CRIME PREVENTION

Crime Prevention

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The primary goal of the Crime Prevention Unit is to help educate citizens on how to reduce their risk of being a victim of crime.

This goal is accomplished through various programs which include the Block Watch Program, Project Kid-care, Bicycle Rodeo/Safety Programs (including helmet giveaways), personal property marking program, women’s safety classes, Combat Auto Theft and neighborhood outreach initiatives. This unit also visits businesses to discuss safety tips and recommended security measures and coordinates the Citizen’s Police Academy.

This unit is also responsible for Public Information and Media Relations.

Sergeant Patrick Buturla is currently assigned to the unit. If you require further information on any of our programs and services, he can be reached at 203-937-3570 Monday through Friday from 8 am until 4 pm. All of the crime prevention and awareness programs are provided free of charge.

Sergeant Patrick Buturla – (203) 937-3570

Crisis Intervention

The West Haven Police Department was the second city in the State of Connecticut to offer specialized support services to our citizens with disabilities. The WHPD teamed up with Connecticut Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement (C.A.B.L.E.) and the New London Police Department to train members of our department to better aid consumers who suffer with a mental illness.

All CIT members must successfully complete training designed to increase the awareness of the many mental illnesses and medications they may encounter in the field. Other training includes awareness of “Suicide by Cop”, suicide ideation/attempt, visual and/or auditory hallucinations, and other topics.

It is the goal of the West Haven Police Department to not only become an additional resource for agencies and health care providers that serve these consumers, but to continue to be a support system for those consumers themselves. Through these partnerships, we are able to offer more appropriate care and referrals to proper agencies (if needed).

When a call involving an emotionally disturbed person, person with a mental illness, or a “crisis” call is identified, a CIT member (whenever available) is dispatched. These CIT members are identifiable by the Pathfinder pin or patch on their uniform (image shown above).

Currently, the West Haven Police Department has approximately 30 team members which cover all available shifts.

Community Resource Officers

The West Haven Police Department is launching a pilot program that infuses police back into the community. The officers will be known as CRO’s or Community Resource Officers. We are opening two Police-Sub-Stations; one in the neighborhood community in Allingtown and the other serving the business community in downtown West Haven covering from Elm St. to Captain Thomas Blvd. This is policing going back to its roots. This is Sir Robert Peel’s concept of placing uniformed officers on foot patrol. The West Haven Police Department will be taking this concept into the 21st Century by utilizing Segways to facilitate the CRO’s mission. The Segway takes all of the positive benefits of having officers on foot-patrol without any of the drawbacks. The officers will still have face to face direct contact with the citizens and be able to provide greater police coverage and response without exhausting the officer. The CRO’s mission is to develop a relationship with those members of the community and to learn their problems, issues, fears, and provide a link between the police and the community while attempting to find solutions to their problems. The CRO’s will utilize the following forms of patrol; Segways; bicycles; and foot patrol. They will be equipped with hand held devices that have the capability to run vehicle checks and warrant check on individuals. They have also been provided with departmental phones and business cards that will be handed out. The idea is get the people to call CRO’s directly when they have a problem. Their sub-station will act as their base of operations and will be equipped with a police computer linked to the police department giving them the ability to access information and write reports.

We also hope in the near future that we can provide the community with the ability to obtain police reports and other documents that would only be available otherwise by going to the police department. This program would not have been possible if it were not for the generosity of the following individuals:

  • Quest Gym business owner Caroline Sires who provided this agency with the space and did much of the renovations for the Sub-station.
  • Allingtown Fire Chief Peter Massaro opened the doors of his fire house and permitted renovations of a storage storage area to provide for a sub-station.
  • Brian Banning of All Purpose Contractors and Ken Carney of Baybrook Remodeling both donated time and materials in the renovation of the Allingtown sub-station
  • This generosity permitted the Police Department to keep costs at a bare minimum and make the program a reality. I would like to take this opportunity to personally express my thanks and appreciation for everything they have done for the Police Department and the West Haven Community for without them it would not have come to fruition.

Please enjoy West Haven safely and responsively!

School Resource Officers

Our School Resource Officers are assigned to the city’s schools to provide services and build relationships with students.

SRO’s are permanently assigned to a school for the school year. These uniformed officers are able to maintain a close relationship between the faculty and students as SRO’s. SRO’s are trained as both a law enforcement officer and a school resource provider. Their duties involve counseling, education, and law enforcement. These SRO’s are available to solve problems through interaction by combining counseling with education into traditional police work.

The SRO works closely with school administrators to enforce criminal laws and school policies through crime prevention, investigation, and arrest if necessary. A decision on a course of action for a student is made through a cooperative effort between school administrators and the SRO. This close cooperation of school and police makes the students more accountable for their actions while maintaining safety for the other faculty and students.
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