GEORGETOWN — Prisoner cells at the Georgetown police station were recently upgraded courtesy of metal fabrication students at Whittier Tech, according to the school’s leader.
Seventeen students, working under the direction of welding instructor Steve Palmer, undertook the job after police Chief David Sedgwick shared with the school his concerns about the quality of the sheet metal and brackets inside the prisoner cells and the risk to inmate safety.
“The job was a win-win for everyone,” Whittier Tech Superintendent Maureen Lynch said. “Our students obtained valuable on-site experience, and the department now enjoys better safety features, which benefits the entire community.”
The job consisted of an initial site visit to assess needs, the production of mock-ups, test fitting of the mock-ups, revisions and adjustments, and a final site visit to install the new sheet metal and brackets.
“As always, Whittier Tech is proud to support our first responders in police, fire and EMS,” Palmer said. “On this occasion, the students both did a good job, and improved the capability of the police to serve our community.”
Whittier Tech and the Georgetown Police Department share a close and longstanding relationship. Last fall, the school’s culinary arts program prepared and supplied cookies and pastries for the swearing in of Sedgwick.
“I couldn’t be prouder of, or more thankful to the students,” Sedgwick said. “They completed a job on-time, on-spec, and to a high standard of quality. I’m confident that our residents will soon enjoy access to many talented metal fabricators.”
The metal fabrication program at Whittier Tech is also working on a community service project for the Georgetown Fire Department.
The students included Anthony Ferullo of Haverhill, Caleb Clocher of Amesbury, Ryan Deschenes of Haverhill, Aengus Longtin of Newburyport, Noah Allen of Haverhill, Adrian Angeloni of Rowley, Elodie Bonfiglioli of Haverhill, Emma Casey of Georgetown, Katreina Green of Haverhill, Joseph Lefebvre of Haverhill, Tosh Napier of Rowley, Oliver Noel of Amesbury, Taylor Robinson of Amesbury, Emme Roy of Salisbury, Ryan Savage of Newburyport, Hilde Vienneau of Groveland and Zachary Zimmerman of Newbury.