Police Department Monthly Report

James L. Cetran
Chief of Police

June, 2010

SPECIAL PROJECTS / ACHIEVEMENTS / INNOVATIONS:

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, hosted a five day Capital Region Police Recertification course beginning on Monday, June 14, 2010. This course was held in the WPD Community Room.

MONTHLY ACTIVITIES:

Patrol Division

Patrol Division (Cases of Interest)

On Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at about 1:30 PM officers were dispatched to a retail store on the Silas Deane highway on the report of a possible shoplifter. Support Services personnel were in the area and the first to respond. Officers saw the shoplifting suspect enter a vehicle and begin to leave the parking lot. The officers attempted to stop the vehicle however it sped away. The officers followed the vehicle with their lights and siren on and initiated a pursuit. The vehicle continued to speed away. Due to the danger involved the officers stopped the pursuit. The officers, now on Main Street, saw the vehicle head north towards the Wethersfield Cove. A short time later officers saw the vehicle now exiting the Cove parking lot. An officer was able to place stop sticks in front of the vehicle causing one of the tires to deflate. The vehicle slowed down and eventually stopped on Main Street. The operator exited his car and was placed under arrest. Officers found stolen merchandise inside the vehicle and along the route of the pursuit as the arrestee had thrown items from the vehicle. The operator was charged with various motor vehicle crimes along with Reckless Endangerment and Larceny.

On Friday, June 18, 2010 at about 9:50 PM a patrol officer saw a vehicle traveling on Prospect Street with dark tinted windows and without inspection stickers. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but the operator continued to drive at the normal speed limit. The vehicle slowed down on the Silas Deane Highway but continued without stopping even though the officer had on his vehicle's emergency lights and siren. The vehicle then accelerated and eventually turned into the parking lot of a local restaurant. The operator stopped and ran from his car into the restaurant. A detective who had been following the officer chased the suspect into the restaurant where he was able to tackle the operator and place him under arrest. The operator had thrown a bag of marijuana onto a table and a restaurant patron turned it over to officers at the scene. The operator was charged with multiple motor vehicle violations, Possession of Marijuana and Breach of Peace.

Detective Division

In June, 2010 members of the Detective Division initiated or were assigned follow-up to twenty-three new cases. Major case investigations included four burglaries, one sexual assault, two counterfeiting cases, three larcenies and five fraud cases. Detectives also continue to perform town background investigations and background investigations for pistol permit applicants.

Detective Division (Case of Interest)

In June, 2010 Detectives responded to investigate two residential burglaries located on Wolcott Hill Road and Mohawk Lane. Through an intensive investigation, detectives identified a high school student as a suspect in the burglaries. Detectives were able to locate the student and were able to obtain a confession for both burglaries. The student was charged with several crimes including Burglary, Larceny and Criminal Mischief.

Juvenile Unit

In June, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Department Juvenile Unit handled thirty-eight incidents involving sixty-one juveniles. In these incidents, four juveniles were arrested for criminal violations, twenty-seven were diverted to parental discipline and one was diverted to school punishment.

During the week of June 21, 2010 the Wethersfield Police Explorers raised funds for the Post by volunteering at the Traveler's Championship in Cromwell, CT. The Wethersfield Police Explorers, combined with the efforts of other area explorer posts, assisted in the parking of over 14,000 cars during the week.

School Resource Officer

In June, 2010 the School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the Wethersfield High School covered six incidents and activities at the school. These six incidents and activities resulted in five case reports to include two larceny reports. The SRO also reported three arrest incidents at the school in which two males were arrested and charged with Assault Third Degree and Breach of Peace Second Degree and a third student charged with Failure to Respond to an Infraction, CGS 51-164r(a).

The SRO also reported instructing a sociology class regarding Constitutional law. On June 4, 2010 the SRO attended the Senior Prom at The Bond, Hartford CT and the Wethersfield Graduation Ceremony on June 22, 2010 at Cove Park.

Support Services Bureau

In June, 2010 Wethersfield Communications Unit personnel dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance to sixty-one medical emergencies and Aetna Ambulance to 233 medical emergencies for a total of 294 medical emergencies.

In June, 2010 Wethersfield Communications Unit personnel dispatched the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department to thirty-eight calls for service.

In June, 2010 there were forty-five calls involving animal control issues. Of those calls, nine were handled by a part-time animal control officer, thirty-two were handled by police officers and four CAD entries were made.

In June, 2010 seventeen persons were taken into custody and held requiring 395 hours of incarceration. Of the persons held, five were arrested by warrant. Support Services personnel transported seventeen prisoners to court to include fourteen males and three females.

The Support Services Bureau Commander continues to receive requests for added or replacement street signs. Work orders completed in June, 2010 include painting a double yellow line at the north-end of Main Street to the traffic island at the entrance to the Wethersfield Cove, removing the "Keep Right" sign/ pole in this same traffic island for northbound traffic and placing temporary "No Parking" signs on the north side of Cottwell Drive near Corpus Christi School in support of their annual picnic that was held June 18, 2010.

Support Services Bureau, Training Unit

On Tuesday, June 1, 2010 a sergeant began attending a three day training class entitled "Management and Operation of a Canine Unit." This class was held at the Farmington Police Department, Farmington, CT. Objectives include canine selection, working with tactical teams, police dog training, understanding canine behavior and appropriate leadership approaches. This sergeant is the supervisor of the Department's canine unit.

On Monday, June 7, 2010 four Department members of the Capitol Region Emergency Services Team (CREST) attended an annual five-day training session.

On Tuesday, June 8, 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, June 8, 2010 a detective began attending a three day training class entitled "Simunition Scenario Instructor and Safety Certification Course." This training was held at Simunition Headquarters in Avon, CT. Objectives include program development, personnel responsibilities, training safety and scenario execution. WPD uses the Simunition FX marking equipment during scenario based training.

On Wednesday, June 9, 2010 a sergeant and a detective attended a four hour course entitled "Dynamics of Armed Encounters." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Objectives include taking personal responsibility for training, defining controlled aggression, identifying common fatal errors, explaining the effects of extreme stress and how it affects law enforcement officers during critical situations.

On Monday, June 14, 2010 a detective and three officers began attending the five day "Capital Region Police Officer Recertification Training." This training was hosted by the Wethersfield Police Department Training Unit and held in the WPD Community Room. This forty hour class is mandatory every three years to keep officers certified in the State of Connecticut. The training encompasses a wide variety of topics including legal updates, bias crimes, patrol procedures, emotionally disturbed persons, suicide prevention, juvenile law and domestic violence laws.

On Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Chief James Cetran and two lieutenants 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 topic of responding to resistance and aggression - a police executive's perspective. This training was held once per month concluding in June, 2010.

On Monday, June 21, 2010 an officer attended a one day training class entitled "Preserving Computerized Drug Evidence and Internet Investigations." This training was held at the Connecticut Police Academy, Meriden, CT. Objectives include the use of digital evidence related to drug-related crimes, the rule of search and seizure for digital evidence and the procedures for collection, transportation and storage of digital evidence.

On Tuesday, June 29, 2010 an officer attended 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 pier inspection on the Connecticut River.

Administrative Services Bureau

In June, 2010 police personnel responded to sixty-five police related alarms to include sixty-two burglar alarms and three hold-up/ panic alarms. Locations included thirty-eight residential locations, twenty-five non-residential alarms and two state/ town government locations. A total of 1,389 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 120 items of correspondence sent in connection with billing, registration and false alarm violations with $ 2,675 in alarm billing.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

In June, 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 June, 2010 officers performed selective enforcement twenty-two times and spent a total of eighteen hours doing selective enforcement on various roads in town.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, will be hosting a two day training course entitled "Mossberg Shotgun Armorer" beginning on Wednesday, September 8, 2010. This course will be held in the WPD Community Room.

The Wethersfield Police Department, Training Unit, will be hosting a six day training course entitled "School Resource Officer Training" beginning on Tuesday, October 5, 2010. This course will be held in the WPD Community Room.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES: