Citywide Curfew for Juveniles and Minors

By now everyone should be aware that a citywide curfew is in effect prohibiting juveniles (under 16) and minors (16 and 17 years of age) from loitering on city streets past 9:00 p.m.

As a 30 day emergency measure, the curfew is intended first and foremost to protect our youth by creating as safe an environment as possible. Although some shootings do occur during the day, the majority of shooting incidents do in fact occur between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. The most important thing to remember about the curfew is that it is intended to prohibit “loitering”; it is not meant to prohibit individuals from going to or from work or conducting other purposeful business. Read details about the curfew by clicking on the following link: http://www.hartford.gov/police/PR_2008/2008_08_13_CurfewDetails.htm.

Teams of officers have been specifically assigned to patrol the city to ensure compliance. I am pleased to report that officers escorted home only 16 juveniles and/or minors found in violation of the curfew last night, the first night the curfew was in effect. There were also no shooting incidents in the city last night.

Certainly a curfew is not a final or complete solution to the gun violence which has been occurring in our city. However, for now, it is a necessary tool to ensure the safety of our youth and to protect innocent people from those reckless individuals who have no regard for their safety or the safety of others.

I want to thank the parents and young people in our city who are complying with the curfew. As the Mayor and I drove around the city last night it was heartening to see so many young people with their parents.

I also want to extend my most heartfelt condolences to the shooting victims and their families. Please know that we will never let up in our investigations until these cowardly, ruthless individuals are brought to justice and held accountable for their actions.

I encourage anyone with information that would assist in solving these crimes to utilize Text-A-Tip at CRIMES (274637) enter TIP716 and your message or call Crime Stoppers at 860-722-TIPS (8477). Both are completely confidential.

As always, I would very much like to receive your comments and suggestions.

Your Police Chief, Daryl K. Roberts

A Week's Progress..

Again, it has been a very busy and productive week for the Hartford Police Department. We made arrests in two homicides cases. In connection with the July 19th shooting death of Johan Rosa at 195 Affleck Street, we made four arrests: Carlos Vega, Jose Felix, and a 16 year old juvenile charged with murder, and Luis Franceschi on firearm charges related to the incident. And in connection with the November 10th, 2007 shooting death of Efrain Rodriguez, working with the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office Cold Case Unit, the HPD charged a 17 year old juvenile, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, with Mr. Rodriguez’ murder. There have been 18 homicides year to date in the city. Ten of the 18 have been closed by arrests. I want the families of victims to know that the Hartford Police Department will never give up in its efforts to bring violent individuals responsible for these crimes to justice. Their loved ones will never be forgotten by the HPD.

We have also continued our aggressive efforts to get guns off our streets. This week we captured two individuals in possession of loaded firearms. August 2nd officers observed a vehicle run a red light. When they attempted a motor vehicle stop the suspect fled, engaging police in a pursuit that led to Windsor Street and the suspect’s attempt to seal a locked police cruiser then a tow truck. Lamar McCarthy of East Hartford was apprehended as he attempted to steal the tow truck. A search of his vehicle found a silver revolver on the front passenger seat and a black ski mask in the back seat. On August 7th Vice and Narcotics detectives arrested Jose Carrion of Lawrence Street on numerous firearms charges. He was under investigation for the sale of narcotics when detectives approached him in the vicinity of 869 Wethersfield Avenue. After an intense struggle he was apprehended and found in possession of two firearms and ammunition. Year to date we have seized 257 firearms and made 134 firearm related arrests. We will continue to be aggressive in getting guns off our streets; however, parents, family and friends need to impress upon these young people the severity of the pain and suffering caused by their willingness to resort to gun violence to resolve disputes.

Also apprehended this week was a suspect we believe responsible for numerous recent burglaries and larcenies. On August 5th detectives apprehended Lloyd Coleman, 44, of Westbrook, Connecticut, as he attempted to remove a computer from Saint Francis Hospital. Click here to view a photo of Lloyd Coleman. If you recognize him or have information about other incidents he may have been involved in please contact Sergeant Ed Yergeau at 860-757-4257, call Crime Stoppers at 860-722-TIPS, or Text-A-Tip at TIP716.

On a lighter hearted note, those of you who attended National Night Out had a preview of some of the horses in our new HPD Mounted Patrol Unit. Below is a video of Zeus, Maximus, and Cacique as they visited Hartford Police Headquarters prior to their visits to Lozada and Pope Parks. The Mounted Patrol Unit has one more month of training with the First Company Governor’s Horse Guard. I know we all look forward to seeing them patrol our neighborhoods, parks, and community events.

I hope you find this report of interest and value, and encourage you to share your thoughts and suggestions on how we together can make our city safer for us all.

Your Chief, Daryl K. Roberts

Mid Summer Report

As we are upon mid summer and our efforts to curb gun violence in the city continue, I want to share with you a few statistics relating to our activities over the past six weeks. Since June 16th, the HPD has conducted 2,322 directed patrols and 1,168 field interviews throughout the city. As a result of our quality of life enforcement efforts we have made 386 criminal trespass and loitering arrests, 79 breach of peace arrests, 105 public drinking arrests, and issued 1,183 motor vehicle violations. In July alone we made 1,157 Community Court referrals for quality of life offences.

Year to date we have seized 252 firearms, made 130 firearm related arrests, and responded to more than 187,000 calls for service. The men and women of the HPD and their State Trooper partners are walking foot beats, riding bicycles and patrolling our streets in cruisers. They are working very hard.

I also want to report there are many citizens in our city who are working just as hard with us to make our city safer. I want to convey my thanks and appreciation to them for coming forward and assisting police in investigating crime in our city. This week alone we solved 2 of the 3 homicides that occurred several weeks ago. We will continue to aggressively investigate all crimes and bring those responsible to justice.

Despite our most vigilant suppression efforts, gun violence continues to plague certain areas of the city, perpetrated by individuals who have no regard for the safety of our community or themselves. So, we continue to need your help. This week the Connecticut State Police announced a new text messaging system for confidential tips. The information will come through the State Police to local police departments and be completely confidential and anonymous. This program has proven successful in other states throughout our nation.

Here is a link to information about the text messaging program: http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?A=11&Q=420186
Please use it!

As always, I look forward to receiving your comments, suggestions, and any concerns you may wish to share with me and other readers. I will make every effort to respond to each of you.

Chief Daryl K. Roberts

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids

It has been two weeks since my last posting and much has happened. First and foremost I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the families of Johan Rosa, Joseph Gilles and Jakeem Jaquan Tully. I can assure you that our teams of detectives and patrol officers, with their federal and state partners, are committed to routing out the violent individuals responsible for these crimes and seeing that they are brought to justice. We will not rest until we get guns out of the hands of these violent and reckless individuals who resort to gun violence to resolve disputes.

As part of a nationwide effort to reduce youth violence I am working with Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a national anti-crime organization of over 4,000 sheriffs, police chiefs, prosecutors, and violence survivors. This organization is asking Congress to enact the “Education Begins At Home Act”, a program that would provide home-visits targeted to cut child abuse and neglect and prevent crime. Mayor Eddie A. Perez and I hosted a press conference yesterday at Hartford City Hall with Wethersfield Police Chief James Cetran on this vital program. You can view the report “Breaking the Cycle of Child Abuse and Reducing Crime in Connecticut: Coaching Parents Through Intensive Home Visiting” at the following link: http://www.hartford.gov/police/Miscelleanous/2008_07_25_FightCrimeInvestInKidsReport.pdf

Below is a video of my remarks at the press conference for your information. I would be very interested in your comments and thoughts about this subject.

Chief Daryl K. Roberts

2008 Safe City Initiative

As you may recall, on May 15, 2008, in a joint press conference with Mayor Eddie A. Perez, we launched our 2008 Safe City Initiative. Developed as a city wide effort by the HPD, the guiding principles of our 2008 Safe City Initiative are built upon service, relationships and safety. Its objectives, through a strong police presence, are two fold: to suppress violent crime, thereby limiting opportunities of those who would commit crime; and to enhance quality of life enforcement - aimed at creating a safe environment on our streets and in our neighborhoods.

It is my firm belief that to accomplish the goals of crime reduction, a safer community, and enhanced quality of life, we must effectively partner with community stakeholders, local, state, and federal agencies, and all members of the community we serve. Also, a change in the mindset of our officers that envisions everyone as information gatherers, as well as “quality of life specialists” must be embraced. Each officer must continue to strive for excellence under the neighborhood policing plan, thereby developing a true sense of ownership within the neighborhoods. Crime reduction, safer communities, and enhanced quality of life enforcement will be the product of this comprehensive approach to policing.
The following are the seventeen programs and strategies which make up the 2008 Safe City Initiative that I believe will provide a strong framework for the reduction of violent crime, enhancement of the community, and employee recognition for exemplary work:

1. Community contact partnership program
2. Crime solvers tip line program
3. Cop-a-book program (fall 2008)
4. Increased collaboration with federal and state agencies
5. Quality of life enforcement
6. Utilization of the Compstat process
7. Mid-squad city-wide conditions teams
8. Relentless warrant service and de-briefing by uniform personnel
9. Deployment of resources in hotspot areas
10. Project safe neighborhoods (PSN) program
11. High visibility traffic enforcement
12. Knock and talk details
13. Home visits for gang members and recently released parolees
14. Motor vehicle traffic checkpoints
15. Field intelligence retrieval and management system (firm)
16. Community service officer, school resource officer and neighborhood district conditions team meetings
17. Employee recognition program: Firearm Arrest & Felony Intelligence Recognition Program.

On June 9th, my command staff and I met with Connecticut State Police Colonel Thomas Davoren and members of his staff, at Hartford Police Headquarters, to discuss the role of the Connecticut State Police in the city’s 2008 Safe City Initiative. Without providing intimate details, suffice to say the HPD and Connecticut State Police will be collaborating on a comprehensive plan that will be incorporated into the 2008 Safe City Initiative.

Please know that as soon as details of our collaboration with the Connecticut State Police, and other state and federal agencies, are complete, I will be sure to share them with you.

In the meantime, I look forward to you sharing your thoughts and ideas with me and the men and women of the Hartford Police Department.

Daryl K. RobertsChief of Police

A Message to the Community

To begin with I would like to take this opportunity to again convey my thanks and appreciation to those citizens who have and continue to come forward to assist police investigating crime in our city. There are many. In fact 911 calls were received from concerned individuals at the time of the hit and run accident seriously injuring Mr. Angel Torres. They reported what they had witnessed and requested aid for Mr. Torres. The video footage of the hit and run of Mr. Angel Torres, which could well lead to the solving of this crime, came from surveillance cameras purchased by the Spanish American Merchant Association in partnership with the city and police department.
People are coming forward, however, we need more help to identify and apprehend these perpetrators. I ask that anyone who may have information on the identify and/or whereabouts of the individuals and the vehicles responsible for the hit and run of Mr. Angel Torres, 78, of Hartford, to contact Crime Scene Division Commander Sergeant Jason Thody at 860-757-4225. Anyone with information about the assault of Mr. Nicholas R. Carbone, 72, of Hartford, or the recent homicides at 31 Acton Street and 756 Garden Street, to please contact HPD Major Crimes Supervising Sergeants Rob Davis or Edward Yergeau at 860-757-4256 or 4257. If you wish anonymity you may leave confidential tips on the HPD’s Crime Solvers Tipline 860-527-TIPS. I cannot emphasize enough how important your help is in solving these crimes. What you may think to be an insignificant bit of information may in fact be of enormous value to the investigations.
It is my hope these recent events, spurring widespread public dialogue surrounding civic mindedness and one’s responsibility to our society as a whole, will generate positive actions throughout our community. You can be assured that as your Chief of Police I am dedicated to service, relationships, and safety – to serving the public to the best of my ability, establishing strong, positive relationships between law enforcement and the community, and creating a safe environment for us all.
Our community outreach efforts, whether through the media, the utilization of social networking such as this Blog and HPD E-News, through the HPD’s Neighborhood Policing Plan, or working one on one with the many caring individuals who assist the police every day in solving crime in our city, have proven the value of police/community partnerships. Make no mistake that we intend to continue our outreach in every way possible as we work together to rid our community of unnecessary violence. You can be assured that we at the Hartford Police Department “will never “give up on the city”.
On behalf of the men and women of the Hartford Police Department I wish to extend my deep appreciation for the many messages of support and confidence we have received and thank you all for taking the time to share your thoughts and comments with us. I look forward to our continued dialogue.
Daryl K. Roberts
Chief of Police

