In a Nutshell: Police Commissioner's Meeting

Here are a few notes from the March 14 Police Commissioner's and Traffic Authority meeting.

Traffic Authority Notes:

• Chief Robert Gagne said that the developer for UI addressed all the questions that the state had regarding a traffic light it wants to install on Marsh Hill Road at its entrance across from the Restaurant Depot driveway. The plans were resubmitted to the state for approval.

• The Conservation Commission's request for a large "traffic mirror" near the entrance to the Racebrook Tract for safety reasons was taken very seriously and after the snow melted, officers investigated the sight-line concerns. Included was parking a patrol car in the driveway and taking photos from different locations to see how hard it was to see it. The investigation led to the Highway Department cutting back overgrown brush and will include removing a fence which dramatically improved the sight line. The state will now erect warning signs in both directions before the entrance so motorists will know that a driveway is coming up ahead. The town will not re-grade the driveway or erect a "traffic mirror."

Traffic Commission:

• Asst. Chief Edward Koether gave the report regarding the police reports for February.  He said there were 41 criminal arrests; 248 traffic tickets; 2 residential and three commercial burglaries reported; 27 larceny cases; 82 motor vehicle accidents with a total of 2,416 calls for service, which generated 481 reports.

• The hot spot for burglaries seems to be the UI property, where people climb over the fence and steal copper wire. On Feb. 4 about $4,300 worth of copper wire was stolen and on Feb. 15, someone attempted to break into a construction trailer.

• On Feb. 16, someone broke into the AT&T store and stole $3,200 worth of cell phones and tablet computers.

• A residential burglary was reported on Old Tavern Road and a 14 and 17-year-old were arrested and have gone to court.

• On Feb. 26, a home on Pinetree Drive was completely ransacked, but it is still unknown if anythng was taken.

• Gagne reported that the records department brought in $261.95 for report sales; $1,060 for permits; $125 for parking tags; $60 for fingerprints and $30 for records checks. A total of $1,536.95.

• A $2,600 wireless system for the motorcycle unit so they could have better communications ability did not come out of the police operating budget but was funded by the statewide narcotics fund.

Budget

• Gagne said the biggest concern is overtime and the Dichello lock-out is putting a bigger strain on that area of the department's budget.

• The Board of Finance asked all departments to cut their budgets and asked the police to slice 5% from their budget. Gagne said the changes that the police made was cutting out a travel and training dollar amount so it is the same as the current fiscal year. Police vehicles were removed by the BOF, but they will be funded from the capital reserve funds. The Department also will get three (instead of four) computers for the cruisers out of the capital reserve funds.

Online records option

• Gagne said Records Clerk Gary Canapinno researched and proposed an online option of providing citizens with accident reports. The plan is to submit PDF files of accident reports to a website that Woodbridge and West Haven Police are using with great success and for a $4 fee — in addition to the $.50 mandated per page cost of the reports — residents can obtain copies of accident reports without having to go out to the police department. Gagne said it would reduce foot traffic in the police department and provide residents with the convenience of getting the reports from home at no extra cost to the police department for the service. The company will send the department a check for the per-page costs.

The Commissioners agreed that it was a win-win proposal.

Training

• This month the department brought in instructors from the Derby Police Department to teach valuable lessons in Arresting Control, which included arm holds, take-down holds and it was well-received.

• The officers also received information on stress reduction

• In April they will receive leadership training.

Thank you

• Gagne went over all the correspondence that he received this month thanking officers for their help, kindness and exemplary work in the field for several different incidents.