Last Saturday, the Bloomfield Police Department began a new patrol initiative in the downtown center area to keep residents safe and merchants comfortable.
The new downtown patrol program will take place every Saturday afternoon. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a Bloomfield Police Officer will be deployed to either foot or Segway patrol in Bloomfield Center. This initiative is expected to improve community relations, with business owners, merchants, residents and police.
“Our downtown shopping district is a great draw for Bloomfield residents and residents of surrounding towns. Adding a visible police presence during the busiest shopping time for most merchants will help ensure they can focus on business, and shoppers can focus on enjoying the diversity of our great downtown shops,” said Mayor Michael Venezia.
“The mission of the downtown patrol will be high visibility and positive community interaction with pedestrians and businesses, in keeping with our successful community policing efforts,” said Director of Public Safety Samuel DeMaio. “Since we renewed our focus on community policing when I joined the department three years ago, we have seen a drastic reduction in overall crime as well as property crimes such as shoplifting and theft.”
Their activities of the Officer on duty will be closely monitored. After 6 p.m. on Saturdays, Bloomfield Police Officers will still maintain a presence in the downtown district, and conduct directed walk and ride patrols.