New Haven Independent

Posted by: eli | November 26, 2007 1:31 PM

I love having officer Cruz on the street, and he couldn't be nicer. I am afraid though that his assignment will be short lived, and that there was never a real intent to have a full time cop in East Rock / State.
To be truly effective, as officer Donnelly was, there needs to be someone on a bicycle, and they need to be there after dark, and in the summer when swarms of young boys come bycling through the neighborhood, or when old ladies are being stuck up on lawrence, orange and foster st. Patroling a busy street like state st. at those hours give the public a cop to see in daylight, but he needs to be able to quickly get up to orange, or over to willow to patrol or show up when help is needed.
I'm not a big conspiracy guy, but i have a feeling Destefano has put a guy out there just so he can say "we had a cop walking state st. and there was nothing for him to do". There is plenty, and we need to get some cops walking and biking over by our friends on Congress ave., Shelton ave., Valley st., and Whalley ave also. A cop in a car has no name, and can only observe so much. A cop on foot sees things that don't look right, knows a suspicous activity, can answer a question or bulid the feeling of security.
Hopefully our next chief will listen to the people and understand the importance of what it means to have a neighborhood police officer who people respect and feel comfortable asking a question to rather than feeling intimidated, or getting the sense he's apathetic.

Posted by: -FairHavener- | November 26, 2007 1:50 PM

Good, a Step in the right direction.

Now we need someone to walk Grand Ave, and another to walk Ferry St.

As for police cruisers, I swear if I see any more cops sitting in cruisers talking on their cell phones I am going to lose my mind.

If the need to be visible at night is so great (on a lighted street) wear a reflective vest - maybe with little LED lights that spell "POLICE" on the front and back. Sorry about the cold, maybe your mailperson can give some advice?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 26, 2007 2:50 PM

I would be fine with a cop on his cell if he was in my area! What about the rest of state street after subway??? YA KNOW CEDAR HILL!!!! I feel a bit insulted that the cut off was CEDAR HILL!!

I am with ELI on the car does not work. How do the cops know if some one walking around belongs to that area. We have phone contact with our officers. And we give them info on who belongs ect. but with out the cop being part of the area it can never work.

But I do have to say I am glad they got the officers out from behind the desks and out on the streets!
And I am with fairhaven how do the mail men do it?? When applying for the job as an officer were they promised a car?? Or is foot patrol part of the job?? That may sound a bit mean to the officer but it is part of the job. And I give a big YEAH for who ever got these officers back out on the street again!

Posted by: Esbe | November 26, 2007 3:22 PM

It is amazing to me how almost every single resident of New Haven agrees on what the police force should be doing in town, but the force itself is so slow to catch on. Get the guy a bike. Some days, have him talk to residents on surrounding streets, not just businesses on State St. proper. Have him work later hours at least on some nights.

Maybe I am a little "soft", but I also think it would be OK if he was in a cruiser for an hour or two a shift.

Posted by: HonestCitizen | November 26, 2007 11:47 PM

A police officers job must be so easy that everyone wants to tell them how to do it! How do you put cops on walking beats when you dont have them? You should look at local government instead of the police department. It is not the chiefs fault he has a budget and it is approved by our elected officials. These officers starting salaries is 32K, you can make that much at McDonalds. However, these guys/gals choose to protect us.

Posted by: Chris Gray | November 27, 2007 2:22 AM

Gee. How long ago were we discussing a piano bar on State Street and I was mentioning that I thought the clientele might have a hard time dealing with the shenanigans on a Friday and Saturday night in that neighborhood?

Back when the Department still answered the non-emergency number, I used to call and report bad behavior I observed by police personnel, BUT I also called and reported exemplary behavior just as willingly. Also, I did it using my name, not anonymously.

Of course, Officer Cruz is not to blame for the limited hours and limited area of his beat and the BOA and the Mayor are really responsible to invest in the Police Department and direct it toward serving the public in the entire city.

Yet, we are responsible for not holding them accountable both on a day to day basis and at election time.

So keep those calls and letters coming in and walk your own beat. It is time for change.

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | November 27, 2007 5:53 AM

Another police PR stunt that will last about two weeks. He'll probably be the only cop that walks a beat around all of New Haven from week to week. What's the point of having a cop on the 10 to 6 shift? I want him there after hours when all the thugs are out of school!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 27, 2007 8:22 AM

HonestCitizen

suggested reading for you... A book called "fixing broken windows"
here is a short pdf on the matter
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/_atlantic_monthly-broken_windows.pdf

Posted by: Chris Gray | November 29, 2007 2:07 AM

CEDARHILLRESIDENT, what an excellent investment of time reading the 'fixing broken windows' article was.

Thanks for the suggestion, even if it wasn't aimed at me.

Also, although I am not one of those who know whom you are, my comment on 'real names' was not meant as a demand on anyone that they should use their name, only a comment that some use anononimity to obscure their motives.

I use to like to think of myself as the 'town crier', with all the various historical and literal meanings evoked by the phrase.

Speaking of "aimed at me", thank you for being the only poster to address me directly. Seems like many folks think that, if they ignore me, I don't really exist or will go away or, at least, shut up.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 2, 2007 9:57 AM

Update***********

The officer has been given a car for the winter. And we "CEDAR HILL" are now part of that route!! Thank you to who ever made that happen!!

And Chris...

Don't you dear go away I love your posts!!