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Letter: VFW Selling Memorial Poppies To Raise Funds for Flag, Wreath Placements

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The weekends before Memorial Day find many war veterans distributing poppies to honor the ultimate sacrifice of our fallen war dead. In New Canaan, members of our local Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Post 653 distribute poppies at several locations including Walter Stewart’s Market, Zumbach’s, and ACME, with donations funding flag and wreath placements on veteran graves in Lakeview Cemetery. 
The significance of the poppy in honoring our nation’s war dead is traced to World War I. From the battlefields of World War I, weary soldiers brought home the memory of a barren landscape transformed by wild poppies, red as the blood that had soaked the soil. By that miracle, the poppy became a symbol of the sacrifice of lives in war and represented the hope that none had died in vain. The poppy has continued to bloom for the casualties of wars, its petals of paper bound together for veterans by veterans, reminding America each year that the men and women who have served and died for their country deserve to be remembered. 
Although poppies have a long history of being used to honor the dead in both Greek and Roman mythology, the poppy, as a memorial flower to the war dead, can be traced to a single individual, Moina Michael. She was so moved by Lt. Col.

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Police Chief: ‘I Have Been Blessed and Honored’

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I am retiring from our great Department. My last day of employment will be December 31, 2022, but my last day at work will be December 28, 2022. This evening, I received an offer, and I accepted a position with the Town of Darien as the school system’s first ever Director of Security. This position will allow me to help build innovative initiatives and to hire a team that enhances school safety and security. I am certain the Darien school district will become a model for other districts.

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Letter from Police Chief: NCPD Officers Who Have Served in the U.S. Military

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Dear Editor:

Every day the men and women of the New Canaan Police Department protect and serve our Town with great distinction. 

On November 11, Veterans Day, we honor those who pledged to protect and serve our great country-our Veterans. Veterans Day honors the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the U.S. Military. 

I want to recognize the following Department members who have served in our military and continue to serve our Town:

Sergeant Aaron LaTourette-U.S. Marine Corps
Sergeant Rex Sprosta-U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Roy Adams-Connecticut Army National Guard
Officer Bryan Connolly-U.S. Coast Guard
Officer Matt Marzano-U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Chris Dewey-U.S. Army and New York Army National Guard
Officer Matthew Blank- Connecticut Army Air National Guard
Officer Owen Ochs- U.S. Army
Officer Rodger Hamilton-Connecticut Air National Guard

Often our officers are not adequately recognized for the great and at times dangerous work that they do. Annually, our officers handle thousands of calls for service and some of these calls are violent, which put our officers in harm’s way. Yet, without fail our officers consistently handle these incidents with great compassion, skill, bravery, and dedication. When you see our officers, thank them for what they do, the risks that they take, and how they so professionally “protect and serve” our Town.

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New Canaan Police Chief: Help Us Stop the Violence

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Although our Town has little crime, crimes such as domestic violence have remained constant over many years. Domestic violence is New Canaan’s violent crime. If you live in New Canaan, and you are the victim of violence, it is highly probable that the perpetrator is someone that you love. 

Domestic violence is both a national and an intimately local problem that knows no boundaries.  Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police. According to former Attorney General Janet Reno: “Too many American women live in fear of the very people upon whom they depend for love and affection. Instead of providing refuge, the walls of many homes serve as prison bars.” 
Thus far in 2022, our Department investigated fifty-three family disputes, and many of these investigations resulted in arrests.

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Police Chief: Fraud Prevention for Seniors

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According to the “2018 DOJ Report on Senior Abuse and Financial Exploitation,” each year an estimated $3 billion is stolen from America’s seniors through a variety of mass mailing, romance, and vendor or contractor scams.  They may also fall prey to imposters who claim to represent the IRS, Medicare or Medicaid, or Social Security. Unfortunately, New Canaan is not immune to these scams. 

Thus far in 2022, our Department investigated 57 fraud complaints (a 128% increase compared to 2021), and some of these frauds targeted seniors. Recently, a senior resident contacted our Department to report being the victim of a tech-support scam (more about these scams below). The resident reported receiving a computer pop-up message about a “hack alert.” The resident clicked on the alert and allowed the fraudster to control the resident’s computer. Subsequently, the resident was told to call an “800” number and spoke with the fraudster.