With the new fiscal year upon us, I want to take this opportunity to share with you some of the Hartford Police Department's strategic goals as adopted in the 2010-11 City Budget.
First and foremost, I wish to express my appreciation to the Mayor and City Council for their inclusion of a new recruit class of 30 that will begin training in the next fiscal year. While we have enjoyed the support of the Mayor, City Council, and the community we serve in recent years with annual recruit classes, and in some instances more than one class in a year, retirements continue to deplete our manpower. In the first quarter of 2010, twelve veteran officers retired; the sum total of police officer retirements in 2009. This trend is projected to continue into the next fiscal year.
Other strategic goals focus on improved customer service through on-line access to records division forms and accident reports. On-line access to accident reports and record's division forms will improve customer service through increased efficiency and a quicker turn-around time to requests. An additional benefit will be the countless hours of time saved by both our customers and staff. Additionally, we will be installing new scheduling software in the private duty office.
Another major project in the next fiscal year will be an upgrade and redesign of the department's website. Our goal is to transform the department's website from a static, organization based format to a user based design in order to improve navigation and public access to information. I invite you to share your ideas of improvement to the website by emailing me at policechief@hartford.gov.
In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the Hartford Police Department's website at www.hartford.gov/police, where you can view my 2010-11 budget presentation, the entire Hartford Police Department budget for FY 2010-11, weekly crime statistics, and information on a myriad of subjects important to the quality of life in our city.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and ideas on how we can better serve and protect. I am confident that working together we can improve service, build positive relationships, and ultimately make our city safer for us all. You have my commitment as your chief of police to continue to strive for excellence in all we do, as I firmly believe "success is never final."
Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts
Showing posts with label Law Enforcement Community Policing Neihgborhoods Public Safety Hartford Crime Stoppers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Law Enforcement Community Policing Neihgborhoods Public Safety Hartford Crime Stoppers. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Community Appreciation
Two recent community events I believe serve as true examples of the success that can be achieved through positive partnerships between community and police. The first, this past week’s West Indian Week Celebration, which culminated with the 47th West Indian Parade on Saturday, August 8, 2009; and the second, the August 4th National Night Out Against Crime.
The support and collaboration between police and community organizations such as the Men of Color, Hartford Citizens in Action, the African American Alliance, Peacebuilders, Northeast neighborhoods, and organizers of the West Indian Week Celebration, made this year’s event the safest ever that was enjoyed by thousands of festival goers and parade spectators.
Hartford’s National Night Out Against Crime was celebrated throughout the city, from the Blue Hills Recreation Center, the Boys and Girls Club on Sigourney Street, the elderly at Tuscan Homes on Montville Street, to the Upper Albany Neighborhood Collaborative, and the Pope Park Recreation Center, where I might add, a spirited baseball game was played between the community and neighborhood police officers. That evening thousands of neighbors and police officers came together to take a positive stand against crime and celebrate what is good about Hartford neighborhoods.
These two examples are just a few of the many collaborations and positive partnerships that we have seen developed between community and police which has, I believe, provided an enormous contribution to the historic low in crime we are experiencing in our city.
As so often the negative overshadows our positive accomplishments, I believe it is imperative to give credit where credit is due. Therefore, I wish to extend my most heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the many members of our community and the dedicated men and women of the Hartford Police Department and their commanders for their extraordinary efforts in making our community safer. The success achieved through their collaboration and partnership is the result of a focus on service, relationships and safety and is what community policing is all about. “Success is never final!”
The support and collaboration between police and community organizations such as the Men of Color, Hartford Citizens in Action, the African American Alliance, Peacebuilders, Northeast neighborhoods, and organizers of the West Indian Week Celebration, made this year’s event the safest ever that was enjoyed by thousands of festival goers and parade spectators.
Hartford’s National Night Out Against Crime was celebrated throughout the city, from the Blue Hills Recreation Center, the Boys and Girls Club on Sigourney Street, the elderly at Tuscan Homes on Montville Street, to the Upper Albany Neighborhood Collaborative, and the Pope Park Recreation Center, where I might add, a spirited baseball game was played between the community and neighborhood police officers. That evening thousands of neighbors and police officers came together to take a positive stand against crime and celebrate what is good about Hartford neighborhoods.
These two examples are just a few of the many collaborations and positive partnerships that we have seen developed between community and police which has, I believe, provided an enormous contribution to the historic low in crime we are experiencing in our city.
As so often the negative overshadows our positive accomplishments, I believe it is imperative to give credit where credit is due. Therefore, I wish to extend my most heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the many members of our community and the dedicated men and women of the Hartford Police Department and their commanders for their extraordinary efforts in making our community safer. The success achieved through their collaboration and partnership is the result of a focus on service, relationships and safety and is what community policing is all about. “Success is never final!”
Click here to view photos of Hartford National Night Out participants.
Hartford Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts
Monday, March 16, 2009
Illegal Street Racing
Last week I had the opportunity to testify before the Connecticut General Assembly’s Transportation Committee in support of House Bill 5262, An Act Concerning the Impoundment of Vehicles Used for Illegal Street Racing. The purpose of the legislation would be to discourage Illegal street racing by allowing that anyone who engages in illegal street racing shall have the motor vehicle being operated by such person at the time of the violation impounded for thirty days. The legislation also provides for a series of fines. Here is a link to the bill: http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=5262&which_year=2009.
Illegal street racing has been a growing menace in our city for some years, disturbing the peace and wreaking havoc on certain thoroughfares during the late night hours. Despite increased enforcement efforts, illegal street racers and those who patronize their activities have continued to pose a serious threat to public safety. The situation is extremely hazardous to participants as well as unsuspecting motorists who find themselves engulfed by the swarm of activity. This activity has been especially problematic for the department in that it occurs during peak times for “calls for service” necessitating the redeployment of critical resources from other parts of the city to maintain order and public safety.
Enforcement activities have including arresting spectators (it is illegal to be a spectator of illegal street racing); arrests for trespassing and /or interfering with police, and the issuance of thousands of infractions.
In 2008 alone the public costs associated with illegal street racing included approximately $50,000 for installation of road modifications by the City of Hartford Public Works Department (speed bumps to deter racing), approximately 728 HPD work-hours valued at $67,500.00, and untold costs to homeowners and business owners for property damage to lawns, parks, personal property, fences, and the hiring of security guards.
As spring is upon us you can be sure we will do everything we can to enforce quality of life issues and keep our streets safe. Hopefully, if enacted by the General Assembly, the additional enforcement tools provided in this legislation will help deter this hazardous and costly public safety situation. As always, I want to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
Visit this link on YouTube to see the extent and brazenness of illegal street racers in our area.
Illegal street racing has been a growing menace in our city for some years, disturbing the peace and wreaking havoc on certain thoroughfares during the late night hours. Despite increased enforcement efforts, illegal street racers and those who patronize their activities have continued to pose a serious threat to public safety. The situation is extremely hazardous to participants as well as unsuspecting motorists who find themselves engulfed by the swarm of activity. This activity has been especially problematic for the department in that it occurs during peak times for “calls for service” necessitating the redeployment of critical resources from other parts of the city to maintain order and public safety.
Enforcement activities have including arresting spectators (it is illegal to be a spectator of illegal street racing); arrests for trespassing and /or interfering with police, and the issuance of thousands of infractions.
In 2008 alone the public costs associated with illegal street racing included approximately $50,000 for installation of road modifications by the City of Hartford Public Works Department (speed bumps to deter racing), approximately 728 HPD work-hours valued at $67,500.00, and untold costs to homeowners and business owners for property damage to lawns, parks, personal property, fences, and the hiring of security guards.
As spring is upon us you can be sure we will do everything we can to enforce quality of life issues and keep our streets safe. Hopefully, if enacted by the General Assembly, the additional enforcement tools provided in this legislation will help deter this hazardous and costly public safety situation. As always, I want to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
Visit this link on YouTube to see the extent and brazenness of illegal street racers in our area.
Friday, February 13, 2009
A Message From Chief Daryl K. Roberts
Please accept my invitation for you to visit the new HPD homepage on our website at www.Hartford.Gov/police. In response to user feedback we have been working hard at improving navigation and presentation of information on our website from a community perspective.
You will see on the right menu (in light blue) red links to department services and information. This new navigation menu is designed to improve citizen access to information is a quick and easy manner.
Inasmuch as the site remains a constant work in progress, your suggestions on design and content are most welcome and invaluable to me as I continue my efforts to increase accessibility of information about services and programs of the department.
You may recently have seen the digital billboards on I-91 and I-84 promoting Hartford Crime Stoppers. I extend my thanks and appreciation to Lamar Advertising and Hartford Crime Stoppers for their continuing efforts to bring attention to this valuable community program. By providing guaranteed anonymity to tipsters, and cash rewards for information leading to an arrest in a police investigation, Hartford Crime Stoppers is not only a valuable community crime prevention tool, but also a program of community empowerment. I encourage you to take advantage of Hartford Crime Stoppers whose motto is “Protect our community and we will protect your identity.” http://metrohartford.crimestoppersweb.com/localnews.aspx
It is my intent to write as often as I can – about current issues effecting the Hartford Police Department and the community we serve and protect. Please share your thoughts, concerns, or problems in our community or with the department you wish me to address.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you all.
You will see on the right menu (in light blue) red links to department services and information. This new navigation menu is designed to improve citizen access to information is a quick and easy manner.
Inasmuch as the site remains a constant work in progress, your suggestions on design and content are most welcome and invaluable to me as I continue my efforts to increase accessibility of information about services and programs of the department.
You may recently have seen the digital billboards on I-91 and I-84 promoting Hartford Crime Stoppers. I extend my thanks and appreciation to Lamar Advertising and Hartford Crime Stoppers for their continuing efforts to bring attention to this valuable community program. By providing guaranteed anonymity to tipsters, and cash rewards for information leading to an arrest in a police investigation, Hartford Crime Stoppers is not only a valuable community crime prevention tool, but also a program of community empowerment. I encourage you to take advantage of Hartford Crime Stoppers whose motto is “Protect our community and we will protect your identity.” http://metrohartford.crimestoppersweb.com/localnews.aspx
It is my intent to write as often as I can – about current issues effecting the Hartford Police Department and the community we serve and protect. Please share your thoughts, concerns, or problems in our community or with the department you wish me to address.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you all.
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