Date: Thu 02-Jan-1997

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-officers-commission

Full Text:

Commission Hires Three New Police Officers

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Police Commission has hired three men with law enforcement backgrounds to

fill police patrol officer vacancies.

Police Commission members Monday night hired Dana Schubert, 40, of Newtown to

fill one of the posts. Mr Schubert retired as a police sergeant from Western

Connecticut State University (WCSU) in Danbury in 1995 after working in the

police department there for 20 years, said Detective Robert Tvardzik, police

department spokesman.

A graduate of East Granby High School, Mr Schubert attended WCSU.

Also, the Police Commission hired Thomas Candia, Jr, 29, of Bridgeport. A

graduate of West Haven High School, Mr Candia has served as a part-time police

officer in Westport.

To fill the third vacancy, the commission selected Thomas Hull, 28, of

Fairfield. A graduate of Fairfield High School, Mr Hull also worked as a

Westport part-time officer. He attended classes at Sacred Heart University in

Bridgeport.

A fourth patrol officer vacancy is expected to be filled after the Police

Commission conducts another round of job testing and interviews with a new

field of candidates.

Because the three newly-hired officers have previous experience in law

enforcement, they have already graduated from the state's police academy for

municipal officers, thus reducing the time before they start working in

Newtown, according to Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr.

The three new officers are slated to begin work at the police department

January 5.

The police hiring process includes psychological testing, polygraph testing, a

physical examination, a cardio-vascular stress test, an interview by the

Police Commission, and an interview by a panel composed of three police

department members, among other requirements.

The officers receive ride-along training in Newtown in which they accompany

local police training officers on patrol to familiarize themselves with

Newtown.

All new officers are on a one-year probationary period during which it is

determined whether they meet the requirements of the police department.

The nature of police work requires that new officers' behavior be scrutinized

to learn if their law enforcement approach is appropriate, Chief Lysaght said.

The vacancies being filled are those created by the 1996 retirement of Sgt

Klaus Ertl and the recent departures of Patrol Officer Clayton Brown, who left

to become a state trooper, and Patrol Officer Richard B. Stook, who left to

take a patrolman's job with the Greenwich Police Department. The fourth

vacancy stems from a patrolman's post which was authorized but never filled.

If Captain Michael Fekete should retire from the police department, it would

create another vacancy. Capt Fekete has been on extended leave in recent

months.

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The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Thu 02-Jan-1997

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