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Middletown police report August dip in Part 1 crimes; department details staffing and recruitment plans
Summary
Middletown Police Chief reported August statistics showing 2,678 calls for service and 37 Part 1 crimes, with larceny accounting for most property offenses; the department described one sworn vacancy, recent academy intakes and a request to schedule a 2025 civil service exam to replenish ranks.
Middletown’s Police Chief told the Police Commission that the department handled 2,678 calls for service in August, a slight decrease from 2,848 in July, and recorded 37 Part 1 crimes in August — seven violent and 30 property offenses, 29 of which were larceny-related. “For the month of August, the department handled 2,678 calls for service,” the Chief said.
The Chief said Part 1 crimes declined from 59 in July to 37 in August, and Part 2 investigations fell from 181 to 164. Arrests in August totaled 275, down from 295 in July, while traffic enforcement rose: 542 traffic tickets were issued in August compared with 470 in July. The Chief noted July saw six incidents involving use of force, representing 2.2% of total arrests.
On staffing, the Chief reported one current sworn vacancy and 74 sworn officers on the rolls against a budgeted strength of 75. He said one officer is on military deployment, expected to return in December, another remains out with a line-of-duty injury, two officers are in field training, and two recruits entered the police academy on Sept. 9. “We have 74 sworn personnel, budgeted this year for 75,” the Chief said. He added the department is conducting a background investigation on a certified transfer candidate who, if selected, would not need to return to the academy.
The Chief reviewed recent hiring developments: a previously interviewed candidate, Andre Marion, withdrew after post-interview requirements; two other candidates, Joel Diaz and Jeffrey Rivera, began academy training on Sept. 9. He also told commissioners he requested the civil service department schedule a police officer exam in 2025 and canvass eligible bilingual candidates and set physical-agility testing this fall to support recruitment.
The department outlined August training activities, including FBI crime-scene photography and criminal debriefing courses, reality-based academy instruction, EMT refresher training and juvenile/SRO training with the district attorney’s office. On community outreach, the Chief described a growing back-to-school barbecue run in partnership with the City of Middletown, parks and rec, the fire department, the school district and local businesses, and said the Night Out against crime was postponed from Aug. 6 to Sept. 28 at Davidge Park.
The commission voted to accept the minutes from the prior Police Commission meeting after a motion by Commissioner Mills and a second from Commissioner Sullivan. The Chief said some internal investigations and proposed policy changes were tabled until the next meeting because of a technical difficulty that prevented commissioners from viewing materials.
The public portion of the meeting ended after the commission approved a motion to enter executive session for personnel matters and a probationary interview.
