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Police: Reports of School Bus Violations Up Steeply in 2022

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New Canaan Police are seeing a steep rise this year in the number of reported violations of motorists passing stopped school buses. Police received 31 reports of school bus violations in October, compared to just four in the year-ago month, Chief Leon Krolikowski reported at the Nov. 16 meeting of the Police Commission. Through the first 10 months of 2022, police received 101 school bus violation reports, compared to 39 in the same period last year, according to the chief. 

“We have seen a huge increase in violations and in fact we are working with the [school district’s] transportation coordinator and the bus drivers to try to get them the information they need,” Krolikowski said during the Commission’s regular meeting, held at police headquarters. 

“Because sometimes incidents are reported but they can’t be enforced, because they don’t meet the criteria of the statute,” he said. Krolikowski added, “This is largely bus drivers reporting violations with the cameras on the buses.

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10 ‘Fixed’ License Plate Readers To Be Installed in New Canaan

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Town officials on Tuesday voted in favor of a contract to install 10 “fixed” license plate readers around New Canaan. The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the $32,000 one-year contract with Flock Group Inc.

Funds for the license plate readers already have been approved by the town, officials said during the regular selectmen meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan pushed to have the entire discussion about license plate readers held out of the public eye, in executive session, though Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said that wasn’t necessary and Selectman Nick Williams said it was important for the public to understand what’s going on. “This is a serious matter—it’s not a PR stunt—and I think it’s important that the folks in town understand that we are purchasing a number of license plate readers using the funds that heretofore have been provided to the Police Department,” Williams said. “And they’re going to be around town.

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‘It’s Been a Great Initiative’: Police Increase Security at New Canaan Schools

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New Canaan Police have assigned an additional officer to bolster security at schools in town, under a new initiative, and have dramatically increased the number of times that officers check on local school campuses. 

The number of school checks from officers increased from four in September 2021 to 132 in September 2022, Police Chief Leon Krolikowski told members of the Police Commission at their most recent meeting. Through the first nine months of the year, school checks were up to 217 compared to 57 at the same time in 2021, Krolikowski said at the Oct. 19 meeting, held at police headquarters and via videoconference. In addition to full-time NCPD school resource officers at both Saxe Middle School and New Canaan High School, Officer Shane Gibson has been designed “school security officer” in a new position that brings him primarily to all public schools in New Canaan but also to private schools, the chief said. “They all work together as a team along with the campus monitors and school administration to keep our schools as safe as can be, and we’re in the process of getting some equipment that we can give to them that will help them in the event of a crisis respond better to an incident,” he told the Commission during its regular meeting.

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Letter from Police Chief: NCPD Officers Who Have Served in the 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:

Sergeant Aaron LaTourette-U.S. Marine Corps
Sergeant Rex Sprosta-U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Roy Adams-Connecticut Army National Guard
Officer Bryan Connolly-U.S. Coast Guard
Officer Matt Marzano-U.S. Marine Corps
Officer Chris Dewey-U.S. Army and New York Army National Guard
Officer Matthew Blank- Connecticut Army Air National Guard
Officer Owen Ochs- U.S. Army
Officer Rodger Hamilton-Connecticut Air National Guard

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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Vehicles Stolen, Illegally Entered in New Canaan

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[The video above, provided to New Canaan Police by a resident, shows a criminal trying to enter vehicles before dawn on Oct. 30, but they’re locked and so nothing is taken.]

New Canaan residents had several cars stolen and illegally entered with items stolen from inside them during an apparent multi-day crime spree that started last Thursday, police say. In addition, on Oct. 26 and 29, authorities received reports of a stolen push blower and leaf blower in the southeastern corner of town, respectively, with the latter taken from an open garage on Cedar Lane in the early afternoon, according to a press bulletin issued by Police Chief Leon Krolikowski. The reported car thefts, attempted thefts and larcenies from vehicles were as follows:

Weed Street and Richmond Hill Road at 1:24 a.m. on Oct.