Police Department
Monthly Report
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Police Department |
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James L. Cetran
Chief of Police
In November, 2008 the Department continued to accept applications for the position of Probationary Police Officer. Applications will be accepted until Friday, December 5, 2008. The first portion of the process will be the written examination which is scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2008. Applications continue to be turned in at a very high rate.
During the week of November 10-14, 2008 the Wethersfield Police Department Training Unit hosted a five day course entitled "Crisis Intervention Team Training." This training was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room.
On November 12, 2008 an officer was dispatched to a local business on a threatening complaint. The victim reported that his girlfriend's old boyfriend had threatened him. The worker, a Wethersfield resident, reported that the old boyfriend stated that he was going to the business to shoot and kill the victim. The victim believed that this male was capable of committing this crime. Officers immediately protected the victim and the victim's girlfriend should the suspect attempt to carry out his threats. Just the night before, the suspect had been accused of making harassing phone calls to the ex-girlfriend. During their investigation, officers were able to determine that the suspect was calling from an area near his home in Middletown. Officers responded to the area and located him in the back of this building. After a short foot pursuit, officers were able to stop the suspect and place him under arrest. While being processed and held on bond, the suspect continued to make threats against the victim, his ex-girlfriend and the officers who arrested him.
In November, 2008 members of the Detective Bureau initiated or were assigned follow-up to twenty- seven new cases. Major case investigations include two armed bank robberies, four burglaries, four larcenies, four identity thefts and seven frauds. Detectives also continue to perform town background investigations and backgrounds for pistol permit applicants.
On November 7, 2008 officers responded to an armed robbery complaint at a bank located on the Silas Deane Highway. According to bank personnel, an Hispanic male wearing a hat, sunglasses and a New York Yankee jacket showed a black revolver and demanded money. The suspect left the bank after receiving a sum of money. At the time of the robbery, no vehicle was seen nor was the suspect's escape route determined.
On November 14, 2008 at about 4:20 PM officers responded to a reported armed robbery at a different bank located on the Silas Deane Highway. According to bank personnel, an Hispanic male entered the bank wearing a hat, sunglasses and a jacket. The suspect showed a black revolver and demanded money. The suspect left the bank after being given a sum of money. Upon exiting the bank, witnesses stated that the suspect walked to the rear of the bank and got into a vehicle on a nearby side street. The vehicle was described as a red Volkswagen GTI. It was believed that these two bank robberies were committed by the same individual. It was also believed that this subject was responsible for three other bank robberies in area towns and the armed robbery of the Subway on the Silas Deane Highway the month before.
Investigation by Department detectives resulted in identifying a male subject involved in these bank robberies. By working closely with the Manchester and Plainville Police Departments, Wethersfield Police were able to obtain an arrest warrant for suspect. The suspect was arrested on Thursday, November 27, 2008. The suspect confessed to committing both armed robberies at the Silas Deane Highway banks. He also confessed to the other robberies in the three area towns.
In November, 2008 the Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled twenty-five incidents involving forty juveniles. In these incidents, one juvenile was arrested for criminal violations, two were diverted to school punishment and thirteen were diverted to parental punishment.
The Police Adventures Crossroads concluded on November 24, 2008. In this program, Silas Deane Middle School students participated in practical, scenario based training exercises at both the Silas Deane Middle School and at the Wethersfield Police Department. These exercises were designed to put the students in the role of police officers requiring them to make decisions in controlled scenarios. These classes were also designed to break down the stereotypes that many of the students had about police and police work.
Training classes included motor vehicle stops in which students were tasked with safely approaching vehicles stopped for motor vehicle violations, investigating and processing a mock crime scene which was staged at the Police Department and finally participating in a stations day comprised of five different scenarios. These scenarios included a domestic violence situation, vehicle searches, firearms familiarization/ safety, felony stops and defensive tactics. The students were broken up into 2 officer teams and over the course of two hours participated in every station.
To celebrate the culmination of the Police Adventures Crossroads program, the instructors had a cookout during which the students were presented with certificates commemorating their participation in the program. Parents of the students were invited to the cookout and all of the feedback regarding the program was positive.
During the month of November, 2008 the Wethersfield High School Resource Officer (SRO) reported thirteen incidents entered into the School Cop Database. The incidents included criminal mischief, motor vehicle collision (with no damage) and one suspected abuse case. The SRO covered numerous mediations regarding bullying, dating situations and disorderly conduct situations. The SRO also made follow-ups on suspicious situation complaints and alcohol complaints. The SRO also instructed a WHS Civics class regarding the practical application of the Fourth Amendment.
In November, 2008 Wethersfield dispatchers received and handled 782 E-911 emergency phone calls.
