Holland Select Board Appoints New Officer Days After Town's First Homicide

HOLLAND — July 3, 2018 — Holland Select Board appoints first new officer in years as town processes its first homicide in memory. The board voted unanimously July 3 to appoint Jonathan Santos, 28, of Sturbridge as a part-time police officer assigned to the lake patrol unit, contingent on completing field training and a one-year probationary period under MGL Chapter 41, Section 91B. The meeting opened with the police chief delivering a detailed public statement about the June 29 murder of a Holland resident, saying suspect Casper was taken into custody at the scene in violation of a restraining order; the chief noted the investigation is being led by State Police in coordination with the Hampden County DA's office. The board also voted to appoint Jennifer Ohaf as project manager for a land grant application on the Sickles property, approved a $200 MCPPO tuition reimbursement, set an all-boards meeting for July 19 at 7 p.m., and extended fire department appointments on a one-month interim basis pending clarification from the fire chief on why several appointments were tied to his own tenure rather than fixed end dates.