Selectmen approve New Canaan Police special response team travel to Connecticut SWAT Challenge

The Board of Selectmen on June 24 approved travel expenses for nine members of the New Canaan Police Department’s Special Response Team to attend the Connecticut SWAT Challenge in August.

The police representative said the team would travel August 12–14, 2025, and the estimated cost is about $2,350; the board motion set a not‑to‑exceed amount of $2,400. The motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: Police staff described the event as an intensive training and networking opportunity that exposes local officers to tactics and equipment used by other teams and helps build interagency contacts that could be useful if New Canaan requires outside tactical assistance.

Key details: The representative said nine team members will participate, staying two nights in four hotel rooms. The department noted that the event typically involves long days — often 10–12 hours — and that the time counts against the officers’ monthly training allotment. The department said the team has attended the event in prior years and often gains informal equipment donations and operational ideas there.

Board discussion: Selectmen asked whether the travel would create overtime or backfill costs. Police staff said training time is banked or covered within existing training allocations and that fundraising and team accounts have historically absorbed much of the cost, minimizing the budgetary impact on the town.

What’s next: The department will proceed with booking if necessary and report back on the team’s participation and any equipment or training benefits after the event.