Athol Police Department

06/11/2026

06/10/2026

🚔 A Momentous Evening for the Athol Police Department 🚔

Tonight marked a significant milestone for the Athol Police Department as we proudly celebrated the swearing-in of six promotions and appointments within our department. Recent retirements have created opportunities for growth and advancement, resulting in considerable movement throughout our ranks. Through every transition, our staff has worked seamlessly together, demonstrating the professionalism, dedication, and teamwork that make APD such a strong organization.

This evening, we were honored to swear in:

🔹Douglas Kaczmarczyk – Police Lieutenant
🔹 Corey Brown – Court Officer
🔹 Steven Adams – Detective
🔹 Paul Forand – Patrol Sergeant
🔹 Zachary Duguay – Detective
🔹 Josh Barriere – Patrol Officer

We are incredibly proud of each of these individuals and look forward to watching them excel in their new roles while continuing to serve the Athol community with distinction.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Town Clerk Nancy Burnham for coordinating tonight’s ceremony and for administering the oath of office to each of our officers. We would be remiss if we did not also congratulate Nancy on her recent recognition as Town Clerk of the Year, a well-deserved honor that reflects her dedication and service to the Town of Athol.

Please join us in congratulating all of tonight’s honorees on their accomplishments and wishing them continued success in their careers!

👏 Congratulations to all! 🚔🎉

06/10/2026

If interested in attending this seminar on Fraud Training, please email Officer Donald Hager so they can have a headcount prior to the date: [email protected]

06/05/2026

🎓 Athol Royalston Regional High School Graduation – Class of 2026 🎓

The Athol Police Department would like to remind residents that tonight is graduation night for the graduating Class of 2026 at Athol Royalston Regional High School.

Graduation ceremonies begin at 7:00 PM. Motorists should expect increased traffic congestion in the area before and after the ceremony as graduates, families, and friends travel to and from the event.

Please drive safely, remain alert for increased pedestrian traffic, and allow extra time if traveling through the area this evening. We also encourage everyone celebrating tonight to do so responsibly.

Congratulations to the Athol Royalston Regional High School Class of 2026 on this outstanding achievement. We wish all of our graduates the very best as they begin their next chapter! 🎓🎉

Congratulations, Class of 2026! 👏🎓🚓

06/02/2026

Wildlife Update (June 2, 2026)

▪️Over the past two weeks Animal Control has responded to an elevated number of calls involving animals (primarily foxes, raccoons, and skunks) exhibiting neurological symptoms.

▪️One symptomatic fox was submitted for rabies testing with a negative determination received on June 1, 2026.

▪️Based on consultations with state agencies, veterinarians, and other experts, the working theory is a likely outbreak of canine distemper rather than rabies, though rabies cannot be ruled out in all circumstances.

▪️Distemper is not a risk to humans but is highly contagious to dogs, particularly those not vaccinated.

▪️Animal Control has received guidance from Mass Wildlife and other partners re: testing, response, and potential control measures.

▪️If erratic wildlife behavior is observed contact the Athol Police Department non-emergency line 978-249-3232 to ensure timely response, including after hours.

▪️Residents should avoid contact with wildlife, report unusual animal behavior, and keep pets supervised and up to date on vaccinations.

▪️Please remove any food you have outside for wildlife such as birdseed. Food sources bring wildlife closer together and can aid in the transmission of diseases.

▪️The Town is planning a vaccination clinic in Athol; more information and guidance will be posted as needed.

North Quabbin Regional Animal Control
Athol Selectmen

06/01/2026

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of retired K9 Officer Gronk.

K9 Gronk was appointed as a K9 Officer for the Town of Athol on June 25, 2017, alongside his handler, then-Officer Craig Deveneau. Throughout his distinguished career, Gronk served the citizens of Athol with unwavering loyalty, dedication, and professionalism. He assisted in numerous narcotics investigations and missing person searches, helping to keep our community safe.

During his nearly nine years of service, Gronk achieved and maintained multiple certifications, including Patrol K9 Team and Narcotic Detection K9 Team through the Boston Police Canine Academy. He also earned certifications through the North American Police Work Dog Association in obedience, article searches, area searches, building searches, tracking, and aggression control, and achieved excellence in certification through the United States Police Canine Association. In addition, Gronk completed the required 16 hours of monthly continuing education training throughout his career.

Earlier this year, due to his age and Sergeant Craig Deveneau's promotion, Gronk retired healthy on February 8, 2026. He spent his retirement enjoying life at home with Sergeant Deveneau.

Recently, Gronk was diagnosed with an aggressive and untreatable form of cancer. On May 30, 2026, Sergeant Deveneau made the difficult and compassionate decision to put his trusted partner to rest.

The bond between a K9 and their handler is unlike any other. Gronk was more than a police dog; he was a partner, protector, and beloved member of the Deveneau family and the Athol Police Department family.

In honor of Gronk's service and sacrifice, Athol Police officers will be wearing mourning bands on their badges until Gronk is returned home to Sergeant Deveneau from the crematorium.

We ask that you keep Sergeant Deveneau and his family in your thoughts during this difficult time as they mourn the loss of a loyal companion and friend.

Thank you, Gronk, for your years of faithful service to our department and community. Your pawprints will forever remain in our hearts. 💙🐾

Rest easy, K9 Gronk. We have the watch from here.

05/29/2026

A great training opportunity being hosted by our neighbors over at Orange Ma Police Department!

As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics used by scammers. Fraud schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, making it more difficult than ever to distinguish between legitimate opportunities and scams that are simply too good to be true.

To help raise awareness and protect our community, the Orange Police Association is partnering with the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office to host an informative Fraud Awareness Training focused on current scam trends, warning signs, and practical ways to avoid becoming a victim.

Unfortunately, these scams often target older adults and vulnerable members of our community. We encourage everyone to bring along family members, friends, neighbors, or loved ones who may not see this information themselves so they can also benefit from this important presentation.

The training will be held at the Ralph C. Mahar Auditorium on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM. Coffee and refreshments will be provided, and the event is free and open to anyone in community and surrounding towns.

If you plan to attend, we kindly ask that you RSVP to Officer Donald Hager at [email protected] so we can have an estimated headcount for seating and refreshments.

We look forward to seeing you there as we work together to keep our community informed, aware, and protected.

05/29/2026

Update- Please know that we only cover Athol, Orange, and Royalston. If you are having issues with wildlife in another town, please call your local ACO or Police!

05/29/2026

Athol fire and police were honored for their response to a logging accident on May 2, in which they were able to successfully rescue an injured man from a tree and transport him to the hospital.

05/28/2026

The Athol Police Department has been receiving complaints regarding parking issues at Fish Park. Please be advised that parking is not permitted in any area clearly marked “No Parking.” Officers will be conducting extra patrols in the area and monitoring the situation closely. Vehicles parked in posted no parking areas will be subject to ticketing.

In addition, parking on the grass is strictly prohibited. Any vehicle found parked on the grass that causes damage to the field or surrounding area may be subject to towing at the owner’s expense.

We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in helping keep Fish Park safe and accessible for all visitors.