Over and out?
Unit’s future uncertain as end of fiscal year looms
“We know parks police work because their priority is always parks.”
David Winston, Parks and Recreation Commission chairman
STAMFORD — It looks like park police officers will turn in their badges at midnight on June 30. Or maybe not. The Police Commission this month did not reappoint the officers for the fiscal year that begins July 1 because they report to the parks supervisor instead of the police chief, the head of the commission said.
Now the park officers’ union has filed a complaint with the state labor board, and, with the summer season heating up, no one is sure whether they will be on the job after next Saturday.
The uncertainty follows complaints about park security that began more than a year ago.
“Park police need to report through the proper chain of command. It’s that simple,” said Tim Abbazia, chairman of the police commission. “Once they agree to be managed 100 percent by the police department, I see no problem with them.” Parks are a priority for the commission, Abbazia said.
“The parks are busier. We want more of a public safety presence, and we want to see the officers stay on,” he said. “It’s a management issue.”
Park police work under the Office of Operations, which includes the parks department. They are armed, sworn officers but belong to UAW Local 2377, the union that represents operations employees, not the Stamford Police Association. “They respond to a civilian parks manager when they should be responding to the police chief,” Public Safety Director Ted Jankowski said Friday.
“We want to be able to schedule them as needed, in assignments as needed, so we can operate as one unit,” Police Chief Jon Fontneau said. “That’s the main crux of it. We want to continue a great working relationship.”
Assistant Chief Jim Matheny said the department recognizes the value of park police, once a force of three dozen part-time officers. Now there are two.
“We want these guys. They do a good job, and we want more people, not less,” Matheny said.
The focus on park police began last year leading up to the mayoral election. Residents raised complaints about drinking, drug use, sexual activity, vandalism, dumping, noise, speeding, loose dogs and other problems in the parks.
During those months, park Officer Frank Green suddenly died, leaving two officers to patrol 65 parks, 15 of which are
heavily trafficked, according to officials.
Mayor David Martin, elected to a second term in November, proposed during budget season in March to eliminate Green’s position. Instead, Martin wanted $300,000 to hire contracted park ambassadors.
It created an uproar. Goodwill ambassadors on bicycles without arrest powers cannot replace armed, sworn park police officers, residents said. The Board of Representatives agreed, and last month cut the money Martin wanted for ambassadors.
Martin has since not said what he plans to do about park security. The UAW then contacted the Connecticut Board of Labor Relations last week.
“The UAW has filed a prohibited practice complaint. The city is in receipt of it,” Paul Vakos, president of the local union, said Friday.
Martin was scheduled to address the board’s Parks and Recreation Committee Wednesday, but canceled his appearance.
“We didn’t adjourn the meeting in hopes the mayor would come before June 30,” said Rep. Marion McGarry, D-12, co-chairwoman of the committee. “Now he says he will meet with us June 28. But it looks like the park police are out, so I’m not sure what this means. Will he just say it’s in negotiation so he can’t talk about it? Or he has to make budget cuts so they have to go?”
Rep. Dennis Mahoney, R-20, co-chairman of the committee, said he hopes Martin outlines a plan, even if it’s two days before park officers are to relinquish their guns and badges.
“I think it’s not so much a timing issue. I think that whatever plan the mayor has was established a while ago,” Mahoney said. “The committee is frustrated because members don’t understand what he is trying to accomplish. They feel they are not getting an opportunity to participate in the discussion.”
Martin’s office released a statement Friday, saying he is looking at all options, including use of park police, and it’s budgetary.
“The Board of Representatives cut the budget by $300,000 for increased patrols in the parks, cut the police budget by an additional $250,000 and then further made a general $1.4 million cut without identifying how or where that cut was to be made,” Martin wrote. “However, issues related to park police are part of union negotiations so we cannot…comment further at this time.”
Parks & Recreation Commission Chairman David Winston said the city needs a park police unit, and it should be expanded because representatives restored the $300,000, placing it in the contingency fund.
“We know parks police work because their priority is always parks. The police department says, ‘We love park police,’ but there are no assurances they would remain a dedicated unit,” Winston said. “I know SPD drives through the parks, and a squad car is a good deterrent, but I don’t think they have the time to stop to tell someone to put a dog on a leash. They have different priorities.”
In a park, leashed dogs are a big deal, said Peter Sofman, president of The Friends of Mianus River Park. The park has little vehicle access, so it’s unlikely the police department will walk along the wooded trails to check for compliance, as park officers do, Sofman said.
“The law requires it, but the only reason people do it is because of the threat that park police will give them a ticket,” Sofman said. “Commercial activity is not allowed in parks, but there are commercial dog walkers with off-leash dogs and people are afraid to come to Mianus because of it.”