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Norwalk police report: staffing steady, overtime down; $98,000 seized in gambling investigation
Summary
Chief Walsh told the Board of Police Commissioners the department has 81 sworn officers, overtime is down, a departmentwide firearm transition is ~60% complete and two electric vehicles were added for SRO use; Deputy Chief Blake reported a search at 42 Woodward Ave. seized five gambling machines and $98,000.
Chief Walsh delivered the Norwalk Police Department’s November executive report at the Dec. 16 meeting, reporting staffing numbers, budget submissions, equipment transitions and declines in overtime.
Chief Walsh said the department currently has 81 sworn personnel, two open sworn positions, one officer on administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation and one officer on leave of absence. He noted that Officers Amanda Lopez and Patricia Nelson completed field training and are assigned to the third platoon. The 2025 operating and capital budgets have been finalized and submitted to finance review.
On overtime, Chief Walsh reported a significant year‑over‑year decline and said overtime was down 22% from October 2024; he attributed monthly spikes — notably October’s increase in school‑security overtime — to the number of school days and timing of training cycles. The chief also said the department has completed about 60% of a firearms transition and has added two electric vehicles for school resource officer (SRO) duties.
Deputy Chief Blake presented operations statistics: the detective bureau opened 30 cases in November, the department made 66 criminal arrests and the patrol division responded to 6,503 calls. Blake reported that special services executed search warrants in multiple locations; at 42 Woodward Avenue officers seized five gambling machines and $98,000 in cash that investigators are pursuing through asset‑forfeiture proceedings. Blake said seized cash is the subject of court review and, if awarded, would go into the department’s asset forfeiture account to support equipment or special‑services needs.
Deputy Chief Dineau summarized community policing and traffic enforcement: community police handled 859 calls in November, the traffic unit made 589 motor vehicle stops and the traffic crash repository identified targeted enforcement locations across the city. The behavioral health unit opened 29 cases, closed 28 and arranged hospitalizations or referrals where appropriate.
Deputy Chief Lepore described administrative work: a DUI grant yielded 124 hours of grant hires and 8 DUI arrests for November; the crime‑scene unit fingerprinted 101 people (40 for pistol permits) and processed evidence and camera downloads; the department is compiling materials to meet a new CALEA continuity‑of‑operations standard with a targeted March review.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the disposition of seized cash, the scope of CALEA’s continuity plan, and monthly overtime drivers. No policy changes were adopted at the meeting; the reports were received for commission oversight.
