2026-11-09 - Citizen and Police Committee

All right. Good afternoon. Today is

November 9th, 2026. I call to order the

regular meeting of the town of Gratton's

uh citizen police committee meeting.

>> It is I'm sorry, I'm a little late. 4:04

p.m. At this time, we'll have roll call.

Present. [roll call of committee members and staff; names removed]

Hello, Colonel.

All right.

Uh at this point, we're going to uh

discuss approval of the minutes. Are

there any uh corrections or comments

regarding the minutes for the last two

regular meetings which we held February

9th, 2026 and August 4th, 2026?

All right. Hearing none, would anyone

like to make a motion for the approval

of the last two regular meetings held

February 9th and August 4th?

>> I'll make a motion.

>> I'll second.

>> All right.

Any opposed?

All right. No abstensions.

All in favor?

>> I

>> I

>> All right.

>> Thank you. I'm sorry. Jumping the gun.

Uh the approval of the uh minutes passes

at this point. Do we have any public

communications?

No public communications at this time.

Okay. Any old business?

No old business. Okay. Uh any new

business?

All right. I do have some new business.

Uh for 5.1 the citizens police academy

update and that's going to be our our

dedicated one of our really dedicated

community policing officers [officer]

will give us the update.

>> Thank you acting chief. So, uh, this

year actually has been quite a

successful year for us versus the years

in the past. We've averaged about 10

individuals the last class and the one

before. This class that we have

currently right now, we have 18

individual individuals in it that

consistently been here for the last few

weeks. Uh, so that's a substantial

increase for us. Uh, quite engaged. They

they they've been uh really going over

everything at all from uh uh

recruitment, domestic patrol operations,

motor vehicle enforcement, search and

seizure, uh Christ intervention,

examples for C, dispatch, K9. I mean,

you really get a quite a full suite of

what we do uh on a day-to-day basis. Uh

including what some of our sworn

officers do as well. Coming up are we're

gonna have firearms, use of force,

taser, defensive tactics, quite an

engaging exercise that they get to be

part of. And then we finish up with a

scenario day where we actually run them

through some scenarios where it be a

domestic violence one, a motor vehicle

stop, a medical call of some sort. So

they get really to apply what they've

learned throughout the last full 10

weeks and uh they get to really put in

practice and walk in the life of a day

for what we go through. So, um, and in

addition to, we actually have at least

two individuals from that class that are

potentially uh uh looking into joining

law enforcement. So,

>> great.

>> Anything I can answer about the the

Citizen Police Academy? Yeah, you you

answered the question I had was, you

know, do you think that people may use

that um avenue to get an idea of whether

or not they want to pursue a career

there? So, I think that's it's good that

you have that because you might be

actually getting some younger people

that maybe just graduated or, you know,

really

>> Yes, ma'am. classes was quite a quite a

mixed demographics we had of this class

and with two individuals at least

potentially more that are interested in

becoming a law enforcement or so.

>> That's good. That's good.

>> I think [Member] had a question.

>> [Member], I think you're you're mute.

>> You need to unmute yourself.

>> Can't hear you.

>> How about now?

>> Yes.

>> More better. More better.

>> More better. Um, do they allow visitors

up there?

>> Visitors to

>> Are you Are you I didn't hear the And I

apologize. Maybe I didn't hear the

beginning of this, right? The training

class that's out there now. Are you

talking about the extension training

class that's in Norwich?

>> No, no, sir. That this is the uh

citizens police academy held here.

>> Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Okay, I got it. I

got it. I thought you were talking about

the uh the trainees that you got as an

extension to the police academy up in

Norwich.

>> Okay.

>> Well, I'm on a subject. [laughter]

>> Do they?

>> Uh not normally. No.

>> Okay.

I I'll call you at a later date.

>> Very good.

>> All right.

Hearing nothing further. I I don't want

to hold up [name]. Did you I'm sorry. Did

you have something for him?

>> Oh, no. I'm all

>> I don't want to hold up [officer]. I know

he's been here for most of the day. So,

you're welcome to stay. You can also

depart if you want.

>> Thank you.

>> All right. The next uh item is personnel

[Personnel promotions, retirements, assignments and hiring discussion; individual names and details removed]

posting for crossing guards.

