Police Department
Monthly Report
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Police Department |
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James L. Cetran
Chief of Police
In November, 2007 two (2) Probationary Police Officers successfully completed all of their assigned Field Training phases and are scheduled to begin solo patrol at shift change on December 3, 2007. A third Probationary Police Officer has completed six weeks of basic training at the Connecticut Police Academy. Graduation for this officer is expected in March 2008 and should be available for solo patrol in August 2008.
On Wednesday, November 7th & 14th, 2007 the Wethersfield Police Department Training Unit hosted a two day class entitled "ICS-400 - Advanced Incident Command." This training was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room.
On Thursday, November 15, 2007 the Wethersfield Police Department Training Unit hosted the second day of six days of "Capital Region Police Recertification - Supervisor Program." This program is sponsored by the Connecticut Criminal Law Foundation and continues one day per month through April, 2008. This training was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room.
On Tuesday, November 6, 2007 at 12:30 AM a clerk at a local convenience store called Wethersfield Police dispatch on a routine line and reported a suspicious male. The clerk reported that a male entered the store with blood on his hands and face. The clerk did not see any cuts on his hands or face and he was unsure where the blood was coming from. The male told the clerk that he had punched a window, but again, the clerk did not see any cuts. The male left the store and the clerk called the police and gave a description of this suspicious male. Two officers were dispatched to the call. A short time later the first officer saw a male walking on the Silas Deane Highway. This male matched the description of the suspicious male. The male pulled a gun out of his waistband and the officer's immediate reaction was to drive away from the male. The officer got out of harm's way, then turned his cruiser around, and came back towards the male. He parked his car and used it as cover.
The second officer arrived on scene. The male jogged away from the first officer towards the second officer. The male now pointed the gun at the second officer. The first officer saw the male point his gun at the second officer. The first officer told the male to drop his gun. When he did not, the officer fired at the male, in fear that the male might shoot the second officer.
A third officer arrived on scene and parked near the second officer. As the second and third officers tried to get the male to drop the gun by issuing verbal commands, the officers briefly lost sight of the male in the confusion and darkness. A fourth and fifth officer arrived on scene and also gave verbal commands for the male to drop his gun. The second officer saw the male and the male fired two rounds at the officers. The third officer on scene fired one round at the male striking him and causing him to fall to the ground. The male was treated for his wounds and transported to the hospital. The male later died at the hospital.
On Sunday, November 11, 2007 at about 1:10 AM a patrol officer saw a vehicle traveling on the Berlin Turnpike with a motor vehicle equipment violation. A check of the registration showed that the vehicle was not registered. Upon stopping the vehicle, the operator opened the door, stepped out and dropped an unknown object on the ground. The officer found that the male had dropped a knife on the ground. The male told the officer that he also had another knife on him. The officer asked the male if there were any other weapons in the car. The male told him that there was a BB gun in the car. The officer found that the male had a suspended driver's license and placed him under arrest. Upon searching the car, the officer found a police style flashlight and two pairs of handcuffs. A further search revealed a small circular ninja type knife. The officer also located 2 bags of crack cocaine and other drug paraphernalia. The male was placed under arrest and transported to Police Headquarters.
On Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at approximately 12:21 PM a patrol officer saw a vehicle traveling on Maple Street pass a vehicle in a no passing zone at a very high rate of speed. The officer attempted to catch up to this vehicle but the vehicle continued to drive erratically. At about the same time Wethersfield dispatchers were taking a shoplifting complaint from a local Department Store in which a male attempted to steal an $800.00 coffee/espresso machine. The male did not get the machine and ran away and got into a waiting vehicle. This vehicle matched the description of the vehicle the officer was trying to catch up to. The officer tried keeping the vehicle in his sight but lost sight of the vehicle over the Putnam Bridge into Glastonbury. A short time later the Detective Bureau Commander spotted the vehicle in Glastonbury and was safely able to pull the car over. The driver was placed under arrest. Inside the car officers found a computer that had been stolen that morning from Wal-Mart in Cromwell.
In November, 2007 members of the Detective Bureau initiated or were assigned follow up to thirty two new cases. Major case investigations include one robbery, five fraud cases, three burglaries, one identity theft, one narcotic case, four wanted persons and three larcenies. Detectives also processed six pistol permit applications and two background investigations.
On Wednesday, November 14, 2007 WPD Detectives assisted the Patrol Division in investigating a reported armed robbery which occurred on a bank located on the Silas Deane Highway. The manager of a local restaurant was robbed while he was making the restaurant's night deposit. The victim stated that he was robbed of cash and check receipts by two males who were armed with a handgun. The case is presently under investigation by detectives.
During the month of November, 2007 the School Resource Officer (SRO) investigated six incidents resulting in incident reports. These incidents included two trespassing complaints, one larceny complaint, one found property complaint and one missing person complaint. Three infractions tickets were issued as a result of the two trespassing complaints.
During the month, the SRO also covered numerous complaints resulting in mediations for incidents occurring both in and out of school. The SRO also assisted in three incidents of students acting out towards teachers which were then handled internally by Wethersfield High School administration.
Finally, the SRO attended the weekly STAR and bi-weekly security committee meetings.
The Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled thirty-one incidents involving forty-three juveniles. In these incidents, no juveniles were arrested for criminal violations. The Juvenile Unit also assisted Silas Deane Middle School staff with a SDMS student who has frequent truancy issues.
