Enforcement Team Puts Pressure on Bridgeport Crime
By CINDY SIMONEAU, Correspondent |
It was a rainy, quiet night on Stratford
Avenue in Bridgeport, and the Police
Department’s newly formed Neighborhood
Enforcement Team (NET) was taking
a parole officer on his first ride-along.
Warned to be prepared for anything, the
officers suddenly found bullets flying over
their heads. The shots, not aimed at anyone,
were a sort of acknowledgment from
the streets that “they” knew the new squad
was on their turf.
“We said to be prepared for anything
and everything,” explained the unit’s commanding
officer, Sgt. Paul Grech. “After
only a short time they know we’re out
there, although they don’t always know
which neighborhood we’ll be in.”
Parole Officer Edgar Nunez, who rides
along with the unit one night a week, said
despite the gunfire on his first ride-along,
he thinks the NET has the upper hand
when it comes to enforcement issues. This
is the first time the Corrections Department
has had a parole officer working side
by side with the police to monitor the
activities of parolees.
While it is the parole violators and
criminals the group is targeting, the most
important part of their mission is to clean
up the streets for the neighborhood residents.
“We connect the public to the police at
a very personal level,” said Sgt.Grech, during
an interview in the State Street
precinct office. “Every officer is getting
calls from the public. We know to make
this work we need to sell it to the public.
We hope to heighten awareness about our
activities.”
Earlier this year, Bridgeport Police
Chief Brian Norwood established the
Neighborhood Enforcement Team with
six officers from various divisions and Sgt.
Grech. Two officers were later added. So
far, neighborhood efforts have focused on
Stratford and Connecticut avenues and
the Hollow section of the city.
While a sign of success may be the
opening of better communication lines
with the public, it is also evident in the
many arrests and enforcement efforts
launched by NET. Among them, Sgt.
Grech describes arrests for weapons,
armed robbery, rape, drugs, as well as
liquor violations, gang activities, and prostitution.
Sgt. Grech noted they have already had
over 40 arrests on warrants, 65 felony
arrests, 170 misdemeanor arrests, and 300
tickets issued. They have also seized
cocaine, marijuana, and cash from drug
dealers.
“We’re mostly talking about quality of
life issues. People want to live in neighborhoods
where they don’t have to deal
with crime all around them,” he said.
Sgt. Grech describes the unit’s enforcement
policy as one of “zero tolerance,”
where residents know the unit is there to
enforce the laws. When they enter a
neighborhood on their afternoon and
evening patrols, they do so as a group, fanning
out to talk to residents, business
owners, church leaders, and others. They
have collected folders of information of
contact information and have circulated
their own cell phone numbers.
“We get calls at all hours of the day or
night, whether we’re on duty or not. We
encourage them to contact us. We want
people to know they can reach us any
time,” said Sgt. Grech.
Thus far, the two-way street of communication
has paid off with crime tips
NET has or is pursuing. Sgt. Grech also
said the level of awareness about the
group’s efforts within the police department
has helped. “Everyone, from the
chief down, has been extremely supportive
of us. They want to see us succeed.We’re
helping every level of the department do
their jobs, and they’re helping us.”
As a result of this access, Sgt. Grech
said the officers are constantly operating
at a high level of activity. “It takes a special
kind of officer who will make this job
their highest priority. They’ve set aside
their own families and activities to make
this work.”
Sgt. Grech said some 75 department
officers applied for the positions when
Norwood announced the plan. “I think
we’ve put together an extremely dedicated
team of officers who really care about
what they do. Each of them brings a background
of special enforcement talent to
the team.”
“Satisfaction for the job comes from
the arrests we make, and the people we
help in the neighborhoods…If you give a
lot you’ll get a lot back, and we’re proving
that every day,” said Sgt. Grech.
(Contact Cindy at c.simoneau@thejusticejournal.com)
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