In November, 2008 Wethersfield dispatchers dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to thirty-nine medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 220 medical emergencies for a total of 259 medical emergencies.
In November, 2008 there were thirty-six calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, nine were handled by an animal control officer and twenty-seven were handled by police officers.
In November, 2008 fifteen persons were taken into custody and held requiring 317 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, nine were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported fifteen prisoners to court. Transported to court were fourteen males and one female.
On Tuesday, November 4, 2008 a narcotics canine officer and Canine Laynie began attending a three day training class entitled "Narcotics Detection Canine In-Service Training." The officer and Laynie attended training at the Connecticut State Police Training Unit, Meriden, CT. This in-service training is conducted quarterly in order to maintain certification through the Connecticut State Police.
On Friday, November 7, 2008 thirteen members of the Wethersfield Police Department attended a two-hour training class entitled "Watchguard In-Car Camera Systems." Training was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Training Unit conference room. A representative from Watchguard conducted the training in support of the Watchguard camera systems mounted inside the patrol vehicles. The officers attending this training are assisting a Department sergeant, the WPD Watchguard Administrator, in training the remaining Department personnel.
On Monday, November 10, 2008 a sergeant, two officers and a dispatcher began attending a five day training class entitled "Crisis Intervention Team Training." This training was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room. Training topics include mental illness, substance abuse, safe de-escalation techniques, suicide by cop, suicide assessment and prevention, excited delirium, child mental health and trauma and mental health and the law.
During the week of November 17, 2008 the WPD Training Unit conducted Fall 2008 Firearms Training. Forty-two officers participated in this training, which was held at the Berlin Police Range in Berlin, CT. 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 changing shooting positions. Officers received a one hour block of instruction on the Department Deadly Force policy. All officers were also given a written examination on the Department's Use of Deadly Force policy.
On Tuesday, November 18, 2008 nine officers began two days of training entitled "Patrol Rifle Training." This training was held at the Berlin Police Range in Berlin, CT. This training is in support of the Colt AR-15 Patrol Rifles that will be implemented in the patrol vehicles. Objectives included technical and safety issues, fundamentals for marksmanship, basic patrol rifle techniques, close quarter rifle shooting, reloading and malfunction clearing and live fire drills. All officers passed a 60 round rifle qualification course. This training will continue with one day scheduled in December, 2008. At the conclusion of the third day of training, these nine officers will be authorized to carry the patrol rifle on duty.
On Tuesday, November 25, 2008 a D.A.R.E. officer and SRO attended a one day training class entitled "14th 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 Juvenile Law Update, Teen Driving Laws, Inside the Teen World and Safe Teen Driving: Solutions for Police.
Support Service Bureau officers continue to address citizen complaints involving traffic, parking violations and other motor vehicle violations. Citizens regularly complain about a variety of different violations on various city streets and several public schools. To address these complaints, officers performed selective enforcement at numerous locations throughout town. Officers performed selective enforcement sixty-one times and spent a total of forty-two hours doing selective enforcement on various city streets.
The Support Services Bureau Commander continues to receive requests for added or replacement road signs. Several work orders were completed in November, 2008 to include replacing the "No Parking Anytime" sign mounted on the telephone pole across from 160 Main Street, installing three new "Fire Lane - No Parking Anytime" signs on the east side of the Community Center and installing one Double Arrow Sign at the beginning of the traffic island on Wells Farms Drive just north of Wells Road.
In November, 2008 the Child Seat Technician inspected/installed five child seats. The Support Services Bureau continues to receive requests via the department web site as well as phone messages.
In December, 2008 the School Resource Officer, Juvenile Detective and D.A.R.E. Officer will be conducting an internet safety program for the students at the Corpus Christi School.
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. This course will be held in the WPD Community Room.
The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, will be hosting the first day of the Capital Region Police Recertification - Supervisor Program. This six day course will be held in the WPD Community Room beginning on December 18, 2008 and continuing one day per month until May, 2009.
In November, 2008 police and fire personnel responded to seventy-four alarms to include sixty-four burglar alarms, nine fire alarms and one panic alarm. Locations included thirty-two non-residential locations, thirty-eight residential alarms and four state/ town-owned locations.
Thirteen new or alarm renewal registrations were received from residents / businesses in the month.
A total of 1,180 alarm permits are currently on file with the Police Department. During the month sixty-four locations experienced a false alarm resulting in a 94% compliance rate.
The following are the burglary and robbery statistics for the month of November, 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 | November 2007 | November 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Burglaries | 3 (0) | 4 (0) |
| Commercial Burglaries | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Armed Robberies | 1 (0) | 2 (2) |
| Strong-arm Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
