A Milestone For The Police Department

Thirty years ago this summer, Newtown ceased being a small town – at least in one respect. The town dissolved its constabulary and created a police force.

There were many fond farewells in August 1971 for Sgt James Costello, who had served for 17 years as the town’s resident state trooper, overseeing a small force of constables keeping the peace in what was already a peaceful town. But even 30 years ago, the town was growing, and town leaders saw that there was a clear need for a more professional approach to public safety. So Newtown hired its first police chief, former state police captain Louis Marchese, at an annual salary of $13,577.72, and swore in as police officers the men who had been serving the town as constables.

The Newtown force started in a swirl of controversy over a decision by the rank and file to unionize, and over the years, controversy hasn’t wandered far from the department. The department was severely criticized for its administration of the murder investigation of the 1986 murder of Helle Crafts by her husband, Richard. And the Police Commission ended the 1990s by firing its police chief, James Lysaght, for violating department rules, insubordination, and unsatisfactory conduct.

Beneath the high profile negative headlines, however, the department’s rank and file has made steady gains in its capabilities and professionalism. The department’s new chief, Michael Kehoe, earns more than five times what the first chief did 30 years ago, and given the responsibilities of a modern and growing police department, he is probably underpaid. The department’s detectives and patrol men and women are constantly training and studying to improve their skills, employing technology and proven strategies for community policing. The force has been augmented and equipped to address a growing town’s need for safety and security; there are currently 42 officers on the force.

The Newtown Police Department is kicking off its celebration of this milestone anniversary with an exhibit at the Booth Library. The exhibit starts August 13 and runs through August 23 in the library meeting room. It tells its own story in pictures and text and reflects the theme of the department’s celebration – A Proud Tradition. We urge townspeople to take a few minutes and visit the exhibit. The department deserves not only our support, but our appreciation as well.