Steve Krauchick of Doing It Local shares this video report of the Police Department’s mounted patrol visiting Trumbull Gardens public housing project.
From Krauchick:
Last week Tatiana Julitta Maldonado shared on my Facebook wall a picture of the Bridgeport Police’s Mounted Patrol at Trumbull Gardens. After 267 Likes and 28 Shares it indicated to me that you wanted to know more, so did I! Most have seen the mounted patrol at events like at Harbor Yard Arena. For years the mounted patrol has been patrolling a number of areas of the city including routinely visiting various housing projects throughout the city. Sergeant Norton told me the horses are a way of breaking the ice and make police more approachable unlike a police patrol car. People come up and ask to pet the horses and then engage the officers in conversation. Officer Norton also said it is possible they prevent crime before it even happens. It’s a great public relations and a big hit with the children.
From city Communications Director Brett Broesder:
The horses offer several advantages to law enforcement. When dealing with crowds, one mounted officer is as effective as 10 officers on foot and, on patrol, their high visibility deters crime. And, they are extremely popular in the community.
“The Police Mounted unit is a valuable asset. Their presence itself deters crime, and they are also extraordinarily popular in the community,” said Mayor Bill Finch. “Kids just can’t get enough of them. I know some cities have disbanded their mounted units, but I think they’re too valuable both in fighting crime and in community relations.”
The horses are staples downtown, at parades and at community events and school graduations. But they also are out in the community seven days a week. Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. recalled a public safety assembly at Park City Magnet School last year where students got to see their principal in firefighter gear, see police officers in scuba gear, meet the police and fire chiefs, tour the Dive Team trailer and climb through Fire Department Engine 15.
“By far, the most popular part with the kids were the two horses. After the assembly, I don’t know how many kids remembered my name, but they sure remembered the horses’ names,” Gaudett said. “We send the Mounted Unit to every neighborhood. They’re out in our parks. They attend community events. And when they arrive, they are treated like celebrities. The officers even have baseball card-sized pictures of themselves and their horses to give out to kids.”
And let’s not forget Mr. Ed:
It’s been a tough day for me. It’s a dog-eat-dog world and I’m wearing milk bone underwear. That is until I read police on horses can stop crime before it happens.
That’s brilliant, put all 400 Bridgeport police on horses and make crime disappear before it happens. Now I know the city is getting bitter every day, oops, better.
This is exactly how I thought the mounted police would play out. It is great seeing kids with a smile on their face and getting to know local police. Maybe, just maybe these building bridges young people can help the police. Everyone knows by the time these kids get to the 5th grade snitching becomes a serious crime by their peers and encouraged by their parents, keep your mouth shut and mind your business even if they saw the crime committed right in front of them. I call this the ghetto mentality for lack of a better term. That mentality always makes the police work twice as hard in an area that needs help the most. Building bridges with the youth with mounted horses–great for Trumbull Gardens and the children. Great public relations.
No Steven, not telling has absolutely nothing to do with a ghetto mentality. They are not trusting the police because they look nothing like them nor can they relate to them because they aren’t from their community nor do they speak their language.
Ask David Daniels what an advantage it was to be from Bridgeport and having the community know who he was and they could talk to him. Bridgeport-raised police have a unique relationship with the community because these police grew up with in these communities and know a lot of the people still there. They can get things done others can’t.
Don, as you know we have bee preaching this to the mayor and OIB for years. I’m glad Mary-Jane Foster understands. Mounted patrols are good for public relation with kids and for breaking up big group of people but not for solving crime. Mayor Finch has something against hiring Bridgeport residents to be firefighters and police officers.
Donald Day,
The kids snitch on each other all day long. By time they get to 6th 7th 8th and beyond, they would never snitch. It is part of a subculture that has been documented. The only people who do not trust cops are criminals. We have plenty of black officers in Bridgeport. Should they be profiled to only work the high-crime projects?
Donald Day, I beg to differ. After 3 – 5 years in the Bridgeport school system I have dealt with kids of color every day from kindergarten through High School. I have never felt there was a racist issue. I have spoken to and embraced thousands of blacks. These kids are not racist.
I should ask David Daniels??? A man I respect. Well let’s see the impact he has had in the black community. Save it! These cops on mounted horses are great for building bridges. A bridge ou do not want to see. So until you spend 6 hours a day with kids from every neighborhood in Bridgeport, stop talking for the black community. Give kudos where they are deserved. You just sound ridiculous sometimes and you need to stop playing the race card. It has been played to death.
Steve, so talking to few kids for a few minutes is going to do what? After talking about the horse and how old it is, the conversation is over unless the officer tells them about how it is where he lives in Trumbull or Fairfield or Stratford. Steve, what cities have successful mounted patrols that have an impact in cutting crime?
Ron, you are looking for a miracle. You know I know two billionaires who were raised born and bred in Bridgeport. I remember Beardsley Terrace very well as they grew up in Stoneridge. Subway is a true success story. Fifty years ago the Terrace was as Trumbull gardens is becoming. They took down the highrise and built lovely townhouses. So the Trumbull Gardens issue is not new. The sad reality is, Trumbull Gardens is located in a suburban part of the city. Fifty years of crap and you have the absolute audacity to blame the Mayor? Maybe Marilyn Moore and Ed Gomes can bring some money back to Bridgeport.
Steve, the problem with Bill Finch is he has no real job skills, he knows nothing about business plus he’s a liar. Now Steve, you have heard this time and time again that he lies. By the way Steve, did you get your $600 rebate that Finch gave his word on but it was a lie.
