producer and have three very different program series that I created. When a position on the board opened I was honored to be asked to serve on the board.
I have also been an instructor at the Boy Scout Merit Badge Academy.
What do you like most about being a police officer?
I truly enjoy being a police officer, following up on investigations and bringing successful prosecutions is only part of the job. Having the ability to positively effect this community, as a police officer, as a role model to our children, helping our adults, and elder community members is the most rewarding part of my career. Being a police officer, and most especially a detective, were career goals that I am proud to have accomplished.