Police Commission

To the Editor:

During September, three members of the Independent Party of Newtown (IPN) introduced themselves to you via letters to The Bee. I have served on the Police Commission for six months and am very pleased that Phil Cruz and Jim Walsh have joined me in seeking a position on the Police Commission.

I have known Jim and his wife for a number of years. Phil and I were introduced more recently. However, it became apparent very quickly that all three of us have core views that are aligned. We are interested in providing a safe and secure town for all our residents by working closely with the Police Department to set our future strategy and operational priorities. Our diverse backgrounds and experiences will provide the diversity of thought needed to solve the problems we face in the commission and we pledge to do so in the spirit of collaborative interdependence as collaborative Independents.

We pledge to work together with our fellow commissioners, Chief Kehoe, and the town officials to make sound decisions if we are fortunate enough to be elected. Of all the boards, councils and commissions in Newtown, the Police Commission can and must remain apolitical and must not be constrained by the party views, party priorities, or party lines.

Traffic safety is one of our top priorities. We pledge to work to find the best solutions to solve this problem. We will continue to work to reduce the number of traffic accidents and injuries, which has been steadily reduced over the past three years. We are interested in improving the quality of the roads by working closely with the Public Works Department. We believe speed enforcement should remain a top priority. We will continue to ensure that the crime rate in Newtown remain low with a vigilant, well trained and a very skilled police force. We will also continue to strive for Accountability, Checks and Balances and Transparency (ACT) in all aspects of our work on the Police Commission. Recently, I was very pleased that there was support for the recommendation to include the Police Union in our monthly commission agenda which will promote more transparency.

We pledge to ACT for a better Newtown and I hope you will consider voting for all three IPN candidates for the Police Commission on November 8.

Commissioner Neil P. Randle, PhD

4 Erin Lane, Sandy Hook                                              October 5, 2011