Police Department Monthly Report

James L. Cetran
Chief of Police

February, 2010

SPECIAL PROJECTS / ACHIEVEMENTS / INNOVATIONS:

Two probationary police officers have completed the first of four Field Training phases and began Phase Two training. This Field Training is under the supervision of Department Field Training Officers. During the Field Training Program, these probationary officers are observed and evaluated on a daily basis while they are expected to perform more duties with each phase.

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, hosted a three day course entitled Powerphone's Emergency Medical Dispatch February 3 - 5, 2010. This course was held in the WPD Community Room. By hosting this course, this Department saved $778.00 in tuition costs.

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, hosted one day of the Capital Region Police Recertification - Supervisor Program on Thursday, February 18, 2010. This course was held in the WPD Community Room.

The Wethersfield Police Department Monthly Report will now contain additional monthly statistics to include FBI Part I Index Crimes, infractions/ motor vehicle summons issued, family violence arrests and records requests data. This data will be shown as monthly, year-to-date, and well as previous year's monthly and year-to-date.

MONTHLY ACTIVITIES:

Patrol Division

Patrol Division (Cases of Interest)

On Saturday, February 6, 2010 at about 12:40 PM a patrol officer saw a vehicle which had heavy body damage and a smashed window traveling on the Silas Deane Highway. The officer checked the vehicle's registration and found that it was a reported stolen vehicle from the Windsor Police Department. The officer waited for a back-up officer to arrive and then attempted to stop the car. The stolen vehicle pulled to the right and stopped. The officer walked up to the car when the driver attempted to pull forward. The officer ordered the operator to stop and to turn the car off which he did. The driver was found to be fifteen years old and an escapee from a juvenile reformatory facility. The two passengers were also juveniles and also reported escapees from a juvenile reformatory facility. Inside the vehicle, officers located several items including a purse and jewelry believed to have been stolen from other towns. All three juveniles were placed under arrest, processed, and returned to their respective juvenile reformatory facilities.

On Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at about 1:35 AM Wethersfield police officers were made aware that a knife-point kidnapping had just occurred in the City of Hartford. Additional information included the vehicle description, vehicle license as well as that the suspect and victim were traveling together. Shortly after this broadcast, a Wethersfield patrol officer spotted this car as it traveled on Hartford Avenue. The officer stopped the car and was able to detain the suspect. The Hartford Police Department arrived and eventually placed the operator under arrest for domestic-related crimes that occurred in Hartford.

Detective Division

In February, 2010 members of the Detective Division initiated or were assigned follow-up to nineteen new cases. Major case investigations included two burglaries, two narcotics cases, two untimely deaths, one harassment, one identity theft, three larcenies and four fraud cases. Detectives also continue to perform town background investigations and background investigations for pistol permit applicants.

Juvenile Unit

In February, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled forty incidents involving sixty juveniles. In these incidents, nine juveniles were arrested for criminal violations, eleven were diverted to parental discipline and twelve were diverted to school discipline.

In February, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Explorers participated in first aid practical training class. The Wethersfield Police Explorers also attended the graduation ceremony for a former Wethersfield Police Explorer who graduated from the New Britain Police Department Academy. This former explorer will serve as an officer in the town of Avon. Eleven former Wethersfield Police Explorers have later gone on to become full time law enforcement officers both for the Town of Wethersfield and other area law enforcement organizations.

School Resource Officer

In February, 2010 the School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the Wethersfield High School covered fourteen incidents and activities at the school. These fourteen incidents and activities resulted in eight case numbers and four incident reports. Incidents include two larceny complaints, one harassment complaint and one threatening complaint. The SRO reported making one arrest for Failure to Appear (two counts).

The SRO handled three mediations during the month involving student disputes and attended several STARS meetings.

Support Services Bureau

In February, 2010 Wethersfield Communications Unit personnel dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to thirty-five medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 187 medical emergencies for a total of 222 medical emergencies.

