Police Department
Monthly Report
|
Police Department |
|
James L. Cetran
Chief of Police
On May 2, 2009 through May 5, 2009 two members of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) conducted an on-site inspection of the Wethersfield Police Department. This on-site inspection is done every three years and is done as part of its reaccreditation process. This on-site inspection included a thorough review of over 420 accreditation standards, an inspection of the police facility and interviews with the Chief of Police, command staff supervisors as well as line officers. Preliminary reports are very favorable and reaccreditation will be decided by the CALEA commission at their August, 2009 convention in Virginia.
On May 18, 2009 the Department hired two Probationary Police Officers. These Probationary Police Officers received Department orientation training for three days and began attending the Connecticut Police Academy on Thursday, May 21, 2009. Graduation from the Academy is expected in October, 2009 and then there is fourteen weeks of Field Training before the officers are on their own. The Department's sworn staffing level is now at 46 persons with an authorized strength of 47 officers. There is a retirement scheduled for July 31, 2009 decreasing the staffing level to 45.
The Wethersfield Police Department has introduced and joined several on-line websites as a way to better communicate with our residents and business members. The Department is now on line with Nixle.com, a free service that gives the Department the ability to send text messages to cell phones, emails and make web postings. This service will be more publicized in June, 2009. This system offers a unique way to notify our community of emergencies, events routine in nature as well as traffic issues. The Wethersfield Police Department is also on-line with Twitter.com which will simulcast the Nixle.com messages to Twitter users.
The Wethersfield Police Department also now has a Facebook.com page. This page offers the opportunity to connect with our residents on the Internet. The Department is able to show residents a unique view inside view of our Department, what we do, how we do it and as a way to exchange thoughts and dialog over the Internet. The Department hopes that openness and providing another conduit for communication will continue to build trust and establish more of a connection with our community.
In May, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Explorers competed in the CT Police Explorers Stations Day competition. Nine Wethersfield Police Explorers participated in the competition which was held at the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden, CT. Over 350 explorers from Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire took part in this event. The Wethersfield Police Explorers competed in eleven events with top three finishes in nine of these events. As a result of this performance, the Wethersfield Police Explorers were awarded "Best Post" in the Random Events Competition. This is the best showing that the Wethersfield Police Explorers post has ever had at this event.
On Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at about 12:30 AM a patrol officer was stopped behind a vehicle on the Berlin Turnpike that was stopped for a green traffic light. The officer sat behind this vehicle as the traffic light turned from green to yellow. The stopped vehicle then proceeded through the intersection. The vehicle operator then committed several motor vehicle violations as the officer attempted to stop the car. Upon speaking with the operator, the officer smelled liquor. Inside the vehicle were two young children. The officer had the operator perform several field sobriety tests, which she failed. The operator was arrested and later found to have a BAC almost three times the legal limit. The operator was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs and with Risk of Injury to a Minor for having her two and three year old children in the car with her.
On Saturday, May 30, 2009 at about 2:00 PM a patrol officer was conducting speed enforcement when the officer saw a vehicle traveling 76 M.P.H. in a posted 50 M.P.H. zone. The officer attempted to pull the vehicle over but the vehicle accelerated. Due to the high speed and chance that someone could be injured, a supervisor terminated the pursuit. The officer stopped pursuing the vehicle and gave a description of the car to all officers. A short time later an officer on the Silas Deane Hwy. saw a vehicle matching the description driving at a high rate of speed into Old Wethersfield. Several officers responded to the area and located the car parked on a side street. A short time later an officer saw a male running behind Fire Company #1 and was able to detain him. The male admitted to being in the car that was pursued. A short time later a female was stopped on Main Street who also admitted to being in the pursued vehicle. Wethersfield Police dispatch then received a call from a local business that a male was running through their property. Officers arrived on scene and detained a third person. This male admitted to being the driver of the pursued car. The male admitted that he ran from the police because he believed the car was stolen. It was later found to have been a rental vehicle that was not returned. Officers found evidence from different larcenies from outside of Wethersfield. The male operator was charged with Interfering with a Police Officer as well as several motor vehicle charges.
In May, 2009 members of the Detective Bureau initiated or were assigned follow-up to twenty-eight new cases. Detectives continue to perform town background investigations and backgrounds for pistol permits applicants. Detectives also assisted with a community project at a city of Hartford elementary school.
In May, 2009 Detectives assisted the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in a large scale cocaine distribution investigation. Detectives assisted in numerous search warrant executions in the Greater Hartford area. During the operation, over twenty individuals were arrested and charged with various narcotic charges. Officers seized both cash and cocaine during this investigation.
In May, 2009 the Department received notification from two residents that they had been defrauded of thousands of dollars by bogus lottery schemes. In each case, an elderly resident was contacted by individual(s) claiming that the victims had won a large value out-of-country lottery. The elderly victims were coerced into sending thousands of dollars out of the country in hopes of receiving millions in prize money. The prize money did not exist and the victims were never able to contact the fraudulent lottery organization. These schemes always have many layers that consist of fraudulent names and addresses, the use of Western Union and MoneyGram.
In May, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled forty-two incidents involving fifty-two juveniles. In these incidents, five juveniles were arrested for criminal violations, three were diverted to school discipline and eighteen were diverted to parental discipline.
