NCPD

Animal Cruelty Warrant: Dog Left Alone without Adequate Food, Water or Shelter ‘For Multiple Days’

Authorities on Feb. 7 charged a New Canaan man with cruelty to animals because his dog was left outside for multiple days without proper food, water or shelter, according to a police officer’s affidavit in an arrest warrant application. 

Jack Hawkins, 47, of New Norwalk Road, already had been warned by authorities in November, following a similar barking dog complaint, that it’s against the law to leave a dog alone for multiple days without proper food and water and with no protection from the weather, according to the affidavit of New Canaan Police Officer Owen Ochs, obtained Tuesday by NewCanaanite.com through a public records request (viewable here in full as PDF). According to the affidavit, the officer at about 8:08 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27 was dispatched to Hawkins’s home at 613 New Norwalk Road “on the report of a dog that has been barking for the past two days.”

Arriving, the officer “observed a black and white colored, female border collie dog lying on the front grass,” the affidavit said. “The house was dark and no vehicles were located in the driveway.

Christopher Dewey Named Lt. Stephen W. Wood Memorial 2023 Officer of the Year

An 11-year veteran of the New Canaan Police Department has been selected as the Lt. Stephen W. Wood Memorial 2023 Officer of the Year, officials say. Officer Christopher Dewey, a patrol division member who serves as assistant executive officer of the department’s Special Response Team, is “an invaluable asset to our officers,” according to a press release issued by NCPD. “His proactive utilization of these certifications, through the implementation of targeted training scenarios and exercises for our patrol officers, has significantly contributed to the enhancement of our department’s capabilities Officer Dewey consistently represents the department with dignity and respect, and takes an active role in our Honor Guard,” it said. Dewey is a field training officer and certified instructor in firearms, according to the press release. 

Created in 2014 and with Wood’s own son-in-law, Lt. Aaron LaTourette, as its inaugural recipient, the Officer of the Year Award honors and memorializes the late Wood “who was taken from us far too young,” the NCPD release said. 

“Nomination and selection for this award is the result of exceptional work, integrity, and overall service to our town and department,” the press release said. Dewey will receive the award at the department’s Annual Awards Ceremony in the spring.

‘They Handled the Whole Thing So Effortlessly’: Letters of Appreciation for NCPD

Police Chief John DiFederico shared the following letters of appreciation for New Canaan Police Department officers at the March 13 Police Commission meeting. ***

Officers Owen Ochs and Nick Agoglia

“Last Wednesday, Feb. 8, I was walking my dog down Stoneleigh Road, and a young, exuberant Rhodesian Ridgeback came bounding at me. He had a collar with a phone number, but it was obscured by a kerchief. He obviously wanted to play with my leashed dog, who was half his size, but I couldn’t trust that he was friendly and did not feel it was safe to reach for him.

‘Truly Professional and Dedicated’: Letters of Appreciation for New Canaan Police

Police Chief John DiFederico shared the following letters for appreciation for New Canaan Police at Wednesday night’s Police Commission meeting. ***

Officer Owen Ochs

“Chief, I just wanted to convey my appreciation to Officer Ochs for his diligence and investigative work into a check fraud case. Last month, I had put out an alert on CrimeDex, seeking identification of a suspect that had hit several of our branches. Officer Ochs recognized the photos as being the same suspect active in your town, as well as several other cities and towns in CT. Through diligent investigative work and coordination with other agencies, he was ultimately able to identify the suspect.

New Canaan Police Help Elderly Resident Recover $145,000 Stolen in Scam

Two New Canaan police officers recently helped an elderly resident who been scammed out of $145,000 recover the money, officials said. Police Chief Leon Krolikowski during last week’s Police Commission meeting spotlighted a letter of appreciation regarding the work that Officers Joseph Schinella and Owen Ochs did on what the chief called a “pretty exceptional” case. “It’s a constant battle,” Krolikowski told members of the Police Commission during their Sept. 21 meeting, referring to scams that often target older residents. Sgt.