The Orange Police Commission met at the Police Department on Monday, Aug. 13.
Following are notes from that meeting:
Mobile MRI
Jeff Gordon of Codespoti Associates made a presentation regarding a project at 330 Boston Post Road (Connecticut Orthopaedic Specialists).
The proposal is to have a Mobile MRI Unit in the parking lot about 3 days per week. The patient would be wheeled out to the parking lot to the trailer and placed on a lift that will get them up to the platform where the entrance door stands.
The MRI machine is inside the trailer and can move to whatever location it is needed.
NOTE: there is a mobile MRI that parks at Mount Desert Island Hospital in Maine a few days a week and it works out well.
Gordon said the plans include removing a light pole, and an asphalt island from the parking lot. He said there is enough parking under the town regulations — there are 39 spaces when only 35 are required. The trailer would take up the excess parking spaces.
After a short discussion, the Commission unanimously approved the proposal.
Monthly Activity
The monthly activity log for July showed a total of 3,338 incidents, including 42 criminal arrests, 128 motor vehicle citations, 2 residential burglaries (backyard sheds where tools were reported missing), 6 commercial burglaries on the Boston Post Road (among them New England Ballet, Blue Moon Massage and Spa) 5 stolen motor vehicles, 88 motor vehicle accidents.
Records Revenue
Reports $397.18, Records Checks $20, Fingerprints $5
Expenditures
• As of 9:15 a.m. Monday morning, the department’s Communications Room is completely renovated, the radio system is fully digital now. All radio transmissions are encrypted like may other towns for officer safety. (Scanners will not be able to pick them up anymore)
• When the phones are replaced, the phone contract is partially reimbursable by the town.
• One officer was sent to School Resource Officer training, and another to DARE training.
• The budget is in order and Overtime is in good shape.
• After a problem was discovered with the service pistols, the department ordered new ones. The US Army uses the same weapon, so the order was backlogged. Once they are delivered later this month, each officer will receive a replacement (the same model) and will be required to qualify with the new gun.
• The lobby of the OPD is now home to a new prescription drug disposal box. The BOW Drug / Alcohol Action Committee (BOWDAAC) donated the receptacle. Bring your old, unused or unwanted prescription medications in and drop them into the box. The drugs will be disposed of properly along with collections from other police departments. Commissioner Christopher Carveth suggested circulating a flyer to the schools about it since children’s prescriptions expire quickly and shouldn’t be left around the house.
• The cell block project requested at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting last week, “forego the usual bid process for cell block improvement project — would improve suicide prevention and officer safety.
Other departments want to do the same thing and the work would be contracted together with them through a company that is an “expert” in police cellblock doors.”
Since the Selectmen approved the request, the work will begin soon.
• This Thursday, August 16, the Orange Police Department will be participating in the annual Tip-A-Cop event to benefit Special Olympics at Eli’s Restaurant, 285 Boston Post Road, from 5-9 p.m.
UPS Battery System
The Orange Police Department uses a UPS battery system to keep continuous power in the Communications Center in the event of a power outage. Since it takes time for the generator to power up, the battery system keeps everything running protecting the expensive equipment from being damaged by, for example, a power surge.
The current UPS is 10 years old and needs replacement and with the department adding more IT equipment the new unit will have to be bigger and have the ability to be expanded on in the future.
The unit may cost up to $30,000, but the exact cost for Orange has not yet been determined.
Annual Report
The town wants all municipal departments to submit their yearly reports by the end of the month. The Orange Police report includes its yearly statistics, wants and needs. The OPD averages 100 requests for service per day, including 4.7 medical calls.
Letters and Communications
• Lt. Andrew Steinbrick filed papers for retirement, his last day was August 3. In his absence, Sgt. Mike Kosh has been serving as the interim commander of the Investigative Services Unit.
• Sheila Craw from the National Alliance for Law Enforcement Support delivered artwork from children who appreciate law enforcement. The pictures will be hung in the break room so officers can see them.
• Chief Gagne received a note from Deputy Chief Joseph Perno of the West Haven Police Department. Perno thanked the OPD for responding to the West Haven Beach on July 3 (along with several other departments) after a disturbance broke out during the annual fireworks show.
• Children from Camp Courant in Hartford sent a thank you card and drawings to K-9 Loki and Officer Chris Brown after they visited the camp.
• Chief Gagne sent thank you notes to Officer Paul Piscitelli for bringing and ATV to Camp Courant and to Officer Brown and K-9 Loki for their visit as well.
• Chief Gagne also Congratulated Brown and Loki on their first place win at the K-9 Olympics earlier this month.
• Loki and Officer Brown will be part of the K-9 demonstrations at the Milford Oyster Festival this weekend.