Ron, the $600 rebate was a nice gesture, but the city was broke. We used that during her campaign four years ago.
Steve, the point is he started off as a liar and the fact is he’s still a liar.
I’m done with him Ron, he thinks because he worked in the school system around black children or he knows a couple of black people, he has his finger on the pulse of the black community. He thinks he can say mean-spirited things about the black community and act like he doesn’t know what he said was wrong or either he is a closet bigot.
At any rate let me close by saying the kid from South Carolina had a black friend who said he was a nice kid. Didn’t make him a nice guy, nor you.
Donald Day, you have been through this with me many times. I do not believe you. You are just mad because I keep it real and state facts and you just want to build walls. Me, I embrace the entire city and acknowledge there is a huge city to worry about. I think Mayor Finch has been addressing the issues. I am certain if you had something new and constructive to say the mayor would gratefully embrace it. Stop being so sensitive, Nancy. We are all in this together.
Stevie not black???
The honest answer about Trumbull Gardens is it is a place to house the poor. It is neglected by ALL politicians and by the housing authority. It’s neglected by the police department who turn a blind eye to the drug dealing that goes on in that area. Go look on the corners, go up to the area where the stores are and you can buy anything.
Trumbull gardens is nothing more than cheap construction used to house people who can’t fight back. The housing authority went from high-rise hell holes to 1-1/2 story hell holes. It’s time to level this whole area including the high rises and start with respectable housing for the poor.
Andy, I am shocked and thrilled with your comment. What exactly would be respectable housing for the poor? Are we talking free housing? Subsidized housing? Are we considering the veterans who have served our country or fourth-generation welfare recipients? Are we supporting a program only Democrats would support or Republicans as well? I am all for quality housing for the poor and I do not care what color they are!
Andy, you know when they built those new additions to the Terrace, they were built without back doors. That meant they had no means of egress other than the front door or a window. Those would have never been built in any other part of the city.
Don, don’t forget PT Barnum Apt. They rebuilt those apartments with no back door with no fire exit except out the window, oh, that’s right, they would have to jump two floors to the ground. Great work, BHA and the mayor’s office.
Did you know if they leveled the entire Trumbull Gardens/Beardsley Terrace that entire area bordering Trumbull is actually quite beautiful. Amazing, Trumbull is just a 60-second drive up the street just past Wilbur Cross. Just a beautiful suburban environment.
Donald,
You know that was done during Joey G’s administration with Clarence the head of BHA and I believe, but can’t swear to it, Joe K was somehow involved in that.
Here is Mayor Blunder at his best:
Police officers will be outfitted with body cameras as soon as possible, Mayor Bill Finch said at a midday news conference.
Without mentioning Trumbull Gardens, where nine people were shot—one fatally—on June 11, the mayor stressed that the measures announced Tuesday are “to make people feel safe in their homes.”
What do body cameras have to do with what occurred at Trumbull Gardens? The cops weren’t up there. This is the dumbest thing he and Gaudett have said.
We are going to put body cameras on the police so people will feel safer even when the police are nowhere near a crime.
That’s your boy, Stevie.
I am so proud! He is not my “boy,” he is the Mayor I am proudly supporting.
What would work there would be duplex housing meaning two units per building with all the amenities. Also come up with a system of ownership that is possible for the poor.
Look, with proper initiative anything can be done and I don’t mean that crap they built 20 years ago.
You have habitat for humanity and possibly other contractors.
As everyone knows there is not many things or people I like but I do love the poor and I love them because they get up every day and put one foot in front of the other. I dealt with many single mothers when I ran a baseball league here in Bridgeport. These women and some men are the unsung heroes in Bridgeport and need a decent place to live.
NEWS ALERT! I JUST SAW ON NEWS 12 MAYOR FINCH AND DAVID KOORIS AT OLD SITE OF REMINGTON SHAVER, NEW SITE OF PUBLIC HOUSING. ARE THEY TRANSFERRING PEOPLE FROM PEQUONNOCK HOUSING TO REMINGTON? ONE FLOOD AREA TO ANOTHER AROUND THE CORNER. IS THIS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THIS PROPERTY? NO NEW TAXES. ANOTHER PROPERTY TAKEN OFF THE TAX GRAND LIST. WHO WILL BE THE DEVELOPER, FOLLOW THE MONEY.
No, must be a mistake. Chris Murphy was taking about this being prime property and direct waterfront with a boardwalk. I cannot imagine this being public housing. If this is not public housing then someone from the Finch Administration needs to address this immediately. If it is public housing … omg.
If I’m not mistaken, the Pequonnock Apts were torn down in 2000.
Torn down by Joe Ganim to make the property development ready. Just like Steal Point. And Ganim and Fabrizi and Finch did not do anything with the property.
Time for a change. Out with the old who couldn’t get the job done.
New blood. New ideas. New direction. New leadership.
Mary-Jane Foster. Time for a change. Bridgeport deserves better.
Thanks for the reminder, Don. Another Ganim bluster. Another Finch missed opportunity.
The shaver site is highly contaminated and not the best use for housing. Finch needs a strong developer to take that property. Also, why now? Must be election time.
Many developers over the past 10 years have looked at the site and walked because it was too contaminated. Another bullshit story from Finch.
MAGOO, is it public housing or a private development?
CT Post July 3 … Market rate housing. 224 units could be a real plus for UB.