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The vehicle is in fair condition and runs well.

Sayers Donates Cruiser To Pittsfield Police

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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Henry 'Hank' Sayers is donating the 2000 Ford to the Pittsfield Police Department.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After towing two of their vehicles, the owner of Sayers Auto Wrecking thought it was time the Auxiliary Police got a new vehicle.
 
Henry "Hank" Sayers recently purchased a 2000 Crown Victoria at auction and is donating it to the Pittsfield Auxiliary Police. The City Council accepted the donation two weeks ago and the vehicle is awaiting pick up.
 
"I knew they were short [a vehicle] and everybody has tight budgets. They don't have a lot to work with," Sayers said on Tuesday.
 
Sayers knew a new car was needed after towing two of auxiliary vehicles. At auction, he found a series of former Connecticut police cars and purchased them all — selling some to a local taxi company and keeping one to donate to the police.
 
"It has the whole police package," Sayers said of the car. "It is in fair condition. It runs good. It is one of the better riding ones."
 
The vehicle has some life left in it. Sayers will ultimately see it come back to him in a few years, when he'll scrap it and make a few bucks. But for now, the city doesn't have to dip into its capital borrowing to purchase a new cruiser.
 
The Auxiliary Police will use it for patrol, special events and emergencies. The vehicle needs a paint job and some "TLC" but should be fairly easy to get on the road.
 
This is the second time Sayers has donated to the Auxiliary Police. About seven years ago, he passed on a vehicle that he had donated to the town of Lanesborough. Lanesborough's first K-9 unit car was donated by Sayers in a same fashion and when the town bought a new cruiser, it came back to Sayers, who offered it to Pittsfield.
 
"They have one of ours already," Sayers said. 
 
The City Council was grateful for the donation. Vice President Christopher Connell added that it could give the city the opportunity to use the old car as a "decoy," parked in places of high speeding.

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PHS Students: Be Kinder About Our School Amid Scandal

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Pittsfield High School students are keeping their heads up despite the the scandal that's embroiled the school.

Their ask? Think twice before making negative comments as an outsider.

"Right now, our school is going through, obviously, a lot but from what I have personally seen, I don't think our community has ever been stronger and I just don't think people are getting that," 10th-grader Benjamin Glockner said, reporting that it has been "negative after negative" when hearing from community members.

There was the usual feedback from residents at Wednesday's School Committee meeting but this time, it was matched by testimony from the young people who attend the school.

Student Jessmirac Perry said PHS has experienced its share of negativity "And unfortunately, a significant part of that has come in the form of racial comments and passive-aggressive behavior."

On Dec. 11, PHS Dean of Students Lavante Wiggins was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine. He was the first of three staff members to be put on administrative leave, the other two being investigated by the state Department of Children and Families. Another former staff member at PHS is also under DCF investigation and a civil complaint has been filed against a recently retired teacher and the school related to sexual harassment.

"Recently, I noticed how the arrest of Mr. Wiggins has been used as an example to make racial comments that target the Black community. For example, I overheard someone saying, 'Of course, Mr. Wiggins was dealing drugs. He's a Black man with a Maserati,'" Perry said.

"Yes, what Mr. Wiggins did was wrong but the comments like this go far beyond him as an individual. They hurt an entire community. They perpetuate harmful stereotypes and create an environment where students of color feel judged and unwelcome simply because of their race. No student should ever feel like they can't achieve their goals or that their potential is limited because of the color of their skin."

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