Police Department
Monthly Report
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Police Department |
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James L. Cetran
Chief of Police
The Administrative Services Bureau assisted with the planning and preparation of National Night Out. This event was held on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at Millwoods Park. The event was held with personnel from the Town of Wethersfield Parks & Recreation Department, Office of the Fire Marshal, Social & Youth Services and the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance Association. Several hundred residents of all ages attended and had the opportunity to meet representatives from the above departments as well as persons from the Wethersfield Police Department Patrol Division, Motorcycle Unit, Canine Unit, Capitol Region Emergency Services Team and Police Explorers.
On Tuesday, September 16, 2008 patrol officers were dispatched to 1324 Silas Deane Highway, Red Lobster Restaurant, on report of a possible pepper spray discharge inside the building. Upon officers arrival they saw people being evacuated. Emergency medical personnel as well as the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department were also arriving on scene. An investigation revealed that an unknown person may have emptied a canister of pepper spray into the restaurant causing numerous persons to become affected by the substance. While the people being affected were being treated, officers interviewed several people concerning who may have sprayed the substance inside the restaurant. While no persons were reported to have been seriously affected, several had to be treated for breathing troubles and irritations to the eyes. This case is currently under investigation.
In September, 2008 members of the Detective Bureau initiated or were assigned follow-up to thirty new cases. Major case investigations include seven burglaries, six larcenies, four identity thefts and one sexual assault. Detectives also continue to perform town background investigations and backgrounds for pistol permits applicants.
Detectives have also developed a program that allows all Department sworn-personnel to monitor town pawn shop records via the Department in-house computer system. All local pawn shop activity will be entered into the database for later review.
In September, 2008 members of the Detective Division were assigned to investigate seven burglaries. Several of these burglaries were committed on residences that are currently for sale and vacant at the time of the incident. In these burglaries, copper pipe was stolen from the basement. No other property, other than the copper pipe, was stolen. It should be noted that the town of Newington is also investigating similar incidents.
In September, 2008 the Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled thirty incidents involving fifty juveniles. In these incidents, three juveniles were arrested for criminal violations, one was diverted to school punishment and nineteen were diverted to parental punishment.
In September, 2008 the Wethersfield Police Explorers assisted at the Wethersfield CornFest. During this event, the Explorers completed over one-hundred Child Identification Kits as a service to the residents of Wethersfield. On September, 11, 2008 the Explorers also participated in the Keane Memorial dedication at the Wethersfield Community Center. Finally, on September 20, 2008 the Explorers participated in the 14th Annual Kids Day America 2008. During this event, the Explorers again completed Child Identification Kits for the children in attendance.
In September, 2008 Wethersfield dispatchers received and handled 811 E-911 emergency phone calls.
For the time period July 1, 2008 through September 30, 2008 Dispatchers at the Wethersfield Police Department handled 2,565 E-911 calls. As required by state law, this information was provided to the State of Connecticut, Office of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications.
In September, 2008 Wethersfield dispatchers dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to forty-two medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 222 medical emergencies for a total of 264 medical emergencies.
In September, 2008 there were thirty-eight calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, eleven were handled by an animal control officer and twenty-seven were handled by police officers.
In September, 2008 fourteen persons were taken into custody and held requiring 399 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, nine were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported fourteen prisoners to court. Transported to court were thirteen males and one female.
On Wednesday, September 3, 2008 four members of the Capitol Region Emergency Services Team (CREST) began attending monthly two-day training.
On Tuesday, September 9, 2008 a Department canine officer and Canine Hunter began attending a three day training and annual recertification class entitled "Connecticut Police Work Dog Association K-9 Recertification Seminar." This training was conducted at the Ledyard Police Department, Ledyard, CT. The canine officer and Hunter received canine training and recertification in narcotics, obedience, evidence search, area search, tracking, trailing and building searches.
On Thursday, September 11, 2008 a dispatcher attended a one day recertification class entitled "NCIC/ COLLECT Recertification Training." Training was held at the Connecticut State Police Complex, Meriden, CT. This class is a recertification class for persons presently certified on the NCIC/ COLLECT computer system. Recertification is for a period of two years.
On Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Chief James Cetran and two lieutenants attended a two hour training class entitled "New Legal Developments Concerning Police Policies and Practices." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. This training class briefs attendees on the new Public Acts adopted by the State of Connecticut and other recent case law developments affecting law enforcement. On Tuesday, September 23, 2008 two lieutenants and one sergeant attended the second session of this training class.
On Tuesday, September 16, 2008 a sergeant began attending a four day training class entitled "Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes: Train the Trainer." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Objectives of this course included recognition of domestic terrorist groups, international terrorism and investigations of hate crimes. This course was designed for training officers and included materials needed to train other officers in this course.
On Thursday, September 25, 2008 six Wethersfield Police Department retirees successfully completed classroom and range qualifications under provisions of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (HR218.) These qualified retirees can now carry, with some restrictions, a concealed firearm throughout the United States. This training was held at the Berlin Police-Mattabassett Rifle & Pistol Club Range in Berlin, CT.
On September 29 & 30, 2008 sworn personnel received annual training on "Arrest & Control, Handcuffing, ASP, Taser, Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), Use of Force and Pursuit Policy." Each officer received an eight hour block of instruction. Officers received instruction on unarmed arrest and control techniques, ASP expandable baton techniques/ blocks and annual pursuit policy training. Officers also received training on the use of the "Stop Sticks" tire deflation device and Oleoresin Capsicum. Officers were recertified in the use of the Taser X26 which is required annually. Officers were given written tests on Use of Force, ASP, department motor vehicle pursuit policy, Handcuffing, OC and Taser. Officers also participated in scenario-based training. Training was conducted by several department certified instructors. This training continues during the first two weeks of October, 2008.
On Tuesday, September 30, 2008 three officers attended one day "CREST- Dive Team" training. This training is conducted on a monthly basis with several other area law enforcement agencies that comprise CREST. This month's activities included dives in Hartford, CT.
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 times and spent a total of twelve hours doing selective enforcement on various city streets.
The Support Services Bureau Commander continues to receive requests for added or replacement road signs. Many work orders were completed in September, 2008 to include replacing several traffic signs on Nott Street, installing temporary traffic signs in support of the 9/11 Memorial Sports Center dedication, installation of seven "No Parking Anytime" on Progress Drive and finally installation of a One Way Arrow sign near Silas Deane Highway/ Beaver Road.
In September, 2008 the Wethersfield Police Department Child Seat Technician inspected/installed two child seats. The Support Services Bureau receives requests via the Department web site as well as phone messages.
In September, 2008 the Department Accreditation Manager was contacted by a Wethersfield High School student who writes for the school newspaper. The student conducted an interview and had questions regarding ticket quotas, initiated motor vehicle enforcement by department personnel and enforcement involving teen drivers. The student was provided with 2007 statistics that show a very high incident of motor vehicle crashes per infraction issued for teen drivers and a much lower incident of motor vehicle crashes per infraction with older drivers.
Fall Firearms training for all Department personnel is scheduled for the week of November 17, 2008.
The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, will be hosting a one week course entitled Crisis Intervention Team Training beginning on November 10, 2008. This course will be held in the WPD Community Room.
The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, will be hosting a one day course entitled Powerphone's Active Shooting Response - The Dispatcher's Role on Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
In September, 2008 police and fire personnel were dispatched to a total of seventy-two alarms to include sixty-one burglar alarms, five fire alarms, three hold-up alarms and three panic alarms. Locations include thirty-six alarms at non-residential locations, thirty-three alarms at residential locations and three from a Town or State owned facility.
Twenty new or alarm renewal registrations were received from residents / businesses in the month.
A total of 1,150 alarm permits are currently on file with the Police Department. During the month, sixty-one locations were cited for having a false alarm relating to a 94% compliance rate. False alarm fines totaled $ 2625.00 for the month of September, 2008.
The following are the burglary and robbery statistics for the month of September, 2008 along with comparative statistics for the same period 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 | September 2007 | September 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Burglaries | 3 (0) | 7 (0) |
| Commercial Burglaries | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Armed Robberies | 2 (1) | 0 (0) |
| Strong-arm Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
