Schools examine security upgrades after intruder assaulted custodian

HAMDEN — While police are still searching for a man who they say broke into Wintergreen Magnet School Tuesday morning and assaulted a custodian, an official said the school district is looking to bolster security systems at its facilities.

After speaking with the director of facilities for Hamden Public Schools, Board of Education member Walter Morton IV found that some of the district’s buildings, including its elementary schools, need “necessary and longoverdue upgrades.”

These upgrades are estimated to cost $570,000,

Morton said. However, they would be reimbursed by the state at about 67 percent, he noted.

In an email to parents, Superintendent Gary Highsmith said Wintergreen’s alarm system was triggered around 5 a.m. Tuesday. The custodian was notified of the alarm and reported to the school.

Inside, the custodian found the man and asked him to leave. The man then assaulted the custodian, stole his keys, wallet and his vehicle, according to Hamden Police Sgt. Angela Vey.

The custodian called police after the assault and officers were dispatched to the school at 5:57 a.m., Hamden police Chief Tim

Wydra said.

The custodian suffered injuries to his face and head and will require surgery, Wydra added.

The police department released photos of the suspect late Tuesday afternoon. The suspect appeared to be a young man with a mustache and a small beard and wore a black jacket, black T-shirt with a white design on the front, black skinny jeans or joggers and sneakers.

“We’re hoping that the surveillance photo put out there helps us,” Wydra added, noting the pictures of the suspect were “pretty clear.”

“We were fortunate and are fortunate that Wintergreen had cameras, so they were able to get photos of the incident and the assailant and everything that’s proven very useful in the police investigation into finding this person who committed the crime and bringing him to justice,” Morton said.

Since the incident, officials have changed the locks at the Wintergreen campus and established additional protocols to boost security, according to Morton.

Though the incident prompted Morton and the board to examine security needs across the district, “Wintergreen is actually in very good shape,” Morton said. He said there may be money available

within the district, including funds from the sale of the school itself, to fund the upgrades.

The town is temporarily leasing Wintergreen from Area Cooperative Educational Services, which bought the building last year, while the district continues its special education programs through

the spring.

The Hamden Board of Education’s next meeting is Tuesday, when members plan to discuss the budget.

Hamden Police Department / Contributed photo A man assaulted a Wintergreen Magnet School custodian early Tuesday morning before stealing his wallet and car, according to Hamden police.