In November, 2007 the Wethersfield Police Explorers participated in a mock SWAT mission using simmunition guns and projectiles. The mission was the culmination of several weeks of SWAT training for the Explorers.
In November 2007 Wethersfield dispatchers received and handled 728 E-911 emergency phone calls. Wethersfield dispatchers sent the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance and Aetna Ambulance to a total of 247 medical emergencies.
In November 2007 WPD Child Seat Technicians installed six child seats. The Support Services Bureau (SSB) continues to receive requests via the department web site as well as conventional phone messages. SSB personnel continue to work closely with the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance in coordinating child seat installations for residents of other area towns.
In November 2007 eight persons were taken into custody and held requiring 139 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, six were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported eight prisoners to court. Seven males and one female were transported to court. The one female incarcerated by the department required two hours of matron coverage.
In October, 2007 the Support Services Bureau Commander received a complaint of speeding on Back Lane. A traffic study was initiated and completed in late October/early November 2007. A speed monitoring device was placed on Back Lane for approximately two weeks during this time period. It appears that the maximum speeds listed were caused by only a few cars. Speed selective enforcement was conducted on several dates to include November 15, 16, 19 and 20, 2007. Enforcement included infractions, written warnings and one Motor Vehicle Summons for Operating with a Suspended License and No Insurance.
The Support Services Bureau Commander continues to receive requests for added or replacement street signs. Several work orders were completed for new or replacement signs throughout Wethersfield. The following is a portion of completed work orders in November, 2007; reinstalled a 25-MPH limit sign with post on Willow Street (for southbound traffic), reinstalled a "No Thru Trucks" sign on Willow Street (for southbound traffic), raised existing "Department of Motor Vehicle" sign to proper height at intersection of Main Street and State Street, installed one "Stop Ahead" sign on the west side of Wolcott Hill Road north of Church Street and replaced the "Stop Ahead" sign on Wolcott Hill Road near the intersection of Fairmont Street.
The Support Services Bureau Commander was also responsible for coordination of parking and traffic issues for the Annual Wethersfield High School / Newington High School Thanksgiving Day Football Game which was held on Thursday, November 22, 2007.
On Wednesday, November 7, 2007 five members of the Capitol Region Emergency Services Team (CREST) began attending monthly two-day training.
On Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Chief James Cetran, three lieutenants and one dispatcher began attending a two day course entitled "ICS-400, Advanced Incident Command." Training was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room. Objectives of this course included providing instruction on large-scale organization development, roles and relationships of primary staff, considerations related to large and complex incident or event management, area command and the importance of interagency coordination.
During the week of November 12, 2007 the WPD Training Unit conducted Fall 2007 Firearms Training. Forty-two (42) officers participated in this training. Officers were assigned their new Glock .40 caliber handguns at the beginning of training and then trained and qualified with the new weapons. Training consisted of three hours of low-light/ no light firearms training and one hour of classroom training. Officers were required to complete a 60 round qualification course, which all officers successfully passed. Officers also completed two point-instinctive courses and a stress / malfunction course. Both the point-instinctive courses and the malfunction course required officers to use verbal commands while moving and changing shooting positions. Officers received a one hour block of instruction on the Department Deadly Force policy and a review of Supreme Court deadly force/ use of force decisions. All officers were also given a written examination on the Department's Use of Deadly Force policy.
On Tuesday, November 20, 2007 the WPD Juvenile Detective and three officers including the Department School Resource Officer attended a one day training class entitled "13th Annual Children, Youth and the Police Statewide Conference." This training was held in Cromwell, CT and is sponsored by the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee. The annual police conference consisted of various topics including Legal Updates, Aggression Among Girls and School Emergency Response Planning. There was also a presentation concerning the Beslan, Russia school hostage crisis that occurred in September, 2004.
On Wednesday, November 21, 2007 a lieutenant and the training sergeant began attending a three day course entitled "ICS-300, Intermediate Incident Command System." Training was held at the Middletown Police Department, Middletown, CT. Objectives of this course included to better prepare personnel to effectively manage large, complex incidents, to enhance the skills necessary to implement the incident management process, develop an Incident Action Plan for a simulated Type 3 incident and describe how the NIMS Command and Management components support the management of expanding incidents. This course was held once per week and continued on November 28, 2007 and December 5, 2007.
On Tuesday, November 27, 2007 a department canine officer, along with his canine, Hunter, attended a one day training class entitled "Police Canine/ Police Canine Handler Training." The canine officer and Hunter participated in this monthly canine training with several other area law enforcement canine teams. Training included evidence recovery and tracking.
On Thursday, November 29, 2007 a department dispatcher attended a one day training class entitled "Hostage Negotiations." This training was held at the East Hartford Public Safety Complex, East Hartford, CT. Training topics included bonding and establishing trust with hostage takers, dealing with demands from hostage takers, barriers to effective communication, negotiation principles and pitfalls of negotiating.
The Wethersfield Police Department, Support Services Bureau, will be coordinating a Toy Drive in the month of December, 2007 to benefit underprivileged children from the Town of Wethersfield.
The following are the burglary and robbery statistics for the month of November, 2007 along with comparative statistics for the same period of last year. The figures in the parenthesis represent the number of cases cleared by arrest or in which the perpetrators have been identified.
| Criminal Activity | November 2006 | November 2007 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Burglaries | 5 (0) | 3 (0) |
| Commercial Burglaries | 2 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Armed Robberies | 0 (0) | 1 (0) |
| Strong-arm Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
