Police Commission
Mission
The Police Commission manages and supervises the Police Department and appoints the Chief of Police and subordinate police officers.
Members
Paul Foley, Chairman
Shekaiba Bennett, Secretary
James McLaughlin, Member
You may contact the Police Commission by e-mail at Police.Commission@newcanaanct.gov
Please do NOT use this e-mail address to report an emergency.
Meetings
Police Commission meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 P.M. at police headquarters, 174 South Avenue. These meetings will be hybrid meetings being held in person and via Zoom. The schedule can be found here.
Unless there is an executive session, these meetings are open to the public. The meetings allow the Commissioners to review monthly departmental reports as well as address requests from the townspeople. Updates on the state of the Police Department are reviewed, the Commissioners are informed of accomplishments made by police officers, letters of appreciation, training received, and other issues pertinent to the internal order of the Department.
Anyone who would like to formally address the Police Commission should contact the Chief’s Administrative Assistant, Jennifer Mardorf, at 203-594-3512.
The Police Commission meeting schedule as well as minutes and agendas can be found by clicking on the following link:
Police Commission Schedule, Agenda, Minutes
Traffic Calming
The Police Commission is the Legal Traffic Authority to receive solicitations from residents and other interested parties for the adoption and/or installation of traffic calming measures.
Solicitations may be in the form of letters addressed to the Police Commission, 174 South Avenue, New Canaan, CT 06840 or by e-mail addressed to police.commission@newcanaanct.gov
In response to such solicitations, the Commission will seek the opinions of other departments of Town government or traffic engineers through a Traffic Calming Working Group representing Public Works and emergency services.
Traffic calming is used to slow vehicle speeds and in some cases discourage drivers from using specific streets and reduce the “cutting through” traffic on local residential streets. The following general benefits of a traffic calming program are attractive for several reasons:
Improve safety
Develop pleasant livable neighborhoods
Reduce cut-through vehicle traffic
Encourage resident involvement in the process
Speeding is inappropriate in a residential setting and degrades the quality of the street
Traffic calming is responsive to resident concerns
Properly designed measures are effective and serve the purpose intended.
The Southwestern Regional Planning Agency has prepared a report on the application of various traffic calming measures and this document has provided recommended standards that be utilized in New Canaan. A copy of this document is available in the Police Department.
Traffic calming measures shall be designed to comply with recognized standards and practices of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Traffic Calming devices shall conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The ITE “Guideline for the Design and Application of Speed Humps” is to be utilized.
Traffic calming measures are not to inappropriately delay emergency responses to fires, medical or other emergencies. Certain streets and roads have been identified as emergency response routes where certain traffic calming devices that increase response times will not be considered.
Traffic calming must be neighborhood driven and it is necessary to keep residents informed. Residents of an area identified as possible installation sites must be given the opportunity to participate in the discussions leading to the implementation of such proposals.
Public informational meetings will be held with residents to present and discuss individual projects as deemed necessary by the Police Commission.
Traffic Calming Measures
Common traffic calming measures include the following:
a. Speed Reduction
i. Enforcement
ii. Public awareness
iii. Speed humps
iv. Traffic circles
v. Entrance treatments
vi. Pavement treatments
b. Volume Reduction
i. Diverters
ii. Cul-de-sac
iii. Choke points
iv. One way traffic
c. Pedestrian Safety
i. Pedestrian refuges
ii. Curb extensions
iii. Raised crosswalks
A complete description of these traffic calming measures is included in the SWRPA report available at the Police Department.
Additional Info
