While some local departments called meetings to address new protocols or implemented new safety measures, others kept with their usual routine, reminding their officers to be even more vigilant than usual. But all agreed: The recent violence against police in Dallas, Baton Rouge and elsewhere has put them on edge.
"Of course I'm more concerned because a few months ago, we didn't have this stuff happening. This is a continually growing problem," said Lt. Mike Wagner of the Salem, New Hampshire, Police Department.
Massachusetts State Police Colonel Richard D. McKeon condemned the shooting in a statement Sunday, after noting that the "overwhelming majority" of Americans support police.
"...(R)adicalized criminals and terrorists have declared war on the guardians of democracy -- the police who protect our towns and cities, our streets and our gathering spots, our nation itself," McKeon said. "These murderers and extremists are an evil and cowardly element of our society. We will not let them win; to the contrary, we will pursue them with everything in our power to do so."
McKeon added that the force would remind troopers to always remain vigilant to their surroundings and for their own safety.
By 3 p.m. Sunday, Chief Joseph Solomon of the Methuen Police Department had already called a meeting for Monday afternoon with the department's unions' executive boards to address officers' safety in the wake of the attack on officers in Baton Rouge.
"We don't know what happened in Louisiana right now," Solomon said, "so we're already putting measures into place. Unfortunately, those measures slow police response sometimes, but they're very necessary at least in the immediate aftermath until we find out what's happened."
Solomon declined to go into detail about the additional safety measures, but said officers are currently conducting patrols in pairs instead of on their own. Boston police adopted the same policy early Sunday afternoon.
Solomon said the department started training officers to handle ambushes and situations in which officers or citizens were wounded during an ongoing attack about five years ago. Three years ago, the officers were trained in medical techniques and provided tourniquets. Last year, the department made more changes to the trainings, beefing up protocols for ambush attacks and downed officers.
"We feel it's important to give them the tools our military personnel have," Solomon said. "Every time we see a new tactic (by a shooter), we change the type of training we have. We could train for 365 days a year, and a situation could arise that takes you by surprise."
Meanwhile, police in Andover and Salem said they have not changed their protocol, but are reminding officers to be more vigilant while on patrol or responding to calls.
"I would like to say that we're doing something different, but we're really not in that we always try to be on our toes," said Lt. Wagner, of Salem. "It's not that we're changing anything specific. I think in the mindset of the guys, it sends home that this is real, and it can happen."
Wagner said he feels "the media" is largely responsible for the national unrest that began in August 2014 when Michael Brown, an unarmed teen, was shot and killed by a while police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, and has continued through today.
"The one-sided reporting, the sensationalizing of of incidents and not reporting on other incidents that aren't as high-profile ... it's creating a lot of controversy in this country," he said. "I think journalism needs to go back to just that — reporting the facts."
In Andover, Lt. John Pathiakis agreed that the media, as well as politicians, are playing into the narrative.
"My personal opinion is people have to step back and wait for investigations to be completed before they jump to conclusions," he said. "Then, if you want to protest, protest. Until you have evidence, until you have fact, you just gotta step back and let the authorities do their job."
Solomon said he thinks the issues at the core of shootings like those in Dallas and Baton Rouge are complex and multi-faceted. He noted that he thinks a strong, positive relationship between the public and law enforcement is a step toward resolution.
"Maybe it's a call for everybody to take a breath and speak your mind in a non-violent manner, maybe agree to disagree. I don't know the full answer, but I think of a lot of aspects are going to have to come together," he said. "It's usually fixed by the community and law enforcement coming together."
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