Officers on the walk beat in the Capital City were joined again Tuesday by officials as officers connect with the community.
They describe the beat as a good change of pace and it offers real face time with the community. Feedback following the first few weeks has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Putting a face to the badge, putting a name to the badge, getting to know who we are,” said Officer David Anderson, whose beat surrounds Park Street in Hartford.
He has been on his beat for a few weeks now and one of his biggest surprises has been how the community has welcomed him in with open arms.
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He took the new role through the Hartford Police Department for a change of pace. Seeking to be on the forefront of what he considers a new kind of policing.
“I saw it’s an opportunity for a different type of police work, a newer type of police work and give it more stuff it wasn’t getting prior,” he said.
He said one of the biggest changes has been the small interactions, things him and his partner would miss if they were on a typical shift inside a cruiser.
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It’s that type of community engagement his chief and the current interim chief for the department wanted in bringing the walk beat back.
“It sends a message that we are out here, in the community, engaging,” said interim chief Kenny Howell.
He can’t deny it has been a challenge moving shifts around to ensure the walk beat works with an already short staffed department, but he believes it’s well worth it.
“Emails, people calling, texting, the officers walk down Park Street. People are waving, honking their horns. It's been a wonderful, wonderful response,” said Chief Howell.
He notes in community meetings, this is what the community has called for. They now have been running three beats with 20 officers. One Downtown, one in the South End and one in the North End.
On Tuesday, the officers and city officials were joined by the director of the city's Office of Violence Prevention Chevon Campbell.
“It’s been very encouraging to be able to see,” said Campbell.
Campbell reiterated these beats are what community members were calling for in community meetings. He sees walk beat officers as a bridge between the community and the badge.
"They want to have that relationship and this is key to bridging that relationship and building it,” said Campbell.
The initial success of the beat cops has also encouraged officials to continue to engage and listen to the needs of community members, according to Campbell.
They hope to grow the walk beats to other area of the cities, but first the department needs to bolster staffing.
Anderson is still plugging into Park Street's needs, but step by step, be believes this is an approach all officers should get behind.
‘It's more human, it's more face to face contact. They aren’t seeing us in the car, they are seeing us on foot,” said Anderson.
