Police on Wednesday announced that an officer once again will be detailed exclusively to downtown New Canaan, re-launching a popular program that came to a halt last year due to staffing shortfalls in the department.
Elm Street in New Canaan on May 4, 2016. Credit: Michael Dinan
A yet-to-be-selected “Community Impact Officer” could be back in the business district in about two weeks, Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said.
The program was a “home run” when it launched in September 2014, Krolikowski said during a special meeting of the Police Commission, held at department headquarters.
“The businesses love it, it makes everyone feel secure and safe and it’s a great opportunity for one of our officers,” Krolikowski said.
A role developed following a survey in 2013, the move won high praise from residents, downtown workers and business leaders. Police commissioners voiced support for its return, provided that assigning the officer to the downtown does not generate overtime.
Krolikowski said that staffing levels are sufficiently healthy now and if the department were looking at multiple retirements or injured officers, he and the commission could reassess the CIO.
Commissioners asked what the officer’s hours would be (perhaps 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and urged the chief to consider rotating in a Saturday, when the downtown sees numerous visitors.
Krolikowski said there’s a misperception that officers do not patrol downtown New Canaan—in fact they have a “constant presence” there. The advantage to a designated CIO is that the officer represents a “single point of contact” with merchants who fosters trust, familiarity, education and relationships with the business community.
There are 45 cops in the NCPD. Surely one can walk the beat downtown every day. If nothing else just to keep us safe from any more Sundae Slingers.