In February, 2010 there were twenty calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, one was handled by an animal control officer, sixteen were handled by police officers and three log entries were made for animal control issues.

In February, 2010 eleven persons were taken into custody and held requiring 167 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, eight were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported eleven prisoners to court to include ten males and one female.

Support Services Bureau, Training Unit

On Tuesday, February 2, 2010 a canine officer, along with his canine, Hunter, attended a one day training class entitled "Police Canine/ Police Canine Handler Training." The canine officer and Hunter participated in this monthly canine training with several other area law enforcement canine teams. Training included evidence recovery and tracking.

On Wednesday, February 3, 2010 three members of the Capitol Region Emergency Services Team (CREST) began attending monthly two-day training.

On Wednesday, February 3, 2010 an officer and a dispatcher began attending a three day training class entitled "Emergency Medical Dispatch." This training, instructed by Powerphone, Inc., was hosted by the Wethersfield Police Department Training Unit and held in the WPD Community Room. Training topics included the emergency dispatch process, handling difficult callers, assigning needed resources, identifying the caller's chief complaint and risk management techniques to reduce liability. This class is one of several mandated training classes in order to keep certification as a telecommunicator by the State of Connecticut.

On Wednesday, February 10, 2010 an officer, who is a member of the CREST team, attended a monthly one day training class entitled "Explosive Breaching School." This training included updates to explosives used by SWAT teams in breaching buildings.

During the week of February 15, 2010 the WPD training unit conducted "Use of Force / Use of Deadly Force Decisions" scenario based training. Thirty-three officers participated in this training, which was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room. Each officer was assigned to one half-hour of individual training. The officers were put through a series of scenarios ranging from verbal commands to lethal force, which were then reviewed by the officer and the instructors. Objectives of this training included verbal commands, use of force decision making, weapon control and retention, use of weapons and equipment.

On Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Chief James Cetran and a lieutenant attended the "Capital Region Chief's of Police Recertification" training held in Rocky Hill, CT. This recertification program, which is required every three years, is open to Chiefs of Police and Second in Command Officers only. The training this month was on the topics of Executive Liability and Bias Crimes. This training is held once per month concluding in June, 2010.

On Monday, February 22, 2010 a detective began attending a five day training class entitled "Intermediate Crime Scene Processing." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. This detective had previously attended the Basic Crime Scene Processing class in March, 2009. Course objectives include lifting latent prints from unusual surfaces, locating and collecting trace evidence, learning casting methods and preparing a case for court.

On Tuesday, February 23, 2010 three sergeants attended a two hour training class entitled "Legal Training on Public Act 09-7 - Raising the Juvenile Age." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Objectives of this training included the changes in the law considering who is a child or a youth, juvenile Miranda warnings, new juvenile summons and arrest warrant forms and police release procedures.

On Thursday, February 25, 2010 three officers attended a one and one half hour training class entitled "Intoxilyzer Instructor Update." Training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. This class updated instructors on new instruments and changes in the state statutes. The above three officers are all certified Intoxilyzer instructors.

Administrative Services Bureau

In February, 2010 police personnel responded to fifty-two police related alarms to include forty-eight burglar alarms and four hold-up/ panic alarms. Locations included twenty-one residential locations, thirty non-residential alarms and one state/ town-owned location. A total of 1,337 alarm permits are currently on file with the Police Department. During the month, forty-six locations experienced a false alarm resulting in a 96% compliance rate. This month there were ninety-nine items of correspondence sent in connection with billing, registration and false alarm violations with $ 1,525.00 in alarm billing.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

In February, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Department Child Seat Technician inspected/installed four child seats. The Support Services Division receives requests for this service via the Wethersfield Police Department web site as well as phone requests.

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 several town schools. To address these complaints, officers performed selective enforcement at several locations throughout town. In February, 2010 officers performed selective enforcement six times and spent a total of four hours doing selective enforcement on various roads in town.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Annual CPR/ AED, Airborne/ Bloodborne Pathogen and First Aid training is scheduled for March and April 2010.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES: