Public housing complexes will see beefed-up police patrols this summer, according to city police spokesman Bill Kaempffer. The Bridgeport Housing Authority is partnering with the Bridgeport Police Department to fund two walking-beat police officers every day through October at Charles F. Greene Homes, Trumbull Gardens and the P.T. Barnum Apartments.
“People need to feel safe where they live and this is a great additional layer of security for hundreds of families,” says Mayor Bill Finch. “I hope this partnership continues moving forward.”
This is one of the new initiatives introduced by Jim Miller, the interim executive director of the Bridgeport Housing Authority, according to Kaempffer.
Miller says officers will be on foot during their shifts and interacting with residents. The housing authority currently has security guards in complexes. Some are roving patrols and others, in high rises, are working in the lobby of buildings.
Mayor Bill Finch, Police Chief Joe Gaudett and Miller will provide further details on Friday at a noon news conferences at the Greene Homes.
The Police Department patrols all housing authority property as part of neighborhood patrols but these details will be dedicated to the properties for entire shifts, says Kaempffer. It will be paid for by the Housing Authority.
“This is a win-win. The additional police presence will enhance safety and, as walking beats, the officers and residents will be able to interact every day,” says Gaudett. “That daily interaction builds trust. It’s impossible to overstate the value of these relationships.”
The details will be two two-person walking beats per shift, generally covering the evening and early morning hours.
Finch has ignored public safety in Bridgeport’s poor neighborhoods other than showing up at rallies protesting the violence for the last five years. Amazing how around election time all of a sudden he is concerned about street violence. Gee, right around election time …
What is it like living in your world? Do you not see how your own mind operates? You start with “Finch is bad” so no matter what he does, it is the wrong thing. If he puts cops in the neighborhoods, you bitch.If he doesn’t, you bitch.
I don’t live in Finchland. He had five years to do that. Too little too late … and right before the primaries … how convenient. What position do you occupy with the Finch administration?
Something long needed–good for the police and the neighborhood.
Perfectly said, Jennifer!
Anyone reading this: Any news on the Moutinho driveway investigation ordered by Mayor Finch in light of the June 2 report by the CT Post? Perhaps by August 2, next week, the investigation findings will be published?
Read the article on the Post. They laid off people from other jobs in Housing, this is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. I have seen too many of these election-year shenanigans. All of a sudden streets that haven’t been in decent shape for decades getting repaired. It’s not just the housing projects, it’s every poor neighborhood in the City. They don’t get the level of police protection Black Rock does.
Noticed there is only mere mention of the hallways and staircases of the Charles F Greene Homes. Last year, the mayor walked around the block in the area (take back the night) and the Post mentioned there was no one from the Greene Homes participating. I attended the press conference at the Greene Homes and filmed the same hallways and staircases again. Here is one of the videos from 11 months ago.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=1JqzOJ4TCGA
Here’s the other video.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=5qvWGiarFWc
*** USUAL TEMP PRE-ELECTION “BAND-AID ON A GUNSHOT WOUND” CITY-TYPE IDEAS, NO? ***