Uh the next item is the mystic lighted

boat parade. This is more of just

letting everybody know what the big

ticket items that are coming up. That's

coming up on Saturday, November 28th. Uh

most of you know it's it's mostly on the

Stonington side, meaning Santa and boats

come to that uh Riverside or the the

river park there on the Mystic River.

But we get a heck of a lot of overflow

with uh pedestrian traffic and motor

vehicle traffic and um last year it was

it was a lot but I I have to say it

cleared out pretty well and it was knock

on wood

no major issues but we do staff it

pretty heavily. We usually go eight to

seven officers and that's including

mutual aid officers from other PDs. I

think we had four last year. We also

staffed the marine unit, which I know

Captain [name] was on that with what,

two other, so we had we staffed it with

three because if you've seen it, there's

a lot of boat traffic there and and a

lot of people on, you know, lining the

river. It's a fun event, but, you know,

we we're always looking for it to be a

safe event.

>> Uh, yes, [Member].

>> Um,

how was the parking situation? because I

do know that I talked to a few people

who indicated that they had come down

for it, drove around endlessly looking

for a place to park, couldn't find one,

and left. So, is it getting any easier?

>> I'm going to say no.

>> Yeah,

>> I'm going to say no. If you don't get

into that the Mystic Art Association

parking or some of the parking spots,

>> it's a problem we've all been dealing

with for

>> It's a shame. We've we've got that's got

to be one of the things that we figure

out.

>> It is.

>> How to solve that problem.

>> It it it does. I I know it. Um you know,

I I visit Mystic.

>> Um and sometimes I'm driving around for

a while to get a spot. Uh, but it's it's

something that

I think we'll eventually get to an

answer, but I don't know exactly what

that answer is.

>> I don't think it's going to be anytime

soon.

>> Good question, though. Uh, 5.4 is the

holiday seasonal patrol activity. And

this is going to encompass a few things,

but I wanted to get back to uh this past

weekend, if you weren't aware, we had

the 51st running of the Tarzian Brown

race. Uh, that's the one that, and

correct me if I'm wrong, Captain [name], that's the one that goes up

uh, River River Road along the Mystic

River up to Old Mystic and comes back

down. Starts on Pearl Street. Am I right

with that?

>> Well, that gets uh, staffed pretty

heavily. That's uh, we had eight

officers staffing that for uh, the

different intersections and uh, a lot of

runners on that and that went off

without a without a hitch. Uh, we have

the night before Thanksgiving. I don't

know what that's actually termed. That's

just an understanding of us knowing that

it's a very uh uh crowded event downtown

Mystic. You know, a lot of people coming

home from college, the college kids are

home with their family and they run

right out to be with their friends and

where do they go?

Destination of Mystic. And um so we

usually staff that with I think last

year it was four officers and we have

the patrol officers who are actually on

shift focus down there too. Um and if

need be we can get mutual aid you know

mutual aid from Grton Longpoint Graten

City Ledger Stonington. They're always

great about uh coming to uh to our

assistance.

Um, shopping center patrols will start

in December, right around December 8th.

It'll run to about Christmas Eve. Uh we

usually staff two uh two shopping center

patrols per day from uh 12 to about 8:00

p.m. and uh various spots that you would

you would think we should be going.

Graten Shoppers Mart on Pquanic Plaza

Court, the Graten Shopping Center on

Long Hill, Walgreens and Associated

Shops, the shops up uh easiest to say is

Kohl's and Route uh 220 Route 12. Uh

Walmart

is always a place we we need to visit.

the Game Time Sports Bar and Associate

Shops up on on Route 12 and of course

downtown Mystic. And these patrols are

not just they're not supposed to be

officers just driving through these

parking lots. Uh I know I put it out in

emails when I was a lieutenant. I know

the uh the captain has put it out when

he's staff these want officers out out

of the cruisers in in stores

um being being uh visible in uniform.

We have the Mystic Holiday Stroll which

is December 8th. That's downtown

obviously and that's actually a really

fun event if you haven't been to it. Uh

that the whole town comes out really

well for that and that's from 5 to 900

p.m. We usually we usually staff two

officers on a footbeat for that.

