From Public Safety spokesman Bill Kaempffer:
Violent crime was reduced by 21 percent in Bridgeport last year, leading all other medium-sized cities in New England, according to statistics provided by the FBI.
In 2014, police and city officials continue to work with the community to make our city streets safer for our kids and families.
“I am proud of what we have accomplished, but we still have work to do. One homicide is too many. We have seen violence consistently decline here in Bridgeport, and it has reached historic lows we have not seen in four decades,” said Mayor Bill Finch. “Our community has seen that and the media has taken notice. And the business community has seen that as well and want to move into our city to create jobs–businesses like Bass Pro, and Starbucks and Chipotle. Here in Bridgeport, we know we have turned the corner.”
In Bridgeport, the city has seen a consistent decline in violence over the last decade. WPRI, television station in Providence, examined statistics from 1985 to 2013 in New Haven, Hartford, Stamford, Bridgeport, Worcester, Mass., Providence and Springfield, Mass.
Click here to see the report: bit.ly/1oRKKVn
The review showed that, in 2013, the cities all experienced a decrease in violence except for one.
“At 21%, Bridgeport saw that largest drop in violent crime among similar-sized New England cities” in 2013, the station reported.
“We review statistics and crime maps every week so we can most effectively deploy our officers and protect the community,” said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. “We use these statistics as a roadmap. When I drive through our neighborhoods, I see the results. That happens through the hard work of our officers and detectives but also by working with our community as partners.”
How convenient for a statement like this as Steel Point develops! I don’t believe a thing the Federal Government tells me! We are all “stupid” according to them, right? This is more political vote-buying BULLSHIT!
I think it’s creating cover for his budget-busting police overtime amount he knows is coming. He will be saying yes we spent too much but I kept the city safe in spite of the shrinking size of the department.
And in the meantime the OT will buy the endorsement of the Police Union and what few votes there are of officers living in the city.
With publicists in City Hall and the Police Department, with Police Commissions that do not ask questions for the public nor report on issues, and with a local paper that uses only one investigative reporter at a time and is frequently not open to other stories through Letters or OpEd channels, are we surprised with the Good News treatment?
Perhaps Brett or Bill will be given permission to tell us how few of the official force structure are available today and what the outlook will be in January when a large number of additional retirements are expected to take place. The group in training cannot replace the losses that have been suffered and those that will happen. What will we do? What will it cost? Time will tell.
John, I believe the force is down between 60-70 officers and after January they will be down over 100 officers if not more. Well someone will ask why aren’t we putting new officers on the job? The answer is we are, there is a class of 17 going through training now. but that is a drop in the bucket for what will be needed within a year. It takes better than 10 months for a patrolmen to be on patrol by himself so at the very least it will be a long while before the department gets the manpower they need. In the meantime they will fill vacancies with overtime. You can get away with that for awhile but it will eventually tire the officers out and that’s when mistakes will be made. Let’s hope not. The city has dodged the bullet for the past three years because the Feds have been picking up the costs of at least 24-48 officers, well that’s over. The funny part is in the city budget they budgeted for these cops even though the Feds paid the bill.
John, this is known as PPP, or Piss Poor Planning.
People I know on the force tell me they are being used as the “Palace Guard.” Two of my friends have been mugged on the street in the past year. One on Denver Avenue with a gun and one on Washington Avenue the other night in a very violent attack. They should be reporting this stuff but they are not. Just saying. A lot of unreported things. Also all the petty thefts, including stuff at my own house and in my neighborhood. I reported but if it’s something small I don’t bother. A lot of crime going on and things are getting worse.
I’m wondering why four officers have to be at City Council Meetings and worse, how no one on the Council seems to notice. Last night there were more cops in the audience than attendees. Palace Guard is right!