Norwalk chief: Police must engage with youth

NORWALK — It’s become evident to the city’s police chief that many youth “still don’t trust us.”

“It seems there’s a disconnect with young people,” Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik said this week during a virtual meeting that brought together local law enforcement leaders, state prosecutors and the Norwalk NAACP to discuss concerns of community members.

In response to local and nationwide protests in the wake of deaths of George Floyd and others in police custody, the panel is looking for better ways to forge bonds in the communities their departments serve.

“What we’ve done with the people my age is great, but it’s the new generation,” Kulhawik said.

School resource officers are one way for police to build a bond with youngsters.

“They’re the eyes and ears of the school,” Stamford State’s Attorney Paul Ferencek said. “I think they’re invaluable in the juvenile justice system.”

Kulhawik said the key for resource officers to be successful is to have an understanding with school administrators about the role police have in the buildings.

“We’ve built relationships with the kids in the high schools, middle schools, elementary schools,” Kulhawik said. “The big issue is to have a good [memorandum of understanding] with your district that you’re not going to enforce school violations. It’s been a positive to build relationships with schools.”

Chief State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo said police officers’ “first action shouldn’t be to make an arrest” when working inside the schools.

In Darien, Police Chief Donald Anderson said the school resource officer program, which has expanded to the middle school, “is a resounding success.”

There, he said, resource officers “don’t do criminal investigations.”

“If we need a criminal investigation, it is done by the youth bureau,” he said.

Programs that bring police and youths together also can help reduce crime.

Anderson said Darien has a girls night out, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and trips for carting or bowling, especially for middle school students.

Kulhawik said Norwalk has a Police Activities League, cadets program and mentoring. One young man who worked with Norwalk Police as a youth is now a police officer in Bridgeport, and another is on the hiring list for Norwalk.