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Norwalk Police report increased traffic enforcement, raids and accreditation schedule in monthly update
Summary
Norwalk Police presented January statistics showing a rise in stops and proactive enforcement, described recent drug and gambling seizures at local shops, outlined grants and property-room storage changes, and reviewed the CALEA accreditation schedule for 2025.
Norwalk Police leaders told the Board of Police Commissioners on Feb. 24 that proactive enforcement increased in January and that unit activity included multiple search warrants and seizures at local businesses.
Deputy Chief Blake reported that the detective bureau opened 28 cases in January and that the special services unit opened 47 cases, including 21 felony arrests and execution of nine search warrants. Officers executed search warrants at the R and R Smoke Shop on Main Street, BP Snacks on Connecticut Avenue, and other retail locations, seizing marijuana and cash, the transcript shows.
"You can see the stats for the month," Deputy Chief Blake said while listing arrests and other investigations. "The uptick in proactive motor vehicle enforcement continues into 2025," he added; the department recorded 1,317 stops in January compared with 879 in January 2024.
Patrol responded to 6,466 calls for service in January and the department recorded 86 arrests for the month. The special victims unit opened 32 cases and made several arrests tied to alleged child-endangerment and sexual-assault charges, the report said.
Deputy Chief Lepore summarized community-affairs activity, noting the department handled 956 calls for service for the community services division in January, provided funeral escorts and neighborhood outreach, and ran 32 targeted selective-enforcement locations. The behavioral health unit opened 43 cases in January, closed 35, and arranged hospitalization for 22 individuals; the unit also coordinated with the state's attorney on four cases.
On grants and equipment, the department reported use of a DUI enforcement grant in January; staff recorded field activity and DUI arrests tied to that grant. The property room has been expanded with a caged area to secure seized items while cases remain pending in court, the administrative report said.
Deputy Chief Lepore explained the department's accreditation timeline: CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) will conduct a remote review in March and an on-site assessment later in the year as part of the agency’s fourth-year review cycle. "They audit 25% of our files each year," Lepore said, describing the remote and on-site process.
The department also reported upgrades to information and dispatch systems and ongoing promotional testing for sergeant and lieutenant ranks. The commission had no substantive questions and accepted the reports for the record.
The transcript records locations and unit names as provided by staff; the department’s written reports filed with the commission contain additional detail and are attached to the meeting packet.
