Police Department
Monthly Report
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Police Department |
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James L. Cetran
Chief of Police
In August, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Department was officially re-accredited for another period of three years by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This re-accreditation came after an on-site inspection, 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. The Wethersfield Police Department has been continuously accredited by CALEA since August, 1992 and is one of only fourteen law enforcement agencies accredited by CALEA in the State of Connecticut.
On Tuesday, August 4, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit assisted with the planning and preparation of National Night Out. With assistance from the Town of Wethersfield Parks & Recreation Department, Office of the Fire Marshal, Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department, Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance Association, Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center, and New York Life Insurance Company the event was held at Millwoods Park. Several hundred residents of all ages attended and had the opportunity to meet representatives from the aforementioned Departments as well as persons from the Wethersfield Police Department Patrol Division, Motorcycle Unit, D.A.R.E. Officers, Capitol Region Emergency Services Team and Police Explorers. The New York Life Insurance Company provided free child identification kits to 29 families for a total of 49 children.
On Monday, August 10, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Department hired two Probationary Police Officers. These new officers received Department orientation training for four days. Both Officers began attending the Connecticut Police Academy on Friday, August 14, 2009. Graduation from the Academy is expected in January, 2010. Two other previously hired probationary police officers have completed fourteen weeks of basic training at the Connecticut Police Academy. Graduation for these officers is expected in October, 2009.
Two members from the Wethersfield Police Department were selected to be part of the Capitol Region Emergency Services Team (C.R.E.S.T.) for the Connecticut SWAT Challenge held August 25-27, 2009. This grueling competition encompassed teams from New England and also some teams from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The C.R.E.S.T. team finished fifth out of thirty-seven teams. Capitol region SWAT teams placed in four of the top five spots.
On Friday, August 14, 2009 at about 4:00 AM patrol officers were dispatched to a Wethersfield residence on the report that someone had just broken into their home and the suspect had just left the house. As Wethersfield officers arrived, they saw a male matching the suspect description walking away from the area of the house. Upon speaking with this male, officers found that he did not have a good reason as to why he was walking where he was. The male was also in possession of two bottles of liquor. The victim identified this male as the person who broke into his house and identified the liquor bottles as being stolen from his house. The male was also in possession of cash that the victim had also reported stolen. The male was placed under arrest, held on bond and later transported to court.
On Sunday, August 9, 2009 at about 4:30 AM a patrol officer was dispatched to a local apartment complex on the report that several people were attempting to break into cars. As officers arrived, they saw two males inside a vehicle trying to hide from the officers. While searching the area, officers found a third male hiding in the parking lot. An investigation showed that none of the males had reasons to be in the complex. They were dressed in black and believed to be breaking into cars. Inside the car the two males were in were numerous tools commonly used to break into cars. Witnesses reported that males matching this description were seen looking into and attempting to enter cars parked in the complex. The males were placed under arrest and charged with larceny and related charges.
In August, 2009 members of the Detective Bureau initiated or were assigned follow-up to twelve new cases. Major case investigations include one sexual offender crime, five burglaries and one larceny. Detectives also continue to perform employee background investigations and backgrounds for pistol permits applicants.
The Department continues to investigate a high level of commercial burglaries. Of the five burglaries committed in August, 2009, four were commercial establishments. Over the last two months, the Department has investigated fifteen commercial burglaries.
On August 11, 2009 the listed owners of a pawn shop located on the Silas Deane Highway were arrested. The owners were part of a month long investigation by a statewide task force. The task force investigated the reported illegal activities of area pawn shops and their buying of known stolen property. A Wethersfield detective was a member of the statewide task force.
In August, 2009, the Wethersfield Police Department handled twenty-six incidents involving fifty-five juveniles. In these incidents, no juveniles were arrested for criminal violations and fifteen were diverted to parental punishment.
In September, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Explorers will be assisting the Wethersfield Police Department at the Cornfest, Kid's Safety Day and the 375th Anniversary Parade.
In August, 2009 Wethersfield dispatchers received and handled 878 E-911 emergency phone calls.
In August, 2009 Wethersfield Communications Unit personnel dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to sixty-two medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 198 medical emergencies for a total of 260 medical emergencies.
In August, 2009 there were sixty-one calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, fourteen were handled by an animal control officer and forty-seven were handled by police officers.
In August, 2009 seventeen persons were taken into custody and held requiring 363 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, ten were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported twenty prisoners to court to include sixteen males and four females.
On Monday, August 10, 2009 a sergeant attended a three hour training meeting entitled "Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator's Meeting." This training was held at the Office of the Chief State's Attorney, Rocky Hill, CT. This sergeant is the Wethersfield Police Department's Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator and was instrumental in developing the WPD policy for its use.
On Tuesday, August 18, 2009 a canine officer and Narcotic Canine Elaine began attending a three day training class entitled "Narcotics Detection Canine In-Service Training." The canine 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.
On Wednesday, August 19, 2009 the Support Services Bureau Commander attended a one day training class entitled "Maintaining Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity." This training was held in Rocky Hill, CT. Objectives of this training included an overview of the new national MUTCD requirements, conducting visual sign retroreflectivity and proper techniques for measuring the retroreflectivity of traffic signs.
On Tuesday, August 25, 2009 a sergeant and officer attended a one day "CREST- Dive Team" training. This training was held in Hartford, CT. This training is conducted on a monthly basis with several other area law enforcement agencies that comprise CREST. This month's activities included a recovery dive in the Connecticut River.
On Thursday, August 27, 2009 Chief James Cetran attended a three hour training class entitled "Police Chief's Legal Update." This training was held at the Office of the Chief State's Attorney in Rocky Hill, CT. The CT Division of Criminal Justice and POSTC briefed local Police Chiefs on changes, additions, deletions and modifications to Connecticut laws.
On Thursday, August 27, 2009 two officers attended a one day "Mid-State Traffic Enforcement Unit" training. This training was held in Berlin, CT. This training was conducted with several other area law enforcement agencies that comprise the Mid-State Traffic Enforcement Unit.
On Monday, August 31, 2009 seven members of the Department attended a four hour class entitled "NCIC/ COLLECT for the MDT User." Training was held at the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room and was instructed by a certified WPD dispatcher. This training is specifically for sworn personnel who access-only NCIC and COLLECT information on Department Mobile Data terminals. Certification is for a two-year period.
The Support Services Bureau continues 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 a several town schools. To address these complaints, officers performed selective enforcement at several locations throughout town. In August, 2009 officers performed selective enforcement two times and spent a total of approximately thirty minutes doing selective enforcement on various roads in town. In August, 2009 a resident of Prospect Street complained that a handicap van that makes a nearby pickup continually parked the van for extended periods of time creating a dangerous traffic situation. In response to this complaint, the Support Services Commander spoke to the company that was contracted to pick up the person on Prospect Street. The company agreed to move the pickup to an adjacent street. The home is on the corner of this adjacent street.
The Support Services Bureau, in support of the annual Inter-Community Mental Health 5/10 K Road Race, held August 30, 2009 placed many no parking signs, road closed ahead, barricades and arrows at various locations throughout Old Wethersfield in support of this road race.
The Support Services Bureau Commander continues to work with both Town staff and volunteers in preparation of the Town of Wethersfield's 375th Anniversary Parade in Old Wethersfield scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2009.
Classroom and range qualifications under provisions of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (HR218) for WPD retirees is scheduled for September 25, 2009.
Annual Arrest & Control, ASP, Handcuffing, Taser, Use of Force and Pursuit Policy review training is scheduled for the end of September and beginning of October, 2009.
In August, 2009 police personnel responded to seventy-two alarms to include seventy burglar alarms and two hold-up/ panic alarms. Locations included twenty-four (33%) non-residential locations, forty-six (64%) residential alarms and two (3 %) state/ town-owned locations. A total of 1,290 alarm permits are currently on file with the Police Department. During the month, sixty-five locations experienced a false alarm resulting in a 94% compliance rate. This month there were 112 items of correspondence sent in connection with billing, registration and false alarm violations. The compliance rate (no false alarms) remains high and the delinquency rate for payments currently remains considerably lower as compared to 2008.
The following are the burglary and robbery statistics for the month of August, 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 | August 2008 | August 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Burglaries | 5 (0) | 1 (0) |
| Commercial Burglaries | 0 (0) | 4 (0) |
| Armed Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Strong-arm Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
