Message From The Chief

Madison Police Chief John "Jack" Drumm says the lean economy and hard economic times continue to pose challenges for the Madison Police Department, along with other law enforcement agencies across the nation, but he said the sworn and civilian members of his department continue to hold high standards and "maintain their performance as professionals in all areas of the Madison Police Department.

In the Madison Police Department Annual Report, July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011, Drumm says that the department had about 16,483 calls for service, or about 45 calls daily during the past year.

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Report for year 2010-2011 has once again shown the Madison Police Department with an increased 'solve rate' for all reported crimes," Drumm says in the report. "This is a job well done and an honor earned by the men and women of this department."

In the annual report, that will be delivered to the Madison Police Commission Thursday, Drumm said:

• the Madison Police Department continues to "meet tough standards for certification required by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), and the Commission for Accreditation for the State of Connecticut. In the report, he outlines the effect this process has had on the existing practices and policies of the department
• that the town was hit with a "rash of larcenies, burglaries, and two bank robberies" in the winter-spring months, but that "within a short period of time and with diligence, members of the Madison Police Department were able to identify and arrest the perpetrators of the burglaries."
• the department re-established its bike patrol in spring 2010. "There are currently 9 trained and certified bike patrol officers, including the Chief, who is an avid bicyclist." The effort is part of the department's community oriented policing effort, the report says.
• the department has initiated a Senior Citizen Police Academy (SCPA) that graduated 30 Madison residents after a 6-week program, a second one has been scheduled.
• the department joined the Regional Crisis Response Team, made up of specially trained officers from Madison, Guilford, and Branford. "The purpose of this team is to handle instances when the weaponry or other tactical skills are required to cope with, for example: the capture, incapacitation, or elimination of a sniper; protection of VIPs; barricaded and/or armed fugitives; suppressing hostage situations and rescuing hostages; search and arrest warrants where armed resistance is likely; and any other duties assigned by the Chief of Police."
• the department in April 2011 joined with the Madison Alcohol & Drug Education Coalition (MADE) to establish a Prescription Drug Take Back Program that provides a secure drug deposit box 24-7-365 for the public to use. "The drugs are then taken and destroyed in an environmentally sound manner that does not impact local water supplies."

For additional information, please see the PDF of the report published with this article.