By Richard Kaufman
Tradition or change? That was the question facing Representative Town Meeting members on Monday night, as the elected body debated a Sense of the Meeting Resolution (SOMR) which called for police officers to return to their traffic posts on Greenwich Avenue.
After a long debate, the non-binding resolution was defeated with 81 in favor, 127 opposed and seven abstentions.
Proponents of the SOMR said that the over 90-year tradition of having cops direct traffic in Greenwich Avenue is part of the charm of Greenwich, and that the absence of officers creates safety concerns for pedestrians and motor vehicles, even with intersection improvement projects slated for the future.
In 2020, officers on the Avenue were redeployed with the goal of making public safety more streamlined and efficient. The redeployment was especially needed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and fewer people were out and about.
As people began to go out again in the summer and the pedestrian mall on the lower portion of the Avenue was opened, the GPD needed more coverage. Instead of having officers stand stationary at their traffic posts for eight hours a day, officers were redeployed on bicycles to maneuver the downtown area.
The Avenue is now patrolled by up to four bicycle cops, plus plainclothes officers who are a part of the Greenwich Police Department’s Organized Retail Crime Activity (ORCA) Team, which aims to deter shoplifting crimes.
Over 20 people spoke in favor or against the resolution.
“Safety should be our highest priority,” said Nancy Burke, RTM member from District 2 who is a graduate of the GPD Citizens Police Academy. “Safety for the young who dart in and out of the intersections, safety for the elderly who will be making their way slowly across the intersection from the Mews to the Senior Center and elsewhere. And safety for the motorists looking every which way at intersections for other cars, and for skateboarders who are back, who I understand are zooming down Greenwich Avenue without stopping.”
Ed Dadakis, RTM member from District 1, said he was happy the SOMR has sparked discussion across town. He cited a petition in support of returning officers to traffic posts that has garnered over 1,600 signatures
“Police directing traffic shows we value protecting residents and visitors, and it’s an iconic symbol of our town,” Dadakis said, adding that the intersection improvement project at Greenwich Avenue and Elm Street, which will feature bump-outs to decrease crossing time for pedestrians, won’t help quell safety concerns.
“Once debate ends tonight, one true fact will remain. Regardless of how many bump outs we build, regardless of how many cops are riding bikes, this plan leaves pedestrians to fend for themselves,” he said.
Alyssa Keleshian, who is a part of the Greenwich Community Projects Fund which was responsible for returning holiday lights back to the downtown area last December, said COVID has brought an influx of residents to Greenwich from New York City who have brought “the rat race mentality with them.”
“Like the culture in Manhattan, they speed down Greenwich Avenue, they’re less courteous, less cautious, and don’t know how to navigate our three way intersections. I am deeply concerned about the danger for my children, who walk the Avenue,” she said, also noting her concern for the elderly population.
Hiram Emery grew up in Greenwich in the 1970’s and 80’s, and said the traffic cops “set the pace” for the town and community.
“They’re approachable, we know they’re there, they make us feel safe, and they remind us of what a charming town we live in,” he said.
While opponents of the resolution recognized the longstanding tradition, they also acknowledged that it was time to change and think about how to best use the resources of the GPD while keeping safety a number one priority.
First Selectman Fred Camillo said he once counted himself in the camp that wanted to keep tradition. But times change.
“Over the years I’ve listened to people, mainly our law enforcement professionals, who have said that there’s a better way to police and protect our public. The past 11 months have shown that that is exactly what has happened,” Camillo said.
GPD Chief James Heavey said that a vote for the resolution was effectively “a vote of no confidence in your police leadership.”
“I’ve been told numerous times not to take this personally, but I do because I’m a resident and I grew up here,” he added. “This is a great town, and it isn’t a great town because a policeman stands in a little white circle [directing traffic]. It isn’t that the officers would rather ride bikes than direct traffic, it’s because they want to be police officers. They’ve been doing a lot more work on the bikes and on foot than they would if they were just swinging their arms and doing traffic.”
When traffic or other issues arise, the officers on bicycles will still be able to lend a helping hand.
“When the traffic conditions change, they’re responsive. They’ll park the bike, and get out there on the intersection,” Heavey said. “My promise to everyone in town is that we’ll continue to address these concerns.”
Heavey pledged to increase communication between the department and residents to keep the public informed on how the officers are being used.
Capt. Mark Zuccerella, who leads the Patrol Division, pointed out that when officers were directing traffic, there were up to three officers on the Avenue at any given time. With the current format, there are now anywhere from four to seven officers on patrol, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
“This is a more effective and efficient use of services in the town.,” Zuccerella said.
Police Officer Robert Smurlo, a 19-year-veteran of the Department who used to direct traffic, said his bicycle allows him to be more mobile.
“Since the bike unit has been established, we’ve been able to cover much more ground and do more actual policing. We are also able to respond to calls quicker. When we’re standing in the traffic circle, our main focus is simply traffic direction. We have limited interaction with the public and merchants, and we’re not able to leave our posts,” he said.
RTM member Lucy Krasnor from District 5 said she used to think the traffic cops were “wonderful”, and she was surprised when she noticed they were no longer there. But she voiced her opposition to the SOMR on Monday night, saying it wasn’t the RTM’s place to “micromanage” law enforcement.
“Having heard Chief Heavey speak to the flexibility of using our police force in a better fashion, I believe we should not micromanage our police force. We should let him decide the best way to keep us safe, and I firmly think we should vote this SOMR down and let the Chief decide how the police should be deployed,” she said.
