Date: Fri 20-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-Winsentaner-Vanghele

Full Text:

Two Officers Get Youth Assignments

(with photo)

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Two town police officers have been given special assignments to handle law

enforcement matters concerning local youth -- Youth Officer Doug Wisentaner

and School Resource Officer Chris Vanghele.

Both men formerly served in the police department's patrol division. In their

new roles they are attached to the detective division under the supervision of

Detective Sergeant Henry Stormer.

Wisentaner, 32, began work with the police department in July 1994. He has a

bachelors degree in criminal justice and sociology from Stonehill College in

North Easton, Mass.

As youth officer, Wisentaner investigates crimes in which juveniles, or those

under age 16, are either the accused or are the victims.

Also, he is the instructor in the police department's Drug Abuse Resistance

Education (DARE) program. In that capacity, he teaches a fifth-grade

curriculum on how to avoid peer group pressure to use illegal substances at

Hawley School, Sandy Hook School, Head O'Meadow School and Middle Gate School.

Detective Robert Tvardzik teaches the DARE program at St Rose School.

"It's a different side of police work," Wisentaner said of his role as youth

officer.

Instead of reacting to problems after they occur, a youth officer works

pro-actively to prevent problems from happening, he said.

Besides the DARE program, Wisentaner conducts public educational programs on

topics such as bicycle safety and provides tours of the police station. "They

keep me busy," he said.

To prepare to become the youth officer, Wisentaner received special training

on child abuse issues, youth gangs, drug enforcement and drug abuse education.

Wisentaner replaced George Sinko as youth officer after Sinko was promoted to

sergeant.

Vanghele, 28, joined the police department in June 1993. He holds a bachelors

degree in English from the University of Connecticut.

In the mornings, Vanghele works at Newtown High School. He then travels to

Newtown Middle School. At the middle school he teaches a course to seventh

graders known as Life Skills. It is part of the school's health curriculum.

Life Skills seeks to prevent youths from using drugs, alcohol and tobacco. In

the course, Vanghele teaches communications skills, decision-making, and ways

to build a positive self-image.

As school resource officer, Vanghele's efforts are focused on youths in grade

7 and also in grades 9 through 12.

At the high school he has an office which serves as his base for criminal

investigations and student counseling work.

"It's a lot more rewarding than I thought," Vanghele said of his work as

school resource officer. Working in the schools in refreshing after having

worked on patrol duty, he noted.

"I like the `prevention' base. I get to see it from the kids' point of view,"

he said.

Vanghele replaced Officer Phil Hynes as school resource officer.

Both Wisentaner and Vanghele are members of the Newtown Prevention Council, an

organization formed to foster the welfare of local youth.

Both men agree their role as police officers expanded after they started

working with youths, with their jobs taking on aspects of social work.

When not working in the schools during the summer months, Wisentaner and

Vanghele investigate cases in the police detective bureau.