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Town Plot Citizen's Patrol 
Member Drive

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Bob Marti, former Woodbury Constable, had expressed an interest in improving the quality of life at Town Plot Hill.  His actions speak louder than words by design.  After hearing that someone in his neighborhood  -  a minor - was assaulted, he had enough.  (The assault, by the way, was a case of mistaken identity.) 

The Member Drive Meeting took place on Monday, September 16th, 2013, at Monteiro's Restaurant on Faifield Avenue.  The 5:00 p.m. event provided residents and current members with a first hand look at the new vehicle, and with a forum to become further acquainted with a better understanding of the Town Plot Citizen's Patrol.  

The Town Plot Citizen's Patrol has been established so that volunteer residents can enhance and support safety at Town Plot Hill.  Members are effectively more sets of eyes and ears seeking to assist the Waterbury Police Department within Town Plot Hill.

"We are NOT the police, nor do we act like the police", say the groups founders.  All emergencies are to be called in to 911.

The Town Plot Citizen's Patrol serves to patrol every street, park, school, business, and condominium complex within the Town Plot Neighborhood.  Town Plot Citizen's Patrol has sought out and established a partnering with City Police; the City of Waterbury, including the Police Department, are not in any way associated with the police and have offered no support, funding, or manpower.  However, the communications channel is open, and the Police Department enthusiastically cheer the existence, efforts, cause, and results of Town Plot Citizen Patrol.

The vehicle which is being used by the Town Plot Citizen's Patrol is a former state police cruiser, and it is equipped with a 2-way radio, emergency equipment, in-car camera and voice recording equipment, and much more.  Depicted above, the cruiser was patrolling a store parking lot after the store had closed for the day.  This store, and many others, are daily routine stops during Marti's patrols.

As a volunteer group, the only assistance Town Plot Citizen's Patrol receives is through contributions and donations.  Currently, volunteers, largely Marti, are paying all expenses out of their pockets.  Daily routine patrols easily exceed 75 miles, and roughly 1 23-gallon tank of gasoline is consumed per day.  This is an expensive endeavor, but members know that the value far out-weighs the cost.  Town Plot Security Patrol is seeking donations to offset the out-of-pocket expense for their volunteers.  Town Plot Citizen's Patrol is a non-profit organization, so all donations are tax-deductible.  

In the past few weeks, their patrols have been noticed by area residents and businesses alike.  At least 2 condominium complexes have asked them to patrol their premises, and talks are underway regarding the practicality, limits, scheduling, and funding.  The Town Plot Neighborhood Association is clearly in favor of the Town Plot Citizen's Patrol, and have, like the City Police, established open communications.  Recently, Town Plot Neighborhood Association President Vincent E. Martinelli went on a patrol with Marti.  Martinelli wore the hats of citizen, Town Plot Neighborhood Association President, and Town Plot Citizen's Patrol volunteer.  The patrol was relatively uneventful, but nearly every pedestrian, in one way or another, gave the pair the thumbs-up in support of the security efforts of Town Plot Citizen's Patrol.

Further information can be obtained from Bob Marti at 203-233-4733, or BobMarti17@yahoo.com.

Residents Are Asking to be Victimized

In a recent patrol  of one of Town Plot Hill's roads, the Town Plot Citizen Patrol discovered 6 houses out of 42 on the same street, had overhead garage doors left open, unlit, and unattended.  The recent rash of larcenies, burglaries, and robberies all started out with unlocked doors.  Leaving any door wide open is an invitation to criminals (not to mention squirrels, skunks, mice, termites, and others).

The increase in criminal activity in Wolcott, Prospect, Middlebury, and Waterbury are largely due to careless negligence on the part of the property owners.  Community Police Officer Christopher Gagnon has attended the Town Plot Neighborhood Association's monthly member meetings since he was assigned to Town Plot Hill, and, at each meeting, he warns everyone there to lock their doors, even when they are home.

In several cases, insurance claims were filed in an attempt to recover the value of stolen goods.  Individually, insurance rates may increase, and insurance policies may be canceled.  If the overall profile of Town Plot Hill continues to decline, we may all see increases in rates, regardless of whether we filed a claim.  Further, some insurance companies investigate these claims, and may refuse to pay claims based on policy holder negligence or contributing behavior.

Town Plot Citizens' Patrol Meeting

President Martinelli, along with 2 other residents, attended the Town Plot Citizens’ Patrol (TPCP) membership drive meeting at Montiero’s Restaurant on September 1st, 2013.  There are over a dozen members currently, and each one went through and passed the Police Department course.  The patrols can be on foot or by car (but must be in pairs); however, there can be no pursuits or confrontations.  
Chief catalyst, former Waterbury Police Officer, and former Association President Joseph Savoy contends that they have received all positive feedback, and that there seems to be an increase in interest.  According to Savoy, the general feeling is that there has already been a positive impact.

The TPCP is working on a schedule of patrols (which will neither be made public nor will be predictable), and they are currently seeking additional volunteers. 

About Town Plot Citizens' Patrol

In an effort to thwart off the increasing rash of crimes within the Town Plot Hill section of Waterbury, many residents have enlisted the help of Crime Stoppers, Neighborhood Watch, and other groups.  With the excessive strain on the City's budget, and the poorly manned Police Department, many residents have called for other forms of assistance.

The Town Plot Neighborhood Association, Inc. formed a Safety Committee, and enlisted their Community Police Officer Christopher Gagnon to provide tips and techniques which are intended to reduce the risk of residents from being a victim of a crime.  Gagnon has made a presentation - typically about 30 minutes long - at nearly all of the Association's meetings for more than a year.  Town Plot Neighborhood Association Vice President Chaired the Committee, and much progress has been achieved.

As a result, excessive speeding has been reduced, illegal parking has been reduced, several anonymous calls have been key in apprehending suspects, and area residents who attend the Association meetings have become more aware and exercise much more prudence.  

The TPNA Vice President has also attracted (interim) Chief of Police Vernon Riddick to speak at a recent meeting.  The Chief fielded many questions, and now has a much clearer idea of what concerns the citizens of Town Plot Hill.  Town Plot Neighborhood Association President Vincent E. Martinelli has been pleased with the progress, but notes that much more work needs to be done.  A long-time and vocal advocate of increased police officers, Martinelli spoke to the Chief, Mayor Neil O'Leary, and the Board of Aldermen to express his concerns.

Martinelli is more than just a resident of the neighborhood and President of its Association; he is also a participant in other area events and activities, such as the Masonic Lodge's Annual Walk for Dyslexia.  He says that he has a responsibility to walk the streets of Town Plot often, so that he keeps well informed and is in tune with the neighbors.

Former Association President and Waterbury Police Officer Joseph Savoy latched on to the concept of citizen patrols, which he knew had been successful in the Hillside District.  After a rocky start, Town Plot Security was formed; training by the Waterbury Police Department has occurred.

The security detail is designed to make their presence known - alleviating some would-be criminals of their temptations to commit a crime, to report any irregularities directly to the Waterbury Police Department, to promote communication of residents to appropriate authorities - maintaining anonymity, and to generally be aware of conditions of property in the area.

Even without an official sound off, the Town Plot Security has already had a positive impact on the area.  Just the presence of their clearly marked vehicle has proven to instill confidence in law-abiding citizens, and the addendum to police patrols has seemingly reduced criminal activity.