To the Editor:

I have an exterminator that comes to my house once a month to check on rodent control equipment that they have installed. For two years, Juan always parks his truck in the back by my garage and goes around the house checking his traps and spraying the foundation as needed. When he needs to go to the basement, he knocks on the back door.

Yesterday Juan parked at the front of the house. I did not give it much thought until I realized that I never saw him walking around. I opened my patio doors, no Juan. I walked to where his truck was parked, no Juan. I looked inside, no Juan. I went back inside, and, on a hunch, I opened the front door. There was Juan, lying out of sight under a bush to the left of the steps. He was not moving or breathing. I rushed inside and called 911 to send and ambulance.

I walked back outside to wait for the ambulance. In about four minutes, Police Officer Michael McGowan drove into the driveway and said, “What’s happening?” I said, “I think my friend Juan is dead.” He rushed back to his car and got his medical kit and started immediately administrating CPR. He never stopped until a second police officer arrived and took over. A couple of minutes later, a third police officer arrived. So, in a span of ten minutes from my 911 call, three police officers were working to save Juan.

Very quickly many, many EMT volunteers started arriving. I have a long U-drive, but it was reaching capacity with the outpouring of volunteer help.

As I stood there watching, with my friends at my side, it occurred to me that Newtown is unique. It is not just wonderful town to live in; it is, as my friend Mark DeWolfe pointed out, a community-driven town. The heart and soul of Newtown is a rock-solid Police Department. The mayors of NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, and Seattle should pay a visit with Dan Rosenthal and see how it is done. Defunding the police department is not in Dan’s vocabulary.

Post note: The man that I thought was Juan was his backup. That explains his parking at the front door. He did not make it. I am sure he is looking down saying, “Thank you, guys, you gave it your best shot.”

W. Charles Paulsen

119 Boggs Hill Road, Newtown August 24, 2020