WPD Stationed at Norwalk Hospital All Weekend

The (WPD) found itself in an unusual—and perhaps costly—predicament that had several officers stationed in shifts at Norwalk Hospital over this past weekend.

Bethel police contacted the WPD concerning a Wilton resident who had violated his parole. Wilton police picked up the man, James Lutjen, 44, at his house on early Friday morning and held him on a $10,000 bond. Officers then transported the man to court for his court date, where the accused collapsed due to a medical issue—police said he had not been taking an unspecified medication that he should have been—and had to be rushed to Norwalk Hospital.

Since Wilton brought in the man, that meant the WPD also had to be responsible for his care—meaning that officers had to, by law, be near the accused because he was technically their prisoner since the bond was not paid. The result: Officers had to take 8-hour-shifts at the hospital the entire weekend.

“Costs were a combination of overtime and shift work,” said  Lieutenant Donald Wakeman of the WPD.

On Monday, with the accused still admitted as a patient, the WPD contacted the judge who set the $10,000 bond and asked for a reduction to a promise to appear in court. The judge complied (probably because the accused’s original charge of ‘Violation of Wage Payments’ was a non-violent offense) allowing the WPD to withdraw its body-guard like presence from the hospital.

Police were relieved that the bond was reduced, allowing the WPD to return to full manpower. 

“Otherwise we [could have been] married to him forever,”  in a worst-case scenario, said Wakeman.