Belmont Police Launch Academy, Address Scam Spike
Journal_ Police Chief Shane Smith · Meeting of September 24, 2026
Belmont's new police chief warns of a check-washing and scam surge while rolling out a Community Police Academy. Chief Shane Smith, five months into the job after 24 years with the Salem, New Hampshire police department, told Belmont Journal that Belmont recorded 53 arrests last year compared with roughly 1,300 projected this year in Salem. Smith said organized check-washing rings are hitting Belmont mailboxes "almost every week" and that he personally knows residents who sent scammers "upwards of $30,000" in grandparent-impersonation schemes.
The department's first Community Police Academy begins in October, run through Lieutenant Paul Cowen, and its first staff awards ceremony in over a decade is set for November at Belmont Country Club. Smith also discussed the department's response to the arrest of middle school teacher Leon Dyer, led by Massachusetts State Police's Internet Crimes Against Children unit, and said Superintendent Jill Geiser organized a parent panel afterward. Smith said he has hired six new officers, with a seventh starting January 5.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 1,962 words
Source: the Journal_ Police Chief Shane Smith meeting of September 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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