Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-12

ticularly the people in the rural sec |
tons of the state, can effectively CO.
operate with the state police by report |
ing to it's representatives "every type of
trivial incident which constitutes an in
fraction of the law was made by Mo- !
tor Vehicle Commissioner Robbins B.
Stocked, speaking as member of the
state police commission, at the annual
meeting of the state grange in Water
bury, Wednesday.
He announced the opening of state po-
lice sub stations in three small towns
in different counties of the state and the
fact that similar stations are soon to
be opened in Litehfeld, New London,
Windham and New Haven counties.
Sparcely settled portions of the state are
| to be divided I'D between the several
sub-stations for general patrol, giving
protection to crops and other rural prop
critics which limited facilities have here
| tofore made impossible, the following is
brief digest of Commissioner StoeckeFs
address:
The state of Connecticut has 1904
square miles. Out of this there are
about 900 square miles which are dense
| ly populated, the cities. large towns and
their suburbs These 500 square miles
spend yearly the estimated round sum of
81 100000 for police protection. The bal
ance of the territory In the state has
no police organization excert such as
Is furnished by local peace Officers and
by the state police It is apparent there
| fore, that in order to properly police
the country districts, of which the great
er portion of this territory consists,
| thorough-going system of men locally
placed is Absolutely necessary.
The state police department has
large catalogue Of duties. Among these
are included the general supervision Of
safety measures prescribed by statute
in connection with theatres and moving
picture exhibitions, amusemer$ parks,
fire marshars duties, weights and meas
ures, pistol permits and motor vehicle
enforcement and examinations so that
it will at once appear that a least
substantial number of state policemen
must always be assigned in connection
with these.
The main portion of the work for
which the balance Of the men are avail
able will be along the line of crime de-
lection, including prohibition enforce
ment and investigation into crimes com
mitted, and preventive work by a sys-
tenn of patrols. It was in connection
with the latter that Commissioner
Stoeckers talk dealt
Preventive work must include show
:
; otherwise sufficiently policed often
, enough so that the public IN such sec
lions may have immediate access to an
office which is IN close connection with
patrolmen and the men themselves must
be available so that they can respond
= promptly. The state police commission
and superintendent seem to have early
realized this phase Of the police prob
lem and have laid out system which IS
! I7+o M T-I,f ob Will
by early spring. me in working order
J This system includes the establishment
: | Of sub-statioas connected with the cen
, trail office at Hartford The sub-sta
r tfons already Established are at Center
o | brook (Which is near Savbrook), a
s Hartford on the entering of the New
: York state road, at Stafford Springs II
Tolland county. The stations not We
o established but under consideration IN
clude one at Canaan in Iitchf1eld coun
: ty, one on the Norwich-New Iondol
: road. one In the rural districts of Nev
Haven county, the place not vet det1S n
:. ined one at or near Danielson in Wind
= ham county and two or more others un
der careful consideration for location
A consideration of the locations show
J that the city districts which are alread
g. po1iced are not duplicated in this por
= ton Of the state police method and It |
= APPARENTLY intended to spread the stat
police officers around IN groups so tina
each group may be able when not en-
gagged on specifs duty under orders fror
headquarters, to exercise general patrc
supervision over designated part O
le the sparsely settled portion Of the sta t.
} The state police department has fit
Il men, which number includes the super
lg intendent. captain, one lieutenant an
two sergeants. It has affair approprt
/ alton which is already found in diff
's culties on one or two items such a
ID having It's officers make the rounds re
l. quired inside of the amounts allowed 70
le travel and maintenance expenses. II
ID policy will necessarily be to go ar ia
Il as possible with the money and men q
hand, on the basis of the patrol syster
outlined and when Its men are distrit
uted will use them for general super
vision and to make that general super
~ vision as thorough as possible.
: The men are equipped with uniform
: and motorcycles or cars and each sta
= ton will have that type of transpol
" tation equipment which is most suIts
- Bile for the country surrounding It. Wit
the small number of men and the lare
territory to be covered, anything e,
), cept the very best system, the be!
~ equipment and the best men will be use
N less and even with the very highe.
4 grade OF personnel and equipment tt
~ efforts of the men will be handicappe
~ unless there is the broadcast kind of CT
of oeration and assistance from the eft
- zens
Of The police problem like any 9TH
he problem. so far as 1t is preventive OF
~ Is problem of the citizens themselve
W. In order to be effective the state poIit
a department needs immediate informatic
e about every type Of trivial incider
70 which constitutes an information abo
infraction of the law so that the offic
re- in charge can, upon receipt Of inform
IN ton, know how to go about investig
~ ton. His report and future conduct
rr conn ection with 1t Will be tn esubie
on Of direction and criticism from heat
ia | quarters. The effort which the poll
H. department needs to make Is to get Il
Ia public to use the offices IN a free ma
ner and TO tell their troubles to the m,
freely without reservation 50 that t
'ge files Of the department may carry
me the informa tion obtainable from the C
ter liens. IF this can be done, even wi
RS. a small number OF men and large te
7as rtorv very decided effectiveness c;
-ge be obtained and cinditons can be be
In tered.
ar Such organizations as the grams
at mems clubs In villages and towns, fl
IN and game clubs and organizations
ur- all kinds can be very useful IN suppl
of ing information. The state police d
ne partment, commission and superinten
ent desire that the men Of the depal
bel ment shall be the friends Of law-abi
L ing citizens and all information receiv
in will be promptly and efficiently sctt
-er, upon The effectiveness of the depa1
Ter, ment's system of patrol depends UP