Police Department Monthly Report

James L. Cetran
Chief of Police

April, 2010

SPECIAL PROJECTS / ACHIEVEMENTS / INNOVATIONS:

A probationary police officer has completed all phases of Field Training and began solo patrol. A second probationary police officer has completed five Field Training phases and began Phase Six extended training. This Field Training is under the supervision of Department Field Training Officers.

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, hosted one day of the Capital Region Police Recertification - Supervisor Program on Thursday, April 15, 2010. This course was held in the WPD Community Room.

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, hosted a two day training class entitled Capital Region Investigative Services Team - Managing Major Case Investigations beginning on Monday, April 26, 2010. This course was held in the WPD Community Room.

MONTHLY ACTIVITIES:

Patrol Division

Patrol Division (Case of Interest)

On Sunday, April 18, 2010 at about 2:00 PM officers were dispatched to an apartment complex on a complaint of a disorderly person. Officers had been at the same apartment earlier in the day in which officers investigated a verbal argument between a boyfriend and a girlfriend. The girlfriend reported that her boyfriend had just called her and was threatening to kill her and that she was now afraid of him. While the officers were still in the apartment, the phone again rang. One officer picked up the phone. The boyfriend threatened to kill the girlfriend again. After explaining that he was speaking to a police officer, the boyfriend then threatened to kill the officer as well as he would show up and shoot the officer. Officers began a search of the area looking for the boyfriend and his vehicle. The boyfriend began texting the girlfriend again threatening to kill her and any police officer he saw. Officers alerted the Bristol Police Department as the boyfriend's last known address was in Bristol. Officers in Bristol located the boyfriend and detained him while waiting for Wethersfield officers to arrive. While waiting, the boyfriend told the Bristol Officer that he was going to murder the girlfriend. The boyfriend was transported back to the Wethersfield Police Department and held on bond for the charges of Harassment in the 1st Degree, Criminal Trespass in the 1st Degree, Threatening 2nd Degree and Breach of Peace 2nd Degree. He was taken to court the following day and held at a correctional facility awaiting trial.

Detective Division

In April, 2010 members of the Detective Division initiated or were assigned follow-up to twenty-six new cases. Major case investigations included one burglary, one sexual assault, one untimely death, seven larcenies, three frauds and two narcotic cases. Detectives also continue to perform town background investigations and background investigations for pistol permit applicants.

Detective Division (Case of Interest)

On April 21, 2010 WPD detectives conducted a prostitution sting at a motel located on the Silas Deane Highway. By using Craigslist, detectives contacted suspected prostitutes and found that three of them appeared to working out of the same motel on the Silas Deane Highway. Detectives conducted surveillance of the motel in question and did witness what appeared to be a young male customer entering the motel. After a short time, the same male was seen leaving and was stopped by detectives. The male suspect admitted to paying for sex in the motel and told officers he was in a particular room. Detectives proceeded to this room and arrested one female for prostitution. Detectives will continue to address future incidents of prostitution at locations on the Silas Deane Highway and the Berlin Turnpike.

Juvenile Unit

In April, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled fifty-two incidents involving seventy-four juveniles. In these incidents, nine juveniles were arrested for criminal violations, nineteen were diverted to parental discipline and seven were diverted to school punishment.

In April, 2010 the juvenile detective and an officer began presenting an internet safety, anti-cyber bullying, appropriate cell phone use program. To date, the program has been presented at two Town elementary schools. The program is a power point presentation designed for sixth grade aged youths in the Wethersfield School System. The program is an introduction to many of the issues which are addressed in a similar middle school program that has been presented for the past three years.

School Resource Officer

In April, 2010 the School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the Wethersfield High School covered twenty incidents and activities at the school. These twenty incidents and activities resulted in eight case numbers and six incident reports. Incidents include four larcenies, one vandalism, and one medical report.

The SRO also covered five mediations involving student disputes. The SRO also participated in the Freshman Experience as well as was a guest speaker in a career education class.

Support Services Bureau

In April, 2010 Wethersfield Communications Unit personnel dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to seventy-seven medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 202 medical emergencies for a total of 279 medical emergencies.

In April, 2010 Wethersfield Communications Unit personnel dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department to fifty-seven calls for service.

In April, 2010 there were forty-seven calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, eight were handled by a part-time animal control officer, thirty-eight were handled by police officers and one log entry was made for an animal control issue.

In April, 2010 twelve persons were taken into custody and held requiring 224 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, six were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported twelve prisoners to court to include ten males and two females.

Support Services Bureau, Training Unit

On Monday, April 5, 2010 two dispatchers attended the one day "2010 Telecommunicator Conference." This conference was held at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell, CT. Training objectives included new ideas and positive steps to enhance customer service, leadership, poison control and missing and exploited children.

On Monday, April 5, 2010 an officer began attending a ten day training class entitled "North American Standard Driver-Vehicle Inspection." This class was held at the Massachusetts State Police Academy, New Braintree, MA. Objectives included driver and vehicle inspections for commercial motor vehicles. This officer attended as part of the regional traffic team.

