Police Commission members at an April 3 session addressed a range of law enforcement topics, including traffic law enforcement on Toddy Hill Road, and traffic congestion near Reed Intermediate School at Trades Lane.

As they have for the past year, a group of Toddy Hill Road residents attended the commission meeting at Town Hall South to monitor the police's ongoing enforcement of traffic problems on Toddy Hill Road, a town road that links Sandy Hook to Botsford. The Police Commission is the local traffic authority.

Police Chief James Viadero said police are continuing their heightened traffic enforcement on Toddy Hill Road. Following a serious motor vehicle accident on that street last spring, residents from that neighborhood started pressing police to better control traffic violations there, including speeding and reckless driving.

Chief Viadero said police have stayed in close contact with Toddy Hill Road resident Pete Sepe to keep apprised of conditions there. The police chief said that the police department's "speed trailer" will return to Toddy Hill Road soon, after it becomes obvious that winter weather is over.

Police used that large mobile electronic device last year on Toddy Hill Road to deter speeding. The speed trailer bears a large electronic display which informs motorists of their travel speed as they approach the display, as compared to the posted speed limit in the area. The display can be programmed to make a bright light flash rapidly when motorists are driving too fast. Police do not use the speed trailer during the winter to prevent it from being damaged by the adverse weather and by snowplows.

"We continue to enforce," Chief Viadero said, expressing the police's ongoing drive for traffic control on Toddy Hill Road.

Carolyn Sepe of Toddy Hill Road said neighborhood residents are looking forward to the presence of a permanent electronic speed control sign in their neighborhood. Ms Sepe said she was heartened recently when she saw police stop a traffic law violator on the roadway. "Thank you for all you do," she said.

In the proposed police budget for fiscal 2018-19, police are seeking funds to buy a stationary solar-powered electronic sign that would provide a display similar to that of the speed trailer. The budget referendum is scheduled for April 24.

In response to a question from Patrick Ross of Toddy Hill Road, Chief Viadero said that construction work on a town bridge replacement project on Toddy Hill Road will continue. The new bridge will link Toddy Hill Road to Berkshire Road, replacing an existing substandard span.

"That (bridge) project's going forward," Chief Viadero said.

In another traffic matter, Chief Viadero said that a town traffic agent's recent manual operation of a traffic signal control box has worked well in terms of lessening school bus congestion in the mornings, as school buses approach Reed School from the west on eastbound Wasserman Way. That control box is located on the northwest corner of the four-way signalized intersection of Wasserman Way and Trades Lane.

"I think it's had the desired effect," he said of the measure to limit bus congestion.

Chief Viadero said that when considering that a solution has been found to lessen bus congestion, an earlier proposal to allow school buses to enter the school grounds in the mornings at an emergency access point to the school grounds near the western end of Wasserman Way does not now appear to be needed. He has been conferring with school officials regarding the traffic issue.

New Police Station

In another matter, Chief Viadero told Police Commission members that planning for a new police station is progressing. He said he would be meeting soon with representatives of the architectural firm Kaestle Boos Associates, Inc, of New Britain to discuss possible sites for a new facility.

Police are seeking a new police station to replace the existing outdated station located on the upper level of Town Hall South at 3 Main Street. Kaestle Boos has been hired to do preliminary project planning. Funding for police station design plans and construction would be subject to voters' action at a referendum expected to be held sometime later this year.

In other business, Chief Viadero updated Police Commission members on plans to acquire body-mounted video cameras for police use. Police have tested equipment from three firms which make "bodycams" and have selected a camera produced by a firm known as Vievu, the chief said.

Police have applied for and have received initial approval for grant money to acquire such equipment, Chief Viadero said. Police departments use bodycams to provide a visual and sonic recording of their interactions with the public for the sake of accountability by police and by the public.

In August 2015, Police Commission members decided that equipping town police officers with bodycams is a good idea and endorsed acquiring the devices.

In another matter, Police Commission members learned that the 45 police department members have made the full transition to their new uniforms, which are dark blue in color. Police previously had worn uniforms that included gray shirts and black pants. The changeover to dark blue garments conforms with the police uniforms generally worn in the Northeast. The dark blue garments are more readily available and are lower in price than the previous garments.

Also, the police department's distinctive shoulder patches have been redesigned to better match their new uniforms, Chief Viadero said. The new patches are darker in tone and simpler in design than the previous ones. The oval patches depict the Main Street flagpole and Newtown Meeting House, among other graphic elements.

Chief Viadero announced that the police department would sponsor an awards ceremony for its members on May 15. Such events recognize the public service provided by police during the course of their work.

PCAC

In another matter, Police Commission members heard a presentation from David "Chip" Rubenstein of Milford, representing the Police Commissioners Association of Connecticut (PCAC).

Mr Rubenstein said the organization formally recognizes meritorious service by police officers through an awards program, which honors police for their law enforcement work. He also said that PCAC will be nominating Chief Viadero for an upcoming award. Police Commission chairman Joel Faxon said he will seek to have Police Commission members join PCAC.

According to the group's website, PCAC members are the elected and the appointed police commission members from municipalities throughout Connecticut. Their mission is to provide a link between professional law enforcement officers and the public.