New Canaan Police Plan Domestic Violence and Assault Prevention Course; Startup Donations Needed

New Canaan Police plan to launch a personal safety course that’s designed to arm local women, including high school students, with techniques and information that address and prevent domestic violence and assault.

Led by Officer David Rivera, participants will meet twice per week for 90-minute sessions over five weeks, learning martial arts techniques such as in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, as well as awareness tips and information about sexual and other assaults. About $20,000 to $25,000 is needed to train New Canaan Police and kickstart the course, Rivera said. He’d like to start offering the course prior to the fall semester this year. (See donor information at the end of this article.)

Data shows that among high school students, sexual assaults often happen between upperclassmen males and freshmen girls, Rivera said. Open to high school girls as well as women 18 to 65 who live or work in New Canaan, the course will focus, in part, on preparing high school girls for college. “I think it’s a great opportunity to educate everyone and my hope is that with this class, we will see a decline in domestic violence or more people who are willing to come to us and help us to help them solve their issues,” Rivera said.

Police: Teen’s Argument with Stepfather Turns Physical

Police arrested a West Road teen and his stepfather last week and charged each with disorderly conduct after a late-night argument turned physical. According to a police report, the 18-year-old phoned 911 at 1:34 a.m. on Jan. 3. Arriving, police found that the younger man had struck his stepfather, 62, and that the older man had grabbed and hit back. It isn’t clear who started the physical fight, police said.

New Canaan Man, 30, Arrested after Trying to Throw Father off of Porch

Police last week arrested a 30-year-old New Canaan man who is accused of pushing his girlfriend to the ground and trying to throw his father off of a porch. The son is accused of grabbing his 52-year-old father by the shirt at the latter’s East Avenue apartment, ripping it and throwing him to the floor, according to a police report. Responding to a 9-1-1 call at the residence at 11:21 a.m. on Dec. 31, police learned that the father had told his son some time earlier to move out of the apartment, the report said. The girlfriend, 26, who witnessed the fight between father and son, told police that her boyfriend had lost his temper and also thrown her to the ground and punched a wall several times.

Arrests following Two Domestic Violence Incidents in New Canaan

Police made two arrests Friday following separate domestic incidents:

A Lambert Road woman at 6:26 a.m. reported that an argument with her husband had turned physical. Arriving, police found her to have abrasions on her elbow and she was complaining of pain in her jaw and back, according to a police report. The woman said her husband had pushed her against a wall and tried to choke her. He faces third-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges. He was released on $5,000 bond and scheduled to appear Nov.

From the New Canaan Police Chief’s Desk: Stop Being a Victim

[Editor’s Note: The following column is written by Leon Krolikowski, Chief of Police.]

Domestic violence is both national and 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.” Consequently, to make everyone aware of this national problem, October is designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Although our Town has a very low crime rate, crimes such as domestic violence have remained constant over many years.