On Tuesday, April 6, 2010 a dispatcher attended a one day training class entitled "RID Team Functional Exercise." This training was held at the Manchester RCC, Manchester, CT. This exercise tested both the functionality and compatibility of the equipment used by the RID team in case of a major emergency.

On Tuesday, April 6, 2010 a lieutenant began attending a two day training conference entitled "Region 4 School Safety Conference." This conference was held at the Four Points Sheraton in Norwood, MA.

On Thursday, April 8, 2010 a lieutenant and the Records Supervisor attended a three hour training class entitled "Dissemination and Maintenance of Criminal Records." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Objectives include the Freedom of Information Act, statutes relating to criminal records, juvenile records, youthful offender records, security and privacy of criminal records act, information relating to child abuse and sealed records and federal laws.

On Monday, April 12, 2010 a detective began attending a five day training class entitled "Advanced Crime Scene Processing." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden, CT. This detective had previously attended the Intermediate Crime Scene Processing class. Course objectives include lifting latent prints from unusual surfaces, locating and collecting trace evidence, learning casting methods and preparing a case for court.

On Monday, April 12, 2010 a master police officer began attending a five day training course entitled "First Line Supervisory Leadership." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden, CT. Training objectives include understanding and developing leadership skills, identifying the responsibilities of a supervisor and ways to improve decision making and problem solving.

On Tuesday, April 13, 2010 a lieutenant began attending a one and one half day training class entitled "Continuity of Operations/ Continuity of Government Workshop." This training was held at the Manchester RCC, Manchester, CT. Objectives include addressing current and continued threats posed by natural disasters and terrorism.

On Thursday, April 15, 2010 the juvenile detective attended a one day training class entitled "Perpology: Child Sex Offender Dynamics." This training was held at the Institute of Technology and Business Development, New Britain, CT. Objectives included offender criminal thinking processes, how an offender finds and grooms children and the FBI typology of offenders.

On Monday, April 19, 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.

On Monday, April 26, 2010 a lieutenant began attending a one and one half day training class entitled "Capital Regional Investigative Services Team - Managing Major Case Investigations." This training was held in the Wethersfield Police Department Community Room. Objectives include managing major case investigations through a multi-jurisdictional team of investigators.

On Tuesday, April 27, 2010 two officers attended a one day "CREST- Dive Team" training. This training was held in Glastonbury, 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 training dive.

On Tuesday, April 27, 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 Tuesday, April 27, 2010 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.

Administrative Services Bureau

In April, 2010 police personnel responded to seventy-six police related alarms to include seventy-one burglar alarms and five hold-up/ panic alarms. Locations included thirty-five residential locations and thirty-nine non-residential alarms. A total of 1,370 alarm permits are currently on file with the Police Department. During the month, sixty-three locations experienced a false alarm resulting in a 95% compliance rate. This month there were 179 items of correspondence sent in connection with billing, registration and false alarm violations with $ 3,850 in alarm billing.

In April, 2010 a searchable database was created to store bicycle registration information. This database will aid in identifying the owners of stolen and abandoned bicycles. The Wethersfield Police Department typically sees a noticeable rise in incidents of stolen bicycles during the late spring and summer months.

In April, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Department implemented a trial of a new on-line customer service survey. The survey will help the Department assess our performance in the field. Persons who have had contact with one of our officers in the past year are encouraged to complete the on-line survey. The link to the survey is www.surveymonkey.com/s/3BJRWWD.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

In April, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Department Child Seat Technician inspected/installed six 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 numerous locations throughout town. In April, 2010 officers performed selective enforcement twenty-three times and spent a total of twenty-one hours doing selective enforcement on various roads in town.

In April, 2010 the Support Services Bureau Commander received a complaint from a resident regarding the crosswalk signage located on Nott Street near Folly Brook Boulevard. The resident complained that cars were not yielding to her when, as a pedestrian, she crosses from the Heritage Trail bike path onto the crosswalk on Nott Street. The warning signs for the crosswalk picture a bicycle, not a pedestrian. In researching the bicycle warning sign, it was found that this sign can also be used for other types of crossings to include pedestrians. The resident was advised that the sign would not be changed.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

The Wethersfield Police Explorers will participate in the Connecticut Police Cadet's Stations Day Competition on May 8, 2010.

Spring Firearms training for all Department personnel is scheduled for the week of May 17, 2010. This includes annual shotgun and less lethal/ bean bag qualification for supervisors and command staff as well as rifle training.

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, will be hosting a one day course entitled Powerphone's Protecting Law Enforcement Responders on Wednesday, May 19, 2010. This course will be held in the WPD Community Room.

Officers from the Wethersfield Police Department will be participating in and aggressively enforcing seatbelt violations during the upcoming Annual "Click It or Ticket" enforcement period being held May 24, 2010 through June 6, 2010.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES: