North Haven lawmakers, First Selectman respond to recent local crime, CT crime report

Sen. Cicarella, Rep. Yaccarino, First Selectman Freda affirm commitment to keep North Haven families safe, pursue holistic solutions to CT crime

State Sen. Paul Cicarella, State Rep. David Yaccarino, North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda released the following statements in response to reports of local crime over the past weekend contrasted by the state’s recent annual crime statistics, announced Monday.

Sen. Cicarella said, “Weeks ago, I wrote an op-ed detailing the brazen crime that we’ve seen in our area over the past year. Since then, numerous individuals have reached out to my office, agreeing that there is indeed a problem. There is no place for criminals looking to commit multiple armed robberies in North Haven like we saw last week. We have an outstanding police chief and police force that are using all the tools at their disposal to bring criminals to justice and prevent further incidents from happening.

“There are statistics released in the state’s annual crime report that went widely overlooked. Unsolved criminal cases are rising. Most disturbing, 59 percent of the time there are murder or rape cases that went unsolved. The car theft epidemic also continues, with almost 92 percent of those cases going unsolved. The state can do better. I met with law enforcement and community leaders across our district to determine how. I worked with my Republican colleagues to put these recommendations into policy for a holistic approach to preventing crime. While Democrats rejected these proposals, I will continue to advocate for these measures because everyone in Connecticut deserves to feel safe.”

Rep. Yaccarino said, “This week, reports on crime statistics in Connecticut have been willfully misinterpreted by the governor and used to paint a picture of public safety in Connecticut that does not reflect the experiences of residents and their families. The reality is that legislation passed by the majority in recent years, namely the 2020 Police Accountability bill, have largely contributed to state and local police departments’ inability to recruit and retain officers, pursue and prosecute suspects, and punish offenders. It has prioritized the rights of criminals over those of victims, and created a culture in which officers are handcuffed on the job, faced with personal liability, and must second-guess on what could be matters of life or death.

“Our local police officers who continue to express their frustration with these harmful laws, passed and supported by the out-of-touch majority. These sworn officers are deeply involved in our community and understand the disconnect between the reality and the picture that the governor paints. They do an unbelievable job serving our community with transparency and accountability, as I have joined them on “ride-alongs” through town. As lawmakers, we must work hard to protect them, just as they work to protect you and your families. While a couple of carefully chosen stats may indicate reductions in certain crimes statewide, we know that unresolved crimes have skyrocketed and that people are concerned, no matter what the numbers say.”

North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda said, “We have seen a rise in crime here in North Haven and I am committed to do everything I can to support our North Haven Police Department and our Police Commission. We have added additional police officers this year, we will continue to invest in the equipment and additional resources that our police department needs to effectively protect our residents , and we will support any initiative to strengthen laws that do not marginalize a police officer’s ability to protect the public. Here in North Haven, those committing crimes will experience consequences.”

The Senate Republican plan, rejected by CT Democrats, advocates for:

• Intervention and Services. Support for community programs focused on trauma, truancy, mediation, and mentorship

• Opportunity and Jobs.
  • Workforce Development – Path to Career programs to better connect young people to opportunities and careers including through apprenticeship program enhancements, access to financial aid, and information sharing on alternative paths to careers.
  • Pipeline for CT’s Future program with schools and local businesses to provide direct employment opportunities for Connecticut youth and promote entrepreneurship among high school students.
  • Summer jobs program to give youth the ability to know where their summer employment will be, to select a field of interest to them, and to have a known source of stable income in the summer months.
  • Vocational program recruitment to ensure Connecticut’s vocational-technical high schools are within reach for youth in urban communities and are being discussed with students at an early age.

• Safe Housing. Safe housing policies including ending hidden ownership, studying the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program to evaluate any disparate impacts the program may have on the development of at-risk children and youth or families, and establishing a housing authority resident quality of life improvement grant program.

• Law Enforcement Recruitment & Community Relationships
  • Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Pipeline Pilot. A pilot program involving local universities with the goal of recruiting individuals to pursue law enforcement careers at the state and local level.
  • Expand Explorer Programs. Expanding successful “explorer” programs by creating a high school elective program focused on learning about law enforcement in which a student can earn credit to graduate. These programs have been successful in multiple communities in building interaction and involvement with young people and officers to build better community relationships.

• Law Enforcement Support
  • Funding for Social/Data Intelligence. Investigations and proactive policing have become very much data driven and intelligence driven in recent years. Social media and online data can help officers prevent crime before situations escalate. This proposal seeks to ensure funding is available to assist police departments in budgeting for the modernization of intelligence tools.
  • Targeted revisions to the 2020 police bill to refine the legislation, while preserving its core intended goals to hold bad actors accountable, without having a chilling effect on proactive policing.

Read the Senate Republicans proposed Better Way to a Safer Connecticut.