Police dept. sees crime-numbers upswing
And solving crimes gets
more sophisticated
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — A recent local arrest involving a ghost gun put into sharp focus that “big city” problems are now here.
Putnam Police Department Chief Chris Ferace said the department is dealing with more serious investigations but he stressed that it is still safe.
This Special Service District’s police department, which covers 3.4 square miles, is “authorized” for 17 officers. That count includes police officers, the chief, Captain Justin Lussier, one at the police academy and one officer post the department is in the process of filling. Two of the officers are detectives. In addition, there is a School Resource Officer which was added in 2022 and is paid by the town’s budget.
And two or three of those officers are on patrol 24/7/365. Additional officers can be quickly brought in in emergency situations. For special events that draw crowds, such as the annual fireworks display, the department taps into a “mutual aid” network with other police departments to bring in more coverage.
Ferace said the number of calls for service, arrests and accidents is moving steadily upward.
In 2022 there were 224 arrests. The projected total for this year is 284. Accident investigations have also climbed with 116 in 2022 and projected at 136 for 2024. He added that those numbers do not include accidents like a fender bender in a private parking lot, like a shopping plaza.
He recalled around 2019 or 2020 taking a survey on ghost guns. “I couldn’t fill it out because we didn’t have any,” he said.
Not anymore. Not only has the tenor of crimes intensified, the investigations have become more involved. “Investigations seem to be more complex and more serious,” he said.
For example, a greater number of crimes are documented on smart phones, be it texts, photos, emails. To investigate that evidence, the department is required to get a search warrant for the phone, tablet, laptop, etc. It’s time consuming as the details have to be exact and then it has to be signed off.
On one hand, he said, technology has made the job easier “but it has also complicated our investigations.”
Putnam has a high number of sexual assaults. He attributes that to a “cycle of abuse that has been going for so long.” The department also sees a high number of domestic violence incidents and he considers alcohol to be a factor in those.
At a recent Special Service District meeting Ferace reported that the dispatch center received 991 calls for service in August. Officers initiated 51 investigations for 68 criminal offenses reporting including 11 felonies. A total of 23 arrests were made that included 11 by warrant and 12 onsite. He added that officers responded to 11 domestic violence incidents, 16 motor vehicle accidents that include private lots and 10 alarm activations (residential or commercial).
The department is constantly training to keep up with the changing trends in crime. He said the department averages at least 40 hours a year in training. Training can include crime investigations, evidence processing and more.
He said, “We’re seeing crimes are being solved with DNA more than ever.” The state lab in Meriden handles that evidence.
Traditional crime reporting and witness accounts are crucial in any investigation. “If you see a crime, report it. If you see something suspicious, report it.” Some have said “I saw that but I didn’t want to bother the department.” Ferace said “Please do. It’s our job.” As an example he said if there’s a suspicious car in the neighborhood, call it in. It could be criminals casing homes or vehicles. “I encourage people to report crime.”
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