Police Department Overview
The Lyme Police Department strives to provide professional police services that meet the needs of community members and are cognizant of traditional values.
Staff Contacts
- Anthony Swett — Chief
- Nicholas Terino — Officer
Contact Information
- Office Phone: (603) 795-2047 (if no answer, connects to Dispatch Center)
- Dispatch Center: (603) 643-2222
- Fax: (603) 795-9368
- Emergency: 911
- Address: One High Street, PO Box 126, Lyme, NH 03768
Winter Weather Driving
Winter weather affects driving conditions on all road surfaces.
- Road surfaces can be slippery even after plowing.
- Snow build‑up along the shoulder narrows travel lanes; drivers should slow and allow safe passage when meeting oncoming vehicles.
- If your vehicle breaks down, try to get off the road and contact Dispatch with location and removal time.
- Park off the road when snow or ice removal is forecast; vehicles left at the edge of the road may hinder plowing and could be towed.
- Snow shoveled, blown, or pushed onto the road creates hazards and burdens town services; do not place snow on maintained road surfaces.
- Items like stakes that obstruct snow removal operations may be removed by highway crews under RSA 236:29.
Theft Prevention Tips
To help reduce thefts and burglaries in the community, consider the following:
- Lock your doors.
- Watch for unfamiliar vehicles parked in your neighborhood; note license plates and vehicle types.
- Report suspicious persons or activities to the police (795‑2047; if not answered, Hanover Dispatch will pick up).
- If leaving town, complete a vacant house form so the department knows how to best assist.
- Test any alarm system, update contact information with the monitoring company, and activate the alarm whenever you leave home.
- A vigilant neighborhood watch can act as a strong deterrent to theft.
School Zone Safety Information
The Lyme Police Department has noted unsafe activities in the school’s safety zone, especially during winter months.
- High snow banks can prevent proper parking and lead to unsafe unloading in the travel lane.
- Wet, snowy, or icy roads increase stopping distance; visibility can be poor, and drivers sometimes fail to clear snow or ice from windows before driving.
- The recommended safe drop‑off location is the driveway loop; arriving early helps avoid congestion before 8 AM.
- Stopping in the travel lane to wait for the driveway to clear is not allowed.
- Riding the school bus is encouraged as the safest and most environmentally friendly way for children to get to school.
- There is a designated bus stop for every child; contact the school principal for specific stop information.
School Zone Traffic Laws
- Posted speed in the school zone is 30 MPH; during school zone hours the limit is 20 MPH.
- School zone hours apply 45 minutes before and after school opening and closing times (7:30‑8:15 AM and 3:00‑3:45 PM, except Thursdays when school closes at 2:00 PM).
- Pedestrians should cross at marked crosswalks; motorists must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
- Vehicle doors must not open into moving traffic unless reasonably safe.
- No stopping or parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, in front of driveways, in travel lanes, or where prohibited by signs.
- Vehicles must be parked parallel to and facing the direction of traffic where allowed.
- Drivers must not have obstructed vision due to snow, ice, stickers, or other nontransparent materials on windows.
- Drivers and passengers under 18 must wear properly adjusted and fastened seatbelts; children under 6 years old and under 55 inches must be in appropriate child restraint systems.