Opinion: Vote 'NO' for Proposed $13M Police Station

Bethel, CT- Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bethel Patch or its editor.

Written by Francis S Infurchia, Bethel, CT.

“The question is not whether Bethel needs a new police station; it does, as the present one is a disgrace. The first question posed to the crisp economist is to what extent can the comparatively financially strapped voter of Bethel tolerate the excess, waste, and extravagance contained in this sequel police station proposal. At $13.5 million to erect a ridiculously sized 26,000 square foot building, I say not much, especially when on its heels is talk of the multi-million dollar rebuild of Johnson and Rockwell schools.

The second question posed to the brooding artist is what justifies the need to forfeit the beautiful, contemplative, serene, forsythia laden hillside meadow that introduces all comers to our school campus, located at the corner of Judd Avenue and Whittlesey Drive. In its place will be a huge police station sitting on an approximate 3 acre footprint, including a firing range, 121 parking spaces, driveways and a 120’ potentially hazardous EMF emitting radio tower,(conveniently omitted in all public renderings) only steps away from Bethel High School. Ah, but town officials tell us they are nestling the development into the crest of the hill, hardly visible, to placate the park lovers that is, all the while bellowing how imposing it will be to would be school assailants. Reconcile that.

The point is the meadow will lose it essence because it will be dedicated to purpose and utility. To the wayward stroller, dog walker, hiker, student, jogger and gazer who rely on scenes like this to solicit their imagination you will soon become a trespasser.

Yes the police deserve better and one would think that with the passing of a full year since the last referendum when voters rejected the original $14.1million boondoggle, (it’s now at about $13.5m) our commissions would have come up with viable alternatives, like siting a scaled down version, perhaps at around 15,000 – 16,000 square feet, at the Clark Industrial Park or a site downtown, or working with FEMA and engineers to creatively rehab and expand the existing facility.

Not one serious alternative was ever explored, ever. Instead, our defiant police commissions have proposed a few insignificant, cosmetic reductions like replacing the copper gutters with aluminum ones, good grief, and so here we are.

Bethel voters need to send this proposal once again back to the drawing board.

To put this unjustifiable proposal into context I did a survey of 15 area towns, including Bethel, and found the following:

When measured by a town’s population, Bethel’s proposed police station will be almost 2x bigger than the average size of the 14 other area town stations. If Bethel merely built to the average based on population its station would be about 13,000 square feet, not 26,000. Reconcile that.

Bethel’s proposed station will provide 720 square feet per sworn officer. The 14 other towns provide an average of 420 square feet per officer. If Bethel built to average based on the number of officers it employs, its station would be only 15,540, not 26,000 square feet. In fact our proposed 26,000 square foot station could house 63 officers based on how much space the 14 other towns dedicate to each officer. Bethel has only 37 officers. Reconcile that.

Bethel’s per capita income is $36,608, the lowest of the 15 town survey. The average per capita income of the other towns is $54,337 and the highest is Weston at $92,735. This means that the financial hardship to Bethel residents for any spending plan is about 1.5x greater than it is for residents in the survey towns. So Bethel builds 2x bigger than necessary with 1.5x less available income. That’s not even reconcilable.

Further, our town officials tell us that our close to $4 million existing annual debt service will not be immediately affected (it will in a few years) as the proposal’s new debt will merely replace debt scheduled to be retired. This is the debt addicted mindset of today’s politicians.

All State and FBI statistics have reported 20%-24% decline in major crimes since the 1980s – 1990s. In 2014 Bethel had less than 5 violent crimes. This stabilizing effect warns against over building.

To those whose school security fears can only be assuaged by building the police station in the school campus, the proposed station will actually be twice as far from Rockwell, Johnson and the Middle School than our current station is. Compound this with the recognition that our officers spend their days patrolling the streets and you soon realize that police arrival time doesn’t change. So much for increased school security.

Not to mention, locating the police station in what everyone considers to be the school campus will not only certainly add to morning and afternoon school traffic woes, but will most likely tempt officers in a hurry to use Whittlesey as an emergency short cut , a recipe for accidents amid the routine congestion.

Finally, Bethel officials argue that the centrally located high school site is a prerequisite. The survey reveals that Bethel’s land size is half the average size of its neighbors (Bethel’s land area is 16.79 square miles, the average is 31.47 square miles). Therefore, Bethel’s sheer smallness makes our station relatively closer to all points regardless of location.

My critics say, Frank, your comparisons are outdated as the new designs for police stations require palace size dimensions. Of course the new standards are a fabrication as the market is being set by the building industry which serves to make millions and is exhorted by central planners in the state and local megalomaniac politicians all in the business of convincing us to buy things we don’t need and can’t afford.”

Francis S Infurchia, Bethel, CT.

What do you think? Send your letter to the editor: wendy.mitchell@patch.com.