Police Department
Monthly Report
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Police Department |
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James L. Cetran
Chief of Police
Two probationary police officers have completed eighteen weeks of basic training at the Connecticut Police Academy. Graduation for these officers is expected in October, 2009. Two other probationary police officers have completed six weeks of basic training at the Connecticut Police Academy. Their graduation is expected in January, 2010.
On Friday, September 25, 2009 ten Wethersfield Police Department retirees successfully completed classroom and range qualifications under provisions of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (H.R. 218). 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 Monday, September 7, 2009 at about 2:45 AM officers were dispatched to the area of Griswold Road near Dorlen Circle for a motor vehicle collision with probable injuries. Dispatch notified officers that utility wires were down in the roadway. Upon arrival, officers found a vehicle that sustained major damage to its front end, roof and both sides of the vehicle. No other vehicles were located and it was determined that this was a single vehicle collision. Officers found no occupants in the vehicle. Witnesses reported that the operator fled the scene. A check of the vehicle registration showed that the registered owner had been involved in a similar motor vehicle accident earlier in 2009 and the registered owner had fled the scene in that crash as well. Additionally, this crash occurred in the same area as the first. Officers began searching the area for the operator. The Connecticut State Police responded with a canine and handler. The canine tracked through several residential yards and eventually tracked the operator's scent to the Wethersfield Country Club. The operator was found hiding in the bushes in a wooded area on the golf course. The operator was placed under arrest and charged with Operating Under the Influence, Evading Responsibility - Property Damage, Operating under Suspension and Traveling Too Fast for Conditions.
In September, 2009 members of the Detective Bureau initiated or were assigned follow-up to eighteen new cases. Major case investigations include one kidnapping, two sexual assaults, four burglaries, two frauds, two forgeries and one identity theft. Detectives also continue to perform employee background investigations and backgrounds for pistol permit applicants.
In September, 2009, the Wethersfield Police Department handled forty-six incidents involving sixty-four juveniles. In these incidents, one juvenile was arrested for criminal violations, twenty-two were diverted to parental discipline and seven were diverted to school discipline.
In September, 2009 the School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to Wethersfield High School covered twenty-eight incidents and activities at the school. These twenty-eight incidents and activities resulted in seven incident reports. These incidents include one larceny complaint, two vandalism complaints and one public accident. The SRO also issued one infractions ticket for Possession of Tobacco by a Minor. The SRO also investigated several truancy incidents which resulted in locating students off school grounds and transporting them back to the Wethersfield High School.
The SRO also reported handling numerous mediations regarding bullying, dating situations and anger management issues. The SRO taught in the Freshman Experience class covering disciplinary procedures and criminal and motor vehicle laws which pertain to freshman aged students. As part of a class project the SRO was interviewed by three students.
Finally, the SRO attended STARS meetings on Fridays in regards to at risk students, attended two assemblies sponsored by the Community of Concern and participated in two parent/student conferences assisting the School Administration.
In September, 2009 Wethersfield Police dispatchers received and handled 806 E-911 emergency phone calls. The Support Services Bureau Commander, in accordance with state law, provided the State of Connecticut, Office of Statewide Emergency Communications, with the Departments quarterly 911 call count. For the period July 1, 2009 through September 30, 2009, Wethersfield Police dispatchers handled 2,603 911 calls.
In September, 2009 Wethersfield Communications Unit personnel dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to fifty-three medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 234 medical emergencies for a total of 287 medical emergencies.
In September, 2009 there were thirty-three calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, eleven were handled by an animal control officer and twenty-two were handled by police officers.
In September, 2009 twenty persons were taken into custody and held requiring 357 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, fifteen were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported twenty prisoners to court to include eighteen males and two females.
On Tuesday, September 1, 2009 a sergeant and a detective began attending a two day class entitled "Taser Instructor Recertification." This training was held at the Waterford Police Department. This recertification course is required every two years. This certification enables both officers to renew Department member certification on all of Taser's Law Enforcement products.
On Thursday, September 3, 2009 two lieutenants and a sergeant attended a three 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 Wednesday, September 23, 2009 two additional lieutenants attended the second session of this training class.
On Wednesday, September 16, 2009 a sergeant attended a one day class entitled "Falsified Documents and Identity Theft." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. This training provided an in-depth look at identity documents, concentrating on driver's licenses. Additional documents including Federal authorization papers, work cards, immigration and visa paperwork, passports and international driver's license were also discussed.
On Thursday, September 17, 2009 an officer assisted the Connecticut Police Academy with "Basic Firearms Training" for the 325th training session. This officer, a trained firearms instructor, assisted for a total of four days, which included handgun, tactical and shotgun training.
On Thursday, September 24, 2009 two dispatchers attended a one day training class entitled "Crisis Intervention for Telecommunicators." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Course topics included handling domestic violence calls, 9-1-1 liability and suicide intervention.
On September 28 & 30, 2009 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, oleoresin capsicum (OC), and annual pursuit policy training. 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 were put through two different scenarios in order to show their proficiency in the training they received. Training was conducted by several certified Wethersfield Police instructors. This training continues during the first week of October, 2009.
On Tuesday, September 29, 2009 an officer attended a three hour class entitled "Hazmat Personal Protective Equipment Train-the-Trainer." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. This training allows the officer to instruct other officers on the proper use of the Level B & C protective suits.
On Tuesday, September 29, 2009 a sergeant and two officers 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 dock dive in the Connecticut River.
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 September, 2009 officers performed selective enforcement twenty times and spent approximately ten hours doing selective enforcement on various roads in town. In addition, three officers from the Support Services Division visited several of the schools located in town on the first day of school. There were no major problems reported.
The Support Services Bureau Commander continues to receive requests for added or replacement street signs. Some of the completed work orders for September, 2009 include installing one stop sign on Linden Street at the intersection with Clearfield Road and replacing a faded stop sign on Deerledge Lane at Highland Street. Additionally, numerous cones, barricades, one-way signs and temporary "No Parking" signs were placed on numerous streets around the Broad Street Green in Old Wethersfield in support of the Annual Cornfest which was held September 12, 2009.
In September, 2009 the Wethersfield Police Department Child Seat Technician inspected/installed seven child seats. The Support Services Bureau receives requests for this service via the Wethersfield Police Department web site as well as phone requests.
On October 5, 2009 the Police Adventures Crossroads program will begin again at the Silas Deane Middle School. The program is designed for middle school aged youths to meet and train with police officers.
Annual Arrest & Control, ASP, Handcuffing, Taser, Use of Force and Pursuit Policy review training continues into the beginning of October, 2009.
Fall Firearms training for all Department personnel is scheduled for the week of November 16, 2009.
In September, 2009 police personnel responded to seventy-three alarms to include sixty-five burglar alarms and eight hold-up/ panic alarms. Locations included twenty-three non-residential locations, forty-seven residential alarms and three state/ town-owned locations. A total of 1,304 alarm permits are currently on file with the Police Department. During the month, sixty-six locations experienced a false alarm resulting in a 94% compliance rate. This month there were 111 items of correspondence sent in connection with billing, registration and false alarm violations. Two citations were issued for Failure to Register an Alarm System.
The following are the burglary and robbery statistics for the month of September, 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.
| Residential Burglaries | 5 (0) | 4 (1) |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Burglaries | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Armed Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Strong-arm Robberies | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
