Dedham Police Department

05/04/2026

Over the past month, our community has been impacted by a surge in vehicles being entered, items taken from vehicles and vehicles stolen during the overnight hours. We have received 21 reports of vehicles entered since April 3, 2026, along with 8 reports of vehicles stolen since March 26, 2026.

The East Dedham and Oakdale areas have experienced most of this crime.

Most of the vehicles entered appear to have been left unlocked. In one case, a vehicle window was broken. This took place in an apartment complex parking lot.

Several of the stolen vehicles were left unlocked and keys have been left inside vehicles. In a couple of cases, owners reported losing keys recently. All but two of the stolen vehicles have been recovered.

One arrest has been made in relation to a vehicle theft.

These are crimes of opportunity. There are steps that can be taken to reduce the opportunity. These include always locking your vehicle and not leaving valuables inside your vehicle. Park in well lit areas when possible. If you observe or hear anything unusual during the nighttime hours around a vehicle in your neighborhood, please obtain as much descriptive information as possible and call 781 326-1212 for an officer to respond.

Officers will be patrolling neighborhoods during the overnight hours to deter and detect this activity.

05/01/2026

DEDHAM, MASS. - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration calls on drivers and riders to commit to sharing the road through safe driving and riding practices and by recognizing that Motorcyclists’ Safety Is Everyone’s Safety.

Motorcycle ownership and miles traveled have shown steady growth over time, and motorcycle rider fatalities have gone up. “Road safety for motorcyclists should be a concern and priority for every road user. Every year, a disproportionate number of motorcyclists are involved in traffic fatalities,” said Detective Deb Gonski of the Dedham Police Department. “These fatalities can be prevented through consistent safe behavior from both drivers and riders,” she said.

According to the latest NHTSA data, from 2023, 6,335 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes that year representing 15% of all the traffic fatalities. The fatality rate for motorcyclists was 28 times higher than that of passenger car occupants. Speed and alcohol impairment are the leading contributors in fatalities among motorcycle riders. Thirty-six percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared to 22% of all passenger car drivers. Of the motorcycle riders who died in single-vehicle crashes, 41% were alcohol-impaired.

Motorcycle riders practicing these easy safety steps can potentially save lives:
• Ride sober.
• Observe all traffic laws.
• Obey the speed limit.
• Ride defensively.
• Avoid distractions while driving.
• Wear protective clothing and DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets.

For motorcyclists, hands-on motorcycle rider education provides dynamic riding skills and builds rider confidence. Completing such training is essential and may provide insurance discounts while easing the path to obtaining a motorcycle license. Motorcyclists can contact their state motor vehicle administration to get licensed and find a motorcycle rider training course near them.

NHTSA leads efforts to increase helmet use nationwide. Motorcycle riders can learn how to identify a safe, DOT-compliant helmet at NHTSA.gov/Motorcycles. M.G.L. Ch. 90 s 7 requires: Every person operating a motorcycle or riding as a passenger on a motorcycle or in a sidecar attached to a motorcycle shall wear protective head gear conforming with such minimum standards of construction and performance as the registrar may prescribe, and no person operating a motorcycle shall permit any other person to ride as a passenger on such motorcycle or in a sidecar attached to such motorcycle unless such passenger is wearing such protective head gear.

While driving, please remember, motorcycles are everywhere – “Check twice – save a life”.

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04/30/2026

Congratulations and best wishes for a long and healthy retirement to our public safety partner, Dedham Fire Department Chief Bill Spillane. After over 4 decades of dedicated service to the Town of Dedham, it’s time for Bill to enjoy a well-earned retirement. Bill’s steady leadership and extensive experience will be missed. Thanks for all your help over the years.

04/27/2026

⚠️ — We were just notified that the Dedham High School ‘Senior Assassin’ game began today, Monday 4/27🔫

For those unfamiliar with the game, it involves high school seniors tracking each other with the goal of squirting their “target” with a water gun. While this game has been occurring for many years, it has grown to a point where there are, understandably, some safety concerns.

Much of the activity associated with Senior Assassin can appear suspicious, which often results in calls to the Dedham Police. This can include but is not limited to — participants trespassing on private property, erratic vehicle operation, and suspicious activity/loitering in residential neighborhoods.

