First group of Massachusetts officers returns from Puerto Rico
The first wave of Massachusetts law enforcement officers deployed to assist with hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico has returned after two weeks on the island.
The group included members of state police, Boston police, and other local departments, according to a state police Facebook post on Tuesday. In Carolina province, the officers helped their Puerto Rican counterparts maintain overall security, as well as assisted local residents in need.
The post recounted a story about State Police Sergeant Christopher Sanchez, who helped retrieve a new wheelchair for a girl with disabilities whose familiy had lost everything in the hurricane. The story is just one of “countless” more from first responders in Puerto Rico, state police wrote.
https://www.facebook.com/MassStatePolice/posts/1501693756581269
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced on October 4 that 69 members of Massachusetts law enforcement would be sent to the island. The second wave of officers is still in Puerto Rico, with a third group set to deploy in the near future, according to the state police post. Thirteen state police cruisers were also shipped to the island for use.
More than a month after Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico, three-quarters of residents are still without power. The official death toll for hurricane-related deaths has risen to 51 due to diseases caused by contaminated water.