What Can the Community Do to Help Police?

First, I would like to express my humble thanks and appreciation to those who have posted such kind thoughts and wishes for me and the men and women of the Hartford Police Department on my first Blog. Please know that your support and confidence means everything to us as we do the best job we can to serve and protect you and your families.

Secondly, I would like to respond to some questions posted last week. With respect to “southender” who asked about crime in the Southeast District, I wish to refer you to the HPD crime statistics for the week ending May 24, 2008, which you can view at the following link: http://www.hartford.gov/police/Crime_Stats_Folder/2008%20Crime%20Statistics/2008_05_24.pdf. On review you will see that Part 1 crime in the Southeast District is down year to date over the same period in 2007 by -17.7 percent, the second largest drop and 2 percent more than the citywide decrease of -15.9 percent. However, this does not discount the serious issue of gun related violence that continues to plague our city.

In response to “irysh0ze” inquiries, I can report that we have just recently added an additional K-9 Team, we do utilize seized vehicles for undercover operations where appropriate, however, we must take into account maintenance, liens, etc., on these vehicles, which become the city’s responsibility and can become costly, and we have not yet looked at the GPS “Star Chase System.”

Most importantly, “irysh0ze” poses a question I would very much like to discuss this week, and that is: “What would you like to see the general public do more to help you with your job?” This question is at the heart of neighborhood policing, for the police cannot quell gun violence in our community alone. Year to date we have seized close to 180 guns, last year we seized 400. In one day alone Vice and Narcotics detectives conducted seven hot spot details, resulting in 42 arrests, seizure of two firearms, three vehicles, ten grams of crack, 1,300 bags of Heroin, and 12 grams of cocaine. One of the guns was commercially produced to look like a walking stick. You can see a photo of it in my March 16, 2008, statement announcing my Safe City Initiative I spoke of last week.

Yet, despite our most vigilant suppression efforts, gun violence continues to plague certain area of the city, perpetrated by individuals with no regard for the safety our community or themselves. We know who these people are – we are arresting them and will continue to arrest them. We are doing our job and will continue to do so - but we need the community’s help – as partners – to work with us as crime solvers. Getting information to the police on those who would disrupt peace and order in our city is paramount to our success. If you require anonymity you can call our confidential Crime Solvers Tipline: 860-527-TIPS (8477).

Furthermore, I am in discussion with the national group “Crime Stoppers USA” to bring their program to Hartford. Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization of citizens against crime. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $1000 to anyone furnishing anonymous information that leads to the arrest of criminals, including those committing serious felony crimes, and fugitives. Information is received through anonymous Crime Stoppers tips that are received through a secure tips line or through a secure web connection manned by a professional program coordinator. Each caller is assigned a code number for the purpose of insuring anonymity. This program has proven quite successful for the City of Waterbury, Connecticut.

Partnering with the police, I believe, is the most important and effective support the community can contribute to public safety in our city. Your thoughts and comments about Crime Stoppers, or other public safety issues are most welcome. Visit Crime Stoppers USA at http://www.crimestopusa.com/AboutUs.asp#