We politely ask for all participants to refrain from this type of behavior as much as possible and use common sense while playing.

To help keep everyone safe and avoid unnecessary police response:

• Stay off private property unless you have clear permission
• Do not involve cars in any way (no shooting at or from cars, no chasing, following, or approaching cars)
• Use brightly colored water guns only — nothing that could be mistaken for a real weapon
• Avoid sneaking around neighborhoods or playing late at night
• If a situation feels uncomfortable or unsafe, disengage immediately

We also remind our residents to be aware of this game and, if you see anything suspicious, avoid confronting anyone and call us at (781) 326-1212. Thank you!

04/23/2026

HELP NEEDED:

Yesterday, several reports of vehicles being entered were received. One stolen vehicle was reported. This vehicle was subsequently recovered. Streets off of High Street between Dedham Square and East Dedham Square were impacted.

These are opportunistic crimes. We need help in removing the opportunity for these crimes to be committed. Please, lock your vehicle doors and do not leave keys or any other valuables in your vehicle.

If any suspicious activity is observed, please call 911 with as much descriptive information as possible. These crimes typically occur during the overnight hours.

If possible, park in well lit areas and within view of any surveillance cameras.

04/19/2026

As National Public Safety Telecommunicator Appreciation week comes to an end, we’d like to recognize our E-911 Dispatchers for the work that they do to keep our community safe every day. If you need emergency services; police officers, firefighters or paramedics may respond. You see these people. Before the police officers firefighters or paramedics arrive, you may talk with an emergency dispatcher. The people you hear but don’t see perform an invaluable service in collecting information, providing direction to callers, calming people in emergency situations and directing the police officers, firefighters and paramedics to respond. Thanks to our wonderful team of E-911 Dispatchers for all you do to support us.

04/17/2026

Last year our officers issued 389 citations for distracted driving. This risk taking behavior is dangerous and can lead to crashes. Make our roadways safe for everybody, Don't Drive Distracted.

4 likes. "The Dive - Don't Drive Distracted!"

04/17/2026

The Dedham Police Department will once again participate in the DEA National Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday April 25, 2026.

Unused or expired medications may be disposed of in the parking lot area of the Dedham Police Department located at 26 Bryant Street between 10 am – 1 pm on Saturday April 25, 2026. An officer will be present to accept the medications.

Why are the Dedham Police participating in this program?

- Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue which can lead to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse.
- Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision.
- The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends, and the home medicine cabinet.
- Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold.
- Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment.
- Take-back programs are the best way to dispose of old drugs. The Dedham Police accept unused and expired drugs in the public lobby of the Police Station 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

- For more information on prescription drug abuse go to:
o www.dea.gov
o www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com
o www.justthinktwice.com

We encourage all to do some spring cleaning. Check your medicine cabinets for unused and expired medications. Bring them to the Dedham Police Station on Saturday April 25, 2026, between 10 am – 1 pm for safe disposal.

04/13/2026

Yesterday, we received two reports of vehicles being entered overnight in one of our neighborhoods. We need your help to prevent more of these situations.

If you ensure that your vehicle is locked each time you walk away from it and don’t leave any valuables in your vehicle, the opportunity for such crimes to take place will be greatly reduced.

Please protect your property.

04/08/2026

🌟 PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT 🌟

👀 Program Guide Sneak Peek from Page 15
🏌️‍♂️🎯 April Vacation at Topgolf

Join Dedham Parks & Recreation, the Dedham Police Department, and School Resource Officers for an exciting April Vacation trip to Topgolf in Canton, MA! Enjoy two hours of interactive golf games, friendly competition, and great food at this high-energy driving range experience.
✨ No golf experience required—fun for all skill levels!
📋 Event Details:
🎒 Middle School: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
🎒 High School: Thursday, April 23, 2026
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Location: Topgolf, Canton, MA
💲 Fee: $20 per golfer
🚗 Transportation: Participants must provide their own transportation
🎉 Don’t miss out on this exciting April Vacation activity—spaces fill fast!
⚠️ Spots are limited—register today!
👉 https://dedham.activityreg.com/

04/06/2026

Incidents at Sam's Express - April 4, 2026