On Wednesday, Jan. 18, Saugus Police Chief Domenic DiMella, Assistant Chief Leonard Campanello and Board of Selectmen Chairman Scott Crabtree hosted Jorge Archila, vice-consul of the consulate general of Guatemala, at a reception at the police station.
Archila said he recently contacted DiMella as a part of a goodwill mission to reach out to members of the Guatemalan community in New England. He wants to make sure they learn about the services of the Consulate, located in Providence.
The Consulate now provides an identification card in English to Guatemalan residents living in the area. With this identification card, one can open a checking account at the bank and cash checks, Archila explained.
Additionally, Archila said Guatemalan nationals can carry the ID instead of a passport. It helps with overcoming language barriers when identification is needed.
DiMella said the meeting following the reception was an opportunity for the Saugus Police to work with the Consulate regarding issues affecting the Guatemalan community here.
“This is a way for us to keep lines of communication open,” DiMella said.
DiMella added that the relationship would also provide an avenue for addressing problems when they arise.
Campanello told the Advertiser the partnership between Saugus Police and the Consulate is a positive development.
“This is an unprecedented meeting [for the Department] for the Consulate to come out to meet with the police to work on common efforts,” Campanello said. “We hope it will dispel any fears.”
Crabtree noted that Saugus services a diverse clientele, as it contains a highly trafficked area with Route 1 and Route 107 running through it.
Therefore, Crabtree described the relationship with the Consulate as a “good partnership” for educating Saugus about the services Archila’s office provides.
Archila has been spreading the word about the identification card in local cities such as Lynn. He said the effort has been well received thus far.
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