Police Department
Monthly Report
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Police Department |
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James L. Cetran
Chief of Police
In April, 2008 a probationary officer completed the first of four Field Training phases and began Phase Two training. This Field Training is under the supervision of Department Field Training Officers. During the Field Training Program, the probationary officer is observed and evaluated on a daily basis while he is expected to perform more duties with each phase.
On Wednesday, April 30, 2008 fourteen residents graduated from the Department's 2008 Citizens Police Academy. Students met at Police HQ weekly beginning in February, 2008 for 2 1/2 hours and received appropriate instruction on police matters such as search & seizure, laws of arrest, police training, criminal investigations and juvenile law. Instructors included the Town Manager and Director of Public Safety Bonnie Therrien, Chief of Police James Cetran, command staff members, sergeants, officers and detectives. Course evaluations were completed and were very complimentary of the program and staff.
In April, 2008 all Wethersfield Police Officers in the police involved shooting on November 6, 2007 were cleared by New Britain State's Attorney Scott Murphy. The report indicates that there were no criminal violations in the officer's actions on that night. State's Attorney Scott Murphy concluded "Given the totality of these circumstances, it was reasonable for (the officer), at the moment he fired his rifle, to believe that (the suspect) was using or about to use deadly physical force. To protect himself and other police officers from this threat, (the officer) was justified in using deadly physical force. No further action will be taken by the Division of Criminal Justice." See http://www.ct.gov/csao/site/default.asp for the full report.
On Friday, April 18, 2008, an officer saw a vehicle speeding on the Berlin Turnpike. While speaking to the operator of the vehicle, the officer was able to see what he believed was a handgun on the floor behind the driver's seat. The driver told the officer that it was only a BB gun, however the officer could not tell by looking at the gun on the floor as it looked exactly like a real handgun. A subsequent search also revealed BB's, marijuana and marijuana smoking paraphernalia. The officer also found a baseball bat that the driver stated was used for protection. The driver's license of the operator was under suspension. He was arrested for speeding, operating with a suspended license, the BB gun and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
On Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at about 6:15 PM officers were dispatched to a Folly Brook Boulevard apartment. A fourteen year old juvenile reported that he had discovered what he believed was narcotics and narcotic paraphernalia in his apartment. The juvenile believed the illegal items belonged to his father with whom he resides. The father was not home at this time. Officers waited for the father to return home. When the father did return home, officers approached the male and identified themselves to him. The father attempted to run away from the officers but he was apprehended a short distance away. The father also had cocaine in his pockets. The father was charged with the possession of the cocaine on him and in the apartment along with endangering his son. The Department of Children and Families was contacted and advised of the incident.
In April, 2008 members of the Detective Bureau initiated or were assigned follow up to thirty-seven new cases. Major case investigations include four armed robberies, six burglaries, six larcenies, two identity thefts, one sexual assault and five fraud cases.
In April, 2008 the Department investigated four armed robberies of local businesses. The Detective Division developed a suspect in these robberies. It is believed this suspect is responsible for many armed robberies in the capitol region area. Detectives have joined other area departments in sharing intelligence information. During this combined effort, the Wethersfield and Hartford Police Departments have seized two suspect vehicles.
In April, 2008 the Department responded to six burglaries. In several of the burglaries, a suspect has been identified. This suspect, as well as his girlfriend, was recently arrested in a Hartford suburb for a burglary. At the time of their arrest, the suspects were in possession of a credit card belonging to a Wethersfield victim. Further investigation by detectives showed that this suspect used Hartford area pawn shops to pawn much of their stolen property. Detectives discovered numerous stolen items from several burglaries at these pawn shops. Warrants are pending for the suspect.
During the month of April, 2008 the School Resource Officer (SRO) investigated sixteen incidents completing fourteen incident reports. These incidents included suspicious activity complaints, narcotics incident, larcenies, vandalisms, motor vehicle violations and a violation of a protective order.
Restitution was made by three students to the Wethersfield High School regarding a non-malicious vandalism incident and an arrest warrant is being applied for the second vandalism incident. The SRO made two arrests for narcotics which resulted in a recommendation for expulsion.
The SRO also covered mediations regarding disorderly situations and spoke in the Freshman Experience for freshman health class.
The Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled forty-five incidents involving approximately fifty-nine juveniles. In these incidents, five juveniles were arrested for criminal violations. Amongst the other involved juveniles, eight were diverted to their parents.
In April, 2008 the Juvenile Unit began participating in the Police Adventures Crossroads program at Silas Deane Middle School. The program is designed for middle school youths, police officers and Social and Youth Services personnel to interact. The program involves team building, police practical exercises as well as community service. The first three meetings of this program took place in April which involved team building and a lesson on motor vehicle stops.
In April, 2008 Wethersfield Dispatchers received and handled 720 E-911 emergency phone calls.
Wethersfield Dispatchers dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to thirty-one medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 211 medical emergencies for a total of 242 medical emergencies.
