Milford officials are threatening two businesses - a Dunkin' Donuts coffee shop and a
Two hypodermic needles were found at the Dunkin' Donuts at 16 School St., with one discovered in the bathroom in February, and the other thrown in the trash in July, according to an incident report by Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin. Presented at last week's meeting of the Board of Selectmen, the report listed incidents at 36 establishments requesting police services from January to October.
Selectman Brian Murray said the Dunkin' Donuts was too close to the Stacy School and the Milford Town Library, and that the presence of the needles in public areas is unacceptable.
"So far, a total of 12 incidents have been reported over the course of the year, including several instances of youth loitering, suspicious persons, and other disturbances," he said.
The board asked O'Loughlin to contact Dunkin' Donuts management to address their concerns.
The board also asked the chief to contact the management at McDonald's at 139 South Main St., following his report of more than 16 incidents requiring police action over the course of the year, most involving large groups of youths congregating outside the restaurant and creating disturbances.
In one incident, a store manager reported that the driver of a car tried to hit him; in another, employees said they were being harassed by youths at the drive-up window. An incident of underage drinking led to the arrest of two minors for unlawful possession of alcohol.
Murray said that despite video surveillance, the McDonald's is developing as the site of an increasing number of disturbances involving young people, which he attributed to its new amenities. The McDonald's reopened for business in August 2006 after undergoing a renovation, and now features flat-screen plasma televisions, wireless Internet, and late hours of operation, including a 24-hour drive-up window.
There were other establishments, such as Pinz Entertainment at 110 South Main St., that had 12 incidents. "I'm not as alarmed by Pinz because it didn't rise to the level of finding hypodermic needles at Dunkin' Donuts," said Murray. "I can't recall seeing that level of brazen drug activity in an establishment, so, for me . . . that's a red flag and that's why I cited that incident over and above the others."
O'Loughlin said it was important to keep things in perspective. "The fact that two needles were found at the Dunkin Donuts over a year-long period is indicative of the fact that individuals using illegal drugs did so on at least two occasions over a period of 365 days. Although a concern, this is not indicative of a drug problem."
In a statement, Stephen J. Caldeira, chief public affairs officer for Dunkin' Brands, said, "The safety and well-being of our store employees and customers is extremely important to us. Our franchisee is aware of the disturbances reported in Milford, and will do his part to work with the local authorities to solve the problem."
Art Rico, operations manager of McDonald's Boston Region, said in a statement, "We have long-standing safety and security policies and procedures in place at the McDonald's restaurant located at 139 South Main Street in Milford. Like all area businesses, we are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to work with the Milford Police Department to ensure that we are providing a safe and pleasant restaurant experience for our customers and employees."
