Berlin PD Wins State Traffic Enforcement Awards

The traffic enforcement work of Berlin’s finest has garnered state recognition for the sixth time. And in addition to the usual plaques, this time the department has received a new patrol car.

At the annual Law Enforcement Summit of the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Division held at Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport on Dec. 3, the Highway Safety Division announced the winners of the 2014 “Chief’s Challenge”. The participants in this challenge are evaluated on their traffic safety programs by a panel of national judges convened under the International Chiefs of Police Association.

The Berlin Police Department received two awards — second place for best overall Traffic Enforcement Program in Municipal Category Three, and Best overall Speed Enforcement Program in the State. This is the sixth time that the Berlin Police Department has won for best overall speed enforcement. The others awards were received in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

For winning the speed enforcement award, the department won a Laser Technology Inc. “True Speed S” hand held laser speed measuring device worth approximately $1,295.

For the second place in “Best Overall Traffic Enforcement Program”, the department was entered in a drawing for a key to win a 2013 Ford Police Interceptor equipped with emergency lights and sirens. Officer Robert Canto picked the winning key and won the vehicle for the department. This vehicle was a demonstration vehicle operated by Whelen Engineering and is in almost new condition. The vehicle was paid for by the Department of Transportation, Office of Highway Safety under the Federal Highway Safety Program.

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“It’s great that we won. We finally got lucky.The car has 29,000 miles and is well-equipped and in excellent condition,” said Deputy Chief John Klett. It will cost the department between $7,000 and $10,000 to add department equipment including radios, cameras and computers, according to Klett.

The car will be used for traffic enforcement programs.

Support Services Lt. James Gosselin, Sgt. Todd Lentini and Traffic Officer Robert Canto were responsible for overseeing traffic safety programs and for submitting the application package to DOT for review. The application is the sum of the hard work by Officers of the Department enforcing traffic laws in an effort to make the highways safer for all our citizens.

The car was officially presented to Chief Paul Fitzgerald at the winter meeting of the Connecticut Police Chief’s Association in Cromwell on Dec. 10.

Photos courtesy of Berlin Police: #1: Sgt. Todd Lentini and Officer Robert Canto with car and awards at the Law Enforcement summit on Dec. 3. #2. With the new patrol car, from left, Chief Paul Fitzgerald, Edmund Hedge (CT DOT Office of Highway Safety), Deputy Chief John Klett, Scott Potter (Whelen Engineering).