In April, 2008 the WPD Child Seat Technician inspected/installed three child seats. The Support Services Bureau continues to receive requests via the department web site as well as phone messages.
In April, 2008 there were twenty-two calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, four were handled by an Animal Control Officer and eighteen were handled by police officers.
In April, 2008 thirteen persons were taken into custody and held requiring 304 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, five were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported thirteen prisoners to court. Transported to court were nine males and four females. The four females incarcerated by the department required thirty-nine hours of matron coverage.
Support Service Bureau officers continue to address citizen complaints involving traffic, parking violations and other motor vehicle violations. Citizens regularly complain of a variety of different violations on various town streets and several town schools. To address these complaints, officers performed selective enforcement at numerous locations throughout town. Officers performed selective enforcement twenty-seven times and spent a total of fifteen hours doing selective enforcement on various city streets.
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. Some of the work orders completed in April, 2008 include repairing the "Cross Traffic Does Not Stop" placard on Coleman Road at its intersections with Longvue Drive, adding a "Beyond This Sign" placard to the bottom of the middle sign of the three (3) "No Parking" signs on Dale Road near Wolcott Hill Road and reconfiguring the stop sign and street sign setup at the intersection of Garden Street and Broad Street. The new stop sign will be on a freestanding break-away pole. The street sign will be on its own pole at this intersection.
On Tuesday, April 1, 2008 three sergeants attended a one day training class entitled "Legal Issues for the First Line Supervisor." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Instructional topics included Supervisory Liability (failure to discipline, supervise) and Personal Liability Risks and High Risk Liability Areas (false arrest, excessive force, pursuits, failure to protect, search & seizure).
On Monday, April 7, 2008 two sergeants and a dispatcher attended a three hour training class entitled "PRAWN Enhancements and Violation of Probation Warrants." This training was held at the Connecticut Department of Public Safety Headquarters in Middletown, CT. Training objectives included the updates to the PRAWN re-arrest warrant system which now includes all Violation of Probation warrants.
On Tuesday, April 8, 2008 a canine officer attended a one day training class entitled "Terry Fleck Canine Legal Update." This training was held in Suffield, CT. Training objectives included case law and liability updates relative to canine officers and supervisors.
On Tuesday, April 8, 2008 an officer began the second of three days of a nine day training class entitled "Arrest & Control Instructor's Seminar." This training class, instructed at the Connecticut Police Academy, is an active and dynamic class teaching kinematics, body structure, weapon disarming techniques, club attacks, striking vs. blocking, handcuffing techniques and low light drills. This training class also considers the involvement of common related police equipment in the arrest and control process. The instruction was broken into three, three day sessions, with the final session concluding on April 24, 2008.
On Monday, April 14, 2008 a dispatcher attended the one day "2008 Telecommunicator Conference." This conference was held at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell, CT. Training objectives included new ideas and positive steps to enhance customer service and how to handle dispatcher stress.
On Monday, April 14, 2008 an officer began attending a five day training class entitled "Pedestrian/ Bicycle Crash Investigation." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Training topics included deriving speed estimates from pedestrian throws, medical injuries associated with vehicle/ pedestrian collisions, awareness of reaction times and examining bicycle/ vehicle collisions.
On Monday, April 21, 2008 a detective began attending the two day "Connecticut Fire Marshal's Association Spring Conference." This conference was held at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell, CT. Training objectives included updates to search warrants at fire scenes, issues of crisis management and dealing with difficult people. This detective assists the Fire Marshal with arson investigations.
During the weeks of April 21, 2008 and April 28, 2008 all sworn personnel, dispatchers and matrons of the Police Department completed their annual CPR, AED and Bloodborne/ Airborne Pathogens training. CPR certification is for a period of one year. Also, ten officers received First Aid training. First Aid training certification is current for a period of three years. These training classes were instructed by a certified Department instructor.
The Wethersfield Police Explorers will participate in the CT Explorers Stations Day competition on May 10, 2008. The Explorers will also be assisting with the "Tip-a-Cop" Special Olympics charity event at Red Lobster, on May 16, 2008.
Spring Firearms training for all Department personnel is scheduled for the week of May 19, 2008. Annual shotgun and less lethal/ bean bag qualification for supervisors and command staff is also scheduled for the week of May 19, 2008.
In April, 2008 police personnel were dispatched to a total of seventy-three alarms. Twelve locations were billed this month for violating the false alarm ordinance and fines were appropriately charged. Seven new alarm registrations were received from residents / businesses in the month. Additionally, fifty-seven commercial alarm registration renewals and ten residential alarm registrations were processed. Currently there are 1,043 alarm registrations on file with the Department. 980 locations did not experience a false alarm resulting in a 93% compliance rate.
The following are the burglary and robbery statistics for the month of April, 2008 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 | April 2007 | April 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Burglaries | 2 (0) | 6 (4) |
| Commercial Burglaries | 1 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Armed Robberies | 0 (0) | 4 (4) |
| Strong-arm Robberies | 2 (0) | 0 (0) |
