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Letter: Police Chief Recognizes Officers Who Have Served in 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:

Lieutenant Jim George-U.S. Army
Sergeant Aaron LaTourette-U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Geoff Lambert- U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Roy Adams-Connecticut Army National Guard
Officer Bryan Connolly-U.S. Coast Guard
Officer Rex Sprosta-U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Matt Marzano-U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Chris Dewey-U.S. Army and New York Army National Guard
Officer David Rivera-U.S. Air Force
Officer Matthew Blank- Connecticut Army Air National Guard
Officer Owen Ochs- U.S. Army

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 on Fraud Prevention for Seniors

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According to the “2018 DOJ Report on Senior Abuse and Financial Exploitation,” each year, an estimated three billion dollars is stolen from America’s seniors through various scams. Seniors often fall prey to imposters who claim to represent the IRS, Medicare or Medicaid, Social Security, or other legitimate businesses. Unfortunately, New Canaan is not immune to these scams. Over the years, some New Canaan seniors have suffered substantial financial losses. 

Thus far in 2021, our Department investigated 27 fraud complaints, and some of these scams targeted seniors. This month, a resident contacted our Department to report being the victim of a Grandparent Scam. Sadly, this victim was defrauded out of thousands of dollars. What is Senior Fraud? 

Senior fraud, also known as senior financial exploitation, is the misappropriation or theft of financial resources.

News

Police Chief: ‘Domestic Violence is New Canaan’s Violent Crime’

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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 2021, our Department investigated 47 family disputes, and many of these investigations resulted in arrests.

Around Town

Op-Ed: Poppies To Be Distributed in New Canaan To Honor War Dead

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The weekend before Memorial Day finds many war veterans distributing poppies in order to honor the ultimate sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. In New Canaan, members of our local Veterans of Foreign War Post 653 will distribute poppies in front of Walter Stewart’s Market, ACME Market and Dunkin Donuts. 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 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 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.

Around Town

Police Chief: Beware Bogus Veterans Organizations

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On May 31, Memorial Day, we honor those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives for our great county. Memorial Day honors their service and sacrifice. Nearly 850 Veterans are buried in Lakeview Cemetery. 

As Memorial Day approaches, it’s a good time to remind the patriotic citizens of New Canaan to be aware of phony organizations who “solicit” on behalf of Veterans. Several years ago, the late Col. Peter Langenus, U.S. Army (ret.), the then-Commander of New Canaan’s Veterans of Foreign War Post 653 received a telephone call from a shopper who had been approached for a monetary donation in front of a store in New Canaan. 

The shopper thought that the solicitor’s military uniform seemed to be a mismatch of different uniforms and different branches of the service.