News

‘People Could Have Been Killed’: Mill Road Residents Voice Concerns about Speeding Motorists

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Residents of Mill Road on the eastern side of town say speeding motorists are a major hazard for the many young families that walk and cycle in the area. 

Saying it’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or worse, residents are calling for the town to implement traffic calming measures on Mill, a narrow roadway of 31 homes that runs east off of Silvermine Road and then hooks to follow the river toward Norwalk. 

“Ever since we’ve moved in there, the level of speeding is unbelievable,” Neil McMorrow told members of the Police Commission at their Sept. 18 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “The volume of traffic when we first moved in was not that great. And maybe in 2015 or ‘16, I contacted New Canaan Police, I have contacted Norwalk [Police]. New Canaan put a solar[-powered] speed [sentry]—unfortunately, under a tree canopy, so it really didn’t work.

News
NCPD

Town To Acquire 15-Month-Old German Shepherd ‘Lito’ as New Police K-9 Dog

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The New Canaan Police Department’s new K-9 dog is a 15-month-old German shepherd who’s already working well with his handler here. K-9 Officer Sebastian Obando chose the name “Lito” for a special reason, according to Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh. “They leave the naming up to us,” Walsh told the Board of Selectmen during its regular meeting Tuesday, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. “Officer Obando’s father’s nickname was ‘Miguelito’ and he passed away when Officer Obando was on field training with us. So he would like to name the dog Lito, and we think that’s a great thing to do.”

The comments came as Walsh asked for permission from the selectmen to spend $10,000 from a special account for the K-9 program to acquire the new dog.

Government

Town Purchasing Two Solar-Powered Speed Sentries

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The Board of Selectmen at its most recent meeting approved an approximately $27,000 contract with a Bethel-based company to purchase two solar-powered devices to monitor motor vehicle speeds in New Canaan. The selectmen voted 3-0 at their Oct. 3 meeting to approve the $26,783.54 contract for two speed sentries from East Coast Sign & Supply Inc.

The town has “seen a definite benefit to having them out on the street, let’s put it that way, either to gather data in certain sections where we’re having residential complaints or as a permanent installation for the future,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. The solar-powered sentries will relieve the town of switching out batteries and moving the devices around town, Mann said. “If we have a situation where we think we have a permanent speed problem, we put these up and then we don’t have to necessarily change out the battery,” he said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Government

Police Commission Approves New Traffic-Calming Measures for Silvermine Road

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The NewCanaanite.com Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Carriage Barn Arts Center. Town officials this month approved several new traffic-calming measures in Silvermine. During its July 19 meeting, members of the Police Commission voted in favor of striping on the side of Silvermine Road—reducing the amount of drivable space, forcing drivers to slow down—a new crosswalk near the Mill Road intersection and a solar-powered “speed sentry,” a speed monitoring device. Police Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh recommended that the striping on Silvermine run from the “intersection at Valley Road to the intersection at Comstock Hill Road.” 

Walsh said police have observed large amounts of foot traffic near the intersection at Mill Road. “It’s definitely highly traversed as a pedestrian, we think it would be safe to have that,” he said during the meeting, held at police headquarters and via videoconference.

Andrew Walsh

DiFederico Named New Police Chief, Walsh Deputy Chief

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Town officials on Monday night promoted Deputy Chief John DiFederico as chief of police in New Canaan. 

The Police Commission also appointed Capt. Andrew Walsh as deputy chief. The promotions, which follow the retirement of Police Chief Leon Krolikowski, will take effect Dec. 31 and come with standard three-month probationary periods, according to Commission Chair Paul Foley. “Congratulations, gentlemen,” Foley said during the meeting, held at New Canaan Police Department headquarters and via videoconference. “A new step forward, which is just great.