By Michael Korvyakov
Amid rising concerns about the state of policing and crime around the business district of Greenwich, Deputy Chief of Greenwich Police Robert Berry and First Selectman Fred Camillo addressed the press and answered questions about police initiatives.
One of the controversies arose as a result of the Greenwich Poice Department removing officers from intersections on Greenwich Avenue about a year ago. These officers were replaced by walking officers or bike officers throughout the Avenue. There are now four total bike-trained officers at the Greenwich Police Department, and about one or two on duty at any given time. However, calls to place officers back in the intersections intensified when a woman leaving the Apple store on Greenwich Avenue was assaulted. Camillo pointed out that the controversy surrounding the attack was not grounded in truth.
“There never was an officer stationed at that intersection,” he said. In addition, having spoken to the people involved, Camillo stated that an officer was on the scene 15 seconds after the victim called out for help, something that was not shown in the 16-second clip. “That doesn’t get printed because people run to social media and post whatever fits their viewpoint,” he said. Camillo urged citizens not to jump to conclusions, and wait for the full story before getting on social media.
The Deputy Chief also noted the inefficiency of having officers man the intersections. Three officers are required to staff an intersection in one day. Moreover, “robberies have occurred within 100 yards of those officers directing traffic, because criminals know, those officers in the middle of the intersection, they’re not going to go anywhere,” said Berry. He continued, “now the [bike officers’] presence is felt the entire avenue and also a lot further east and west.”
Berry also noted that the police are quicker and more effective on bikes than they are in patrol cars. “They’re more accessible through the traffic and our response time is lower,” and when it comes to medical emergencies, even though the officers on bikes can’t carry the full equipment that a car does, because “its a minute or two quicker, that’s better patient outcomes for people.” The bikes also allow officers to interact better with the public in a way that they can’t do from the patrol cars. The station is working on getting more officers bike trained, which requires a four-day training involving learning maneuvering techniques, pursuit practice, and patrolling strategies.
The other controversy in the surrounding area was that of pedestrian safety at intersections and drivers paying attention while on the road. As a result of officers being removed from intersections, many have felt that the intersections have gotten less safe for pedestrians. According to the Department of Public Works, however, the majority of pedestrian traffic is between four and six in the afternoon, a time when officers are not staffing the intersections anyway. Camillo also notes, “the last person who was hit was on Greenwich Avenue, was hit right in front of an officer, who could do nothing to stop it.” Officer Nick Carl, a bike-trained officer on Greenwich Avenue, stated that officers placed at intersections also tend to slow down traffic, so their presence would be far more useful elsewhere on the Avenue.
Instead, the city has gone with other improvements to make the city intersections safer. Recently, the Town of Greenwich implemented changes to the intersection of Elm Street and Greenwich Avenue. This change introduced curb extensions to minimize the length of the crosswalk and raised the intersection to increase visibility for pedestrians and drivers. Some have criticized the bump-outs for being ineffective in stopping accidents, but the Town remains adamant that it does. “Any time you decrease the distance someone has to cross from one side to another, you make it safer. You increase sight lines. You’re also making the car slow down,” said Camillo. He also addressed public concerns about the intersection being too high now, saying that the Town has asked that the next curb extension, which will be Arch Street to be lower. The new improvements will also address visibility concerns and obstructions such as tall grass at sidewalk corners which prevent pedestrians from seeing oncoming traffic.
Many of these issues come as a result of the Greenwich Police facing a lack of new officer applicants. Berry pointed out that in the most recent cycle of applicants, the station only got about 50 applicants compared to a typical cycle which could have a number in the hundreds. Of these, only half pass the qualification tests, and only a handful are hired as officers. This has left the Greenwich Police Station seven officers short of their full force, which would be 152 officers. In response, the Police Station will be “reaching out using different methods.” and using new social media platforms to encourage people to apply, said Berry.
Still, Camillo reminds Greenwich that the city was recently ranked the sixth safest municipality in Connecticut, out of over 169. “There is much more police presence here than there ever was in the history of Greenwich, and we continue to evolve and restrategize to see how we can make it safer for people,” he says.
The Greenwich Police urges citizens not to leave their cars open, not to leave belongings unattended, and to be especially aware of their immediate surroundings when in a public area.