In May, 2009 the School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the Wethersfield High School reported twelve incidents that were entered into the School Cop Database. These twelve incidents resulted in six incident reports. These twelve incidents included one disorderly conduct complaint, one assault complaint, one harassment complaint and two larcenies. The SRO also reported handling harassment mediations, numerous instances of truancy and miscellaneous school policy violations. The SRO was also invited to instruct in several classrooms regarding the law, ethics, and advice on law enforcement for graduating seniors.
In the month of May, 2009 Wethersfield dispatchers received and handled 877 E-911 emergency phone calls.
In May, 2009 Wethersfield dispatchers dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to eighty-nine medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 239 medical emergencies for a total of 328 medical emergencies.
In May, 2009 there were forty-three calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, twelve were handled by an animal control officer and thirty-one were handled by police officers.
In May, 2009 eighteen persons were taken into custody and held requiring 442 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, fourteen were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported eighteen prisoners to court to include fifteen males and three females.
The Support Services Bureau Commander continues to receive requests for added or replacement street signs. Some of the completed work orders for May, 2009 include removing the double arrow sign that was installed at the beginning of the traffic island on Wells Farms Drive. This sign had been installed in November, 2008 as a temporary measure.
On Monday, May 4, 2009 a detective began attending a four day training class entitled "Police Patrol Rifle Instructor." This training was held at the Connecticut State Police Range, Simsbury, CT. Objectives of this course included patrol rifle functions, carry conditions, tactical drills and engagement of moving or multiple opponents. This detective is one of the Department's firearms instructors.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2009 a lieutenant began attending a two day training class entitled "Fundamentals of Employee Relations: Litigation Free Management." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Objectives of this course included giving advice for handling major employment-related interactions including personality problems, potential sexual harassment situations, serious on-the-job misconduct and employee complaints.
On Wednesday, May 6, 2009 an officer attended a one day training class entitled "Medical Response Technician (MRT) Refresher." This training was held at the West Hartford Police Department, West Hartford, CT. This class enables the officer to keep his State of Connecticut MRT certification, which is good for two years. On Wednesday, May 20, 2009 a second officer attended this same training class.
On Tuesday, May 12, 2009 a canine officer and narcotic canine Elaine began attending a three day training class entitled "Narcotics Detection Canine In-Service Training." The officer and canine Elaine 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.
During the week of May 18-22, 2009 the WPD Training Unit conducted "Spring 2009 Firearms Training." Forty-two officers participated in this training. Training was held at the Berlin Police/ Mattabasset Gun Range, Berlin, CT. Officers were required to complete two 60 round qualification courses, which all officers successfully passed. Officers also completed two point-instinctive courses. The first point-instinctive course emphasized moving and shooting. The second point-instinctive course emphasized close quarter combat shooting while under timed, stressful circumstances. Officers were required to take a written test on the nomenclature of the Glock handgun. All officers passed this test. Ten officers also qualified with the Colt AR-15 patrol rifle. Several officers were also certified in Non-Division Issued Firearms.
On Monday, May 18, 2009 the WPD Training Unit conducted "Spring 2009 Mossberg Shotgun and Less Lethal Training." Training was held at the Berlin Police/ Mattabasset Gun Range, Berlin, CT. Eight (8) WPD supervisors and commanders participated in this training. Training included classroom training on use of the shotguns, qualification on the Department shotgun, Mossberg, Model 590A1, less lethal sock rounds as well as training scenarios with the less lethal ammunition. The supervisors and commanders were required to take a written test on the less lethal munitions and the nomenclature of the Mossberg shotgun. All supervisors and commanders passed this test.
On Tuesday, May 19, 2009 a lieutenant began attending a two day training class entitled "Reverse 911 System Administrator." This training was held at the New Britain Police Department, New Britain, CT. This administrative class was taken in anticipation of the installation of the Reverse 911 System.
On Friday, May 22, 2009 a dispatcher attended a one day training class entitled "Reverse 911 Train-the-Trainer." This training was held at the New Britain Police Department, New Britain, CT. This class enables the dispatcher to train other dispatch personnel in the Reverse 911 System.
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 several locations throughout town. Officers performed selective enforcement twenty-seven times and spent approximately sixteen hours doing selective enforcement on various city streets.
In May, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Department Child Seat Technician inspected/installed two child seats. The Support Services Bureau receives requests for this service via the WPD web site as phone requests.
In May, 2009 police personnel responded to sixty-eight alarms to include sixty burglar alarms and eight hold-up/ panic alarms. Locations included twenty-one non-residential locations, thirty-nine residential alarms and eight state/ town-owned locations. A total of 1,245 alarm permits are currently on file with the Police Department. During the month, sixty-one locations experienced a false alarm resulting in a 95% compliance rate. This month there were 172 items of correspondence sent in connection with billing, registration and false alarm violations. During this month, $ 3,400 was collected for registration renewals as well as current and previous month's false alarm billing.
The following are the burglary and robbery statistics for the month of May, 2009 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 | May 2008 | May 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Burglaries | 2 (0) | 1 (0) |
| Commercial Burglaries | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Armed Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Strong-arm Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
