Minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners held on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 in the Lower Conference Room, 3 Main Street, Newtown, CT. Chairman Mattegat called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: Carol Mattegat, Brian Budd, Duane Giannini, Bruce Walczak ABSENT: Robert Connor. ALSO PRESENT: Chief Michael Kehoe and Captain Joe Rios.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. None noted.
MINUTES. The minutes of the regular meeting of June 3, 2008 and the addendum were unanimously approved as presented.
CHIEF’S ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT (June, 2008). Overtime, Budget balances. GL Accounts were incomplete and will be in next month’s report. Line items will be closed out in mid August. Fleet three cruisers were received and are up to 85% operating efficiency. Three more cruisers were ordered out of the 2007-2008 budget and will be received in 3-5 months. Personnel Field Training report was included. Officer Chapman will graduate tomorrow night and a ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. Officer Hayes will graduate in August. Officer Monkton is in Phase III and is doing very well. Two probationary officers hired June 27 will be in the Academies in July. There were reassignments of personnel due to openings. Training report included opportunities for
Commissioners. Several Letters of appreciation were received. STC sent a letter concerning a farm stand on Route 302. Space Needs Study draft was included and Chief Kehoe asked that the Commissioners forward any comments to him for review. Route 25 and Mile Hill Road “No Right Turn on Red” will be re-evaluated by the STC who will invite the Department to an informal hearing on the application in September. Crosswalk at Queen and Lovell and/or Queen and Elizabeth will be on the Board of Selectmen’s agenda for July 7. Commissioner Walczak questioned whether we want to spend the money on a study of those intersections when he reviewed the regulations and feels that none of the warrants are met. Chief Kehoe noted that the interim report is not favorable. Commissioner Walczak moved to add to the agenda under “New Business” “Discussion of Request for a stop sign at Queen Street and Lovell’s
Lane and/or Queen Street and Elizabeth Street.” Second by Commissioner Giannini and unanimously carried.
Chief Kehoe reported that the Public Works Department plans to install the crosswalk at Church Hill and Queen and crosswalk and table at Glover and Meadow before the start of school. The Traffic Unit will complete a review of crosswalks by the next meeting. The request for a “Do Not Block Intersection” sign at Route 302 and Elm Drive was sent to the STC. Commissioner Mattegat asked if the State plans to widen Route 302 at that intersection; Chief Kehoe said he feels that this will be an HVCEO project in the end. He noted that there is an underground culvert there. He said that when the State upgraded the signals there, it tried to get as much traffic as possible to the left at the intersection. A tickle file of requests to the State had been set up and is maintained.
Accreditation Report went very well and we are tentatively approved for Tier I. Some minor policy changes that were requested are on tonight’s agenda. Credit is given to Lt. Mooney and Officer Shubert for their work on the accreditation. Lt. Sinko will represent the Department as a member of the Church Hill Road Curb Study Group. The goal is to reduce the number of curb cuts.
CAPTAIN’S OPERATIONAL REPORT (June, 2008) included Motor Vehicle Activity Report, DUI Report, Monthly Calls for Service, Traffic Enforcement Unit Report and Detective Division Report.. MADD Awards Ceremony was held in June and six officers received awards.
Commissioner Walczak would like comparative information from last year. Chief Kehoe said that this is a peer review. He said that circumstances change month to month and year to year. He said that the training report last June is different from this June. Captain Rios said that we do evaluations every four months and break down the numbers; this is only a small snapshot of what an officer is doing. Commissioner Budd noted that if an officer is investigating a burglary he could be off road for up to four hours. Captain Rios noted that we have not been up to full staffing level for some time. It was noted that we could compare our statistics with other Departments in the State that are comparable on an annual or semi-annual basis. Captain Rios said that we like to look at five year trends. Comparative figures will be
included. The Detective Division is completing its investigation of the Saran wrap case involving High School students which led to several arrests. A warrant is being issued for a juvenile. DUI Enforcement checkpoint last month at the Exit 11 Commuter Lot resulted in two arrests for DUI and drug possession and several motor vehicle violations. There will be another checkpoint on Friday July 18.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Discussion, consideration and action on Board of Police Commissioner’s Exit Interview Policy. (Commissioners Budd & Giannini). Commissioner Budd reported that he and Commissioners Giannini and Walczak are completing a final draft for presentation to the Commission at next month’s meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
Discussion and action on Newtown Park and Recreation Department for amendment to special exception to install sports lights 46 Mile Hill Road. The Commission wishes to review only those projects at Fairfield Hills that involve traffic issues. They had no comment on this application.
Discussion and action on Department Budget carryovers from FY 07-08. Commissioner Giannini moved to authorize encumbrances as detailed on the June 26, 2008 Encumbrance Report totaling $100,657.05. Second by Commissioner Budd and unanimously carried.
Discussion and action Policy and Procedure: (These revisions are required for the Tier I accreditation).
#3-1 Field Training Officer (Revised). Commissioner Walczak moved to adopt Policy and Procedure #3-1 Field Training Officer (Revised). Second by Commissioner Giannini and unanimously carried.
#3-11 Bias Based Profiling (Revised) Commissioner Budd moved to adopt Policy and Procedure #3-11 Bias Based Profiling Revised). Second by Commissioner Giannini and unanimously carried.
#2-1 Prisoners and The Holding Facility (Revised) Commissioner Giannini moved to adopt Policy and Procedure #2-1 Prisoners and The Holding Facility (Revised). Second by Commissioner Budd and unanimously carried.
Discussion concerning a request for a stop sign at Queen Street and Lovell’s Lane and/or Queen Street and Elizabeth Street. Commissioner Budd suggested a permanent speed monitoring device be placed rather than spend the money for a study for a stop sign. Chief Kehoe noted that when the Traffic Calming Ordinance is adopted, we will have to determine which device will best suit this area. Commissioner Walczak requested additional data for a speed table and traffic volumes both ways on Glover Avenue as part of this project. Commissioner Budd moved to rescind his motion made at the June 3, 2008 meeting “to proceed with a traffic engineering study for a three way stop sign at either Queen Street and Lovells Lane or Queen Street and Elizabeth Street. Second by Commissioner Walczak and unanimously
carried.
This item will be on the August 5, 2008 agenda. Chief Kehoe noted that the Board of Selectmen will discuss this at their meeting next Monday and he will advise them that the Police Commission rescinded this motion.
COMMISSIONER’S PARTICIPATION. None noted.
EXECUTIVE SESSION. None noted.
ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
Ann M. Mazur, Clerk
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