New Canaan Police Commission approves routine administrative items; chief reports improved staffing and traffic enforcement

The Town of New Canaan Police Commission on April 16 approved routine administrative items — including minutes from prior meetings, uniform invoices, completion of probation for two officers and a college course approval — and heard the police chief’s monthly report on budget, staffing and enforcement.

The police chief said the year-to-date budget for March was “72.7%, which is pretty good considering we have a few more months left for the budget cycle,” and said animal control was operating at 70.4% of its budget. The chief reported staffing was improving: for March the department was operating at minimum shift about 52% of the time, down from more than 70% at the same point last year. The chief also credited high-visibility traffic enforcement — including grant-supported patrols and work by Traffic Officer Obando — for a recent increase in motor-vehicle…