Police Commission’s Problems Seem To Be Escalating

To the Editor:

One major function of the Police Commission is to “Appoint, promote, suspend and remove members and officers of the Police Department in accordance with said regulations,” according to the Newtown Charter.

Last week the Police Chief reported “that of a staffing level of 47, we have 43 on the payroll but the staffing level is actually 37 due to officers at the Academy, others on leave or illness, so that 75 percent of the patrol officers are available for duty.” (Minutes dated October 4, 2007.) The impact of this mismanagement is severe.

1. The School Resource Officers have been cut back. You may remember a commissioner’s letter to The Bee touting this program as one of their children’s safety success stories and a reason to return the incumbents to office in November.

2. The Traffic Unit, approved with fanfare by the commissioners’ last budget sessions, will be delayed until mid 2008 at the earliest.

3. Newtown is being protected by a police force that is understaffed by 25 percent, according to the police chief, resulting in increased overtime pay. According to the minutes of October 4 they approved the transfer $25,000 to the police overtime account. What type of pressure are our fine officers under, given this critical understaffing? It is no surprise that officers are asking for leave of absences.

How is it that the police commissioners have failed so miserably at the most important function they have, to maintain the police force? Where was the hiring and retention plan and why did it not work? This is a problem that has been growing all year and the Police Commission has been unable to get ahead of it. Now we have a crisis. If the school system were at 75 percent of approved staffing, heads would fall at the Board of Education!

This isn’t the only issue developing with the Police Commission this month.

As unbelievable as it might seem, after spending $50,000 on the Queen Street Traffic Study, the commissioners are asking for more money to study the intersection of Glover Avenue and Queen Street. Last month the Queen Street lobby spokesman, Bob Geckle, met with the commissioners and suggested that “additional traffic engineering be undertaken.” Hopping right to it the commissioners voted to ask the first selectman for more money to study Queen Street traffic.

Add that to the $300,000 they just asked for to replace a communications system just acquired in 2003 because they choose the wrong technology.

The current commissioners up for reelection are asking you to return them to office. I implore you to take this November election as an opportunity to reenergize the Police Commission. Some commissioners have been in office for over 19 years, others over eight years. New ideas and fresh faces are needed.

In November you will have the opportunity to elect three commissioners, please consider me for one of your votes.

Bruce W. Walczak

Independent Party Candidate for Police Commissioner

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                      October 10, 2007