News

Police: Motor Vehicle Stops Up 33% in 2025

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New Canaan Police stops for motor vehicle violations are up 33% through the first quarter of 2025, officials say. The rise, up from 667 through the first three months of 2024 to 989 this year, reflects the department’s focus on public safety and police presence as a deterrent, according to Chief John DiFederico. “We’re seeing a nice bump in some of our high visibility enforcement which is helpful to curb other crimes,” DiFederico told members of the Police Commission at their regular meeting, held Wednesday night at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

He continued: “It’s good to see officers out there conducting some traffic enforcement to slow people down, make them a little bit more conscious of pedestrians and bicyclists that are gonna get out there in the warmer weathers. That’s good to see.”

The comments came during an update to the Commission on monthly statistics within the New Canaan Police Department. 

Officers appear to be using radar to conduct more stops, as well. According to the data shared by DiFederico, radar stops are up to 167 through the first three months of 2025, compared to 61 in the same period last year.

News

Disorderly Charge for New Canaan Man, 52

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Police last week arrested a 52-year-old New Canaan man and charged him with disorderly conduct. 

At about 10:03 p.m. on April 8, officers responded to a Hickok Road home on a report of a dispute between the man and victim, police said. Through an investigation, authorities established probable cause for the misdemeanor charge, according to a police report. The man was released on a promise to appear the following day in state Superior Court. Police withheld details, saying it’s a domestic matter. Under state law, people are guilty of disorderly conduct if they “with intent to cause inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk … [e]ngages in … threatening behavior; or … annoys or interferes with another person,” among other reasons.

Andrew Gerber

Facing Frustrated Neighbors, Silver Hill Lays Out New Security Measures

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Silver Hill Hospital is instituting a series of security, admissions, notification and other changes following what officials at the psychiatric facility have called “concerning incidents with patients” that have affected neighbors. Addressing neighbors following a Feb. 28 incident where a patient at the hospital escaped custody, prompting those at nearby East School to shelter in place for a time during the school day, Silver Hill President and Medical Director Dr. Andrew Gerber said he’s committing “to be open and transparent about these incidents and to explain to you how we are changing policy and procedures.”

“We will be adding substantial security measures to prevent these incidents or anything like them from happening again,” Gerber said during an information session held March 26 at the Congregational Church of New Canaan. 

He continued: “Silver Hill is fortunate to be in a beautiful residential neighborhood. For 94 years, we have had the privilege of taking care of patients and families while respecting our neighborhood and supporting our community. We deeply regret jeopardizing your trust and that of our neighbors because of these incidents, and we’ll do whatever it takes to earn that back so we can continue in our mission and be good neighbors.”

After providing an overview of the hospital and speaking specifically about the patient who recently escaped custody—and, according to a CT Insider article, later was caught at JFK with a “hatchet, sledgehammer” and plans to shoot two people (more on that individual’s case below)—Gerber laid out a series of “significant changes in our policies and procedures.”

“These changes will prevent a patient with a similar history from being at the hospital, as well as minimize the risk that any inpatient would be able to get away from staff in this way,” he said.

Animal 411

Dog with Expired Rabies Vaccination Bites Local Boy at Country Club Golf Course

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A 4-year-old dog is under quarantine through Wednesday after police determined that the canine bit a local boy in the leg while roaming at the Country Club of New Canaan. The bite occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on March 23 (a Sunday) on the golf course at CCNC, according to a police report obtained through a public records request. 

There, a white female poodle mixed-breed dog named ‘Star’ bit a boy “on his leg” and damaged his pants, according to the report, filed by Officer Sean Godejohn, head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section. The boy’s mom, who informed police of the incident on the following Tuesday afternoon, told authorities that the dog’s owner works at the Country Club, the report said. Reached by Godejohn, the dog’s owner “told this officer that he lets his dog roam on the golf course” but “did not see the incident take place,” the report said. The owner added that “it was possible that his dog could have bitten” the boy, it said.

News

DUI Charge for 72-Year-Old Man

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Police late Friday arrested a 72-year-old Mount Vernon, N.Y. man and charged him with driving under the influence. At about 10:08 p.m. on March 28, an officer on patrol spotted a car on Route 123 that failed to use a proper signal and was being operated erratically, according to a police report. The officer stopped the vehicle near Locust Avenue and, during the stop, found signs of impairment in the driver, the report said. After completing field sobriety tests, the officer brought the misdemeanor charge, it said. At police headquarters, the man refused to provide a breath sample to establish his blood-alcohol level, it said.