Commission Weighs Recommendations

For Police Department Reorganization

By Andrew Gorosko

In charting a direction for the police department for the next five years, Police Commission members are considering some proposed changes for the organization recommended by Lieutenant David Lydem, an officer who has served with the department for 33 years.

Among other changes, Lt Lydem recommends a reorganization of the police department hierarchy to make the organization function better. 

In a report presented to the Police Commission Tuesday night, Lt Lydem addressed five areas: organizational structure; manpower; facilities; radio communications; and vehicles.

Acting Police Chief Michael Kehoe said the report presented by the lieutenant provides a good framework for commission consideration of changes to the police department, giving commission members “food for thought” in adjusting the organization.

 Lt Lydem acknowledged that his proposals are subject to modification by the commission, noting that obtaining money to make the proposed changes is a major factor in whether they are accomplished.

Police Commission Chairman James Reilly said Lt Lydem has provided “a good starting point” for the commission. Commission members will consider Lt Lydem’s proposals in formulating a five-year plan for the police department, Mr Reilly said.

“This is a good first step,” said commission member Richard Simon.

Organizational Structure

Lt Lydem recommends some changes in the police department’s organizational structure.

His proposal involves increasing the number of lieutenants from one to two; increasing the number of patrol sergeants from four to six; and increasing the number of detectives from two to three. Currently there are five patrol sergeant positions, but one patrol sergeant’s position has been vacant since last spring.

A 1997 reorganization of the police department has proven detrimental, according to Lt Lydem. His proposal for another reorganization would address problems created by the 1997 reorganization.

“It is my feeling and (the feelings) of most everyone here that these (1997) changes were a detriment to the department, diminishing the span of control, unity of command, and unity of direction. The changes caused confusion, with no direct line of command. No one seemed to know who was in charge of what, and supervision suffered. Career paths were eliminated, causing much dissatisfaction through the ranks,” Lt Lydem writes.

The 1997 reorganization of the police department increased the authority of the captain and shifted some of the captain’s previous duties to a lieutenant. That reorganization also eliminated one of two lieutenant positions. It also shifted the supervision of the detective bureau from a lieutenant to a sergeant.

In his proposal, Lt Lydem recommends an organizational structure for the police department in which the Police Commission supervises the police chief, who in turn supervises a captain. The captain would supervise two lieutenants – an administrative lieutenant and an operations lieutenant.

“These changes will reestablish the stronger pyramid organizational model, which enhances the lines of supervision, creating a better span of control, unity of command and direction,” Lt Lydem writes.

The proposed reorganization would add one new patrol sergeant position, which would allow the police department to function under the “squad system,” in which groups of officers work as teams on work shifts. Creating a squad system would provide better supervision, enabling sergeants to better evaluate their subordinates, according to Lt Lydem.

The police department has formulated a policy to evaluate the performance of its employees, but doing such evaluations may prove difficult because the department does not have a squad system, Lt Lydem said. Police Commission members Tuesday night endorsed a policy specifying how police officers, detectives, and supervisors will be evaluated. Police management created the evaluation process as part of the of the police labor contract which took effect last year.

Making the organizational changes recommended by Lt Lydem would require 44 sworn police officers. Currently, the department has 40 sworn officers and is authorized to have up to 42 officers.

Lt Lydem also recommends the addition of a part-time weekend animal control worker.

 

Calls For Service

In reviewing the police department’s number of “calls for service” and “formal cases” for the past five fiscal years, Lt Lydem found that those statistics peaked in the 1996-97 fiscal year, with 13,816 calls for service and 3,481 formal cases.

In 1999-2000, which is the most recent complete fiscal year, the number of calls for service was 12,463 and the number of formal cases was 2,584.

In the report, the lieutenant addresses why the number of calls for service and formal cases has not increased, although the town has grown in population during the past decade.

During the past five years, the number of dwellings in town has increased by more than 1,000, putting the population at roughly 24,613, he states. The amount of local roadways has increased by about 14 miles. Traffic counts and observations indicate a definite increase in traffic flow, he adds. The local prison population has increased. There has been a moderate increase in the number of retail stores and other businesses, according to the lieutenant.

“One would have to look at the robust economy as the major factor in holding down crime across the nation and… in Newtown. The unemployment rate in 1999 for Newtown was 1.9 percent… The change in Newtown’s demography over the last ten years has also been a big factor. Several areas in town, which at one time were predominantly low-income houses or summer cottages, have evolved into more expensive permanent housing,” he writes.

Large, new expensive houses have attracted higher income residents to town, he adds.

“Also cutting into crime is the ever-increasing number of security systems guarding residential and commercial buildings and motor vehicles. Today, Newtown is home to about four liquor bars, when at one time, there were over ten,” he adds.

Neither has the local crime rate nor the types of crime committed changed much in the past several years, according to Lt Lydem.

Although traffic flow has increased, motor vehicle safety features have increased, reducing injuries and fatalities, he writes.

Facilities

“We need more space. Every office is cramped. [The town] is moving the combined emergency dispatch center here, therefore adding to the dilemma,” the lieutenant writes. Planning is underway to use a section of the rear storage room at the police station for police use as a space shortage stopgap for the next five years, he adds.

The police department’s faulty portable two-way radios have posed operational problems in recent years, according to the lieutenant.

“We have been fortunate that none of our officers has been injured as a result of the inability to communicate with these portables,” he writes. The town is researching a new radio system which would upgrade police, fire, and highway department radio communications, he adds.

Lt Lydem also makes recommendations concerning the police department’s fleet of vehicles and how those vehicles should be used.