And then Santa Con, which is uh one of

our more

rambunctious events. I I don't know

whether it's actually if we have a date

for it yet. I haven't seen anything on

Facebook, but a lot of Santaas running

around downtown Mystic.

uh most of them are are getting getting

close to uh

maybe needing an Uber home type of

situation. Uh there is a lot of use of

alcohol with these situations, but uh we

usually staff that not only with extra

officers, but again we we have patrol

focused down there.

All right, so that clears those issues

up. Uh 5.5 is the citizen and police.

Anybody have any questions on those

events?

The citizen and police committee 2027

meeting schedule? So I'd like to make a

motion to add the review of tentative

dates for the 2027 meeting calendar to

the agenda.

>> Second.

>> Right.

All in favor say I.

>> I.

>> I.

Right. Anybody opposed? No. That motion

passes.

I I did a little research and I we we

can go with this or we can have a full

review. I I looked at uh aligning next

year with what we've done this year. So,

February 8th, April 12th, August 3rd,

and I'll say these again, and November

8th kind of align with what we we did in

2026.

August 3rd would be the in cahoots with

uh national night out.

Any discussion?

I had a question um question whether

maybe on the night that we do the the

police night out and you have the um the

meeting if maybe we could do the meeting

down there somehow or somewhere because

I actually I left here

couldn't get in

>> could really

>> parking when I got out of here.

>> You talk to you there's any number of

people you could have talked to. Uh, I

should

>> we we can usually get parking

>> for you. Okay. I I'm going to say it

it's probably easier to stay in this

venue and you know with recording and

such.

>> Oh, okay. Yeah.

>> Yeah. But if if you have an issue, you

know, by all means

>> there's other places we can get you

parked. Is that fair?

>> Yeah.

>> Would you just repeat the dates?

>> Absolutely. It's February 8th,

>> April 12th, August 3rd, which is the one

that cons coincides with National Night

Out, and November 8th. Okay,

>> no further discussion. All those in

favor? Oh, I'm sorry. Can I get a

second?

>> Second.

>> All those in favor say I.

>> I. I.

>> I.

>> Any.

>> Any opposition?

All right. The motion passes and the

2027 meeting schedule is set.

Uh this 5.6 Six is the discussion

citizen of the police committee chair

new committee member

as

I'm assuming and I maybe I shouldn't

assume but um I did receive a copy of

the previous chair's

resignation letter from

chair and from the committee.

Um I thought I had it with me. I'm sorry

I don't I was going to read it here.

Uh it was it was very positive.

Um at that point we should talk about

and maybe not here for this meeting but

discuss we're going to need a chair.

We're going to need a new member. Um as

far as the new member goes that all that

information is on the the town's website

how they do that. There's an application

for it. We don't decide on that. it goes

to the uh it's a town council and a town

manager appointing decision.

So if you know anybody, you can direct

them to the the website for that. But as

far as I I don't know if we're ready for

the uh deciding on who the chair is

today. Maybe we table that for the next

meeting.

Right. I I'll make a motion to chair the

uh I'm sorry to table the decision on a

a citizens police committee chairman

until next meeting. I get the second

>> second.

>> All in favor?

>> I

>> I

>> the opposition

>> I

>> All right, that motion passes. We'll uh

we'll address that and I'll talk with

the the town manager too uh before that

next meeting and get more information on

how we can go about that. All right.

>> Um

>> go ahead.

>> I would suggest that maybe it would be a

good idea if there are any current

members of the committee who would be

interested in serving as the chair that

they should contact you or

>> they can absolutely contact me and I'll

Yeah,

>> I'll present that information to the

town manager.

>> I'm sure that would, you know, might be

a good way, you know.

>> Yep.

>> Does everybody have my email?

>> Right. I think you all do. Yeah. Okay,

that's a good idea. Thank you. All

right, moving on. Uh, any other business

items of business?

>> All right, I do have just a few. Get

out. I [clears throat] won't keep you

long. Um, I pro probably could have

brought this up in new business, but uh,

[Remarks on a retirement and a Veterans Day recognition of department personnel; names removed]

service.

And at that point,

unless we have any other discussion, I

will make a motion to adjurnn

and second. Right. All those in favor

say I. I. I. No. This meeting you've

adjourned at 429.

Thank you everyone.

Thank you.