Opinion: 'Vote No for New Bethel Police Station' Reader Says

Letter to the Editor:

In response to the Bethel Board of Education Chairman’s opinion piece:

Bethel officials are misleading the town with their persistent use of Sandy Hook to gain public approval for the $14.1 million police station. The project provides false security benefits. Instead it would be more effective to address the state of our mental health and devise guidelines for treating those that are afflicted. Moreover, we need to create immediate in school security measures to protect ourselves at the moment of crisis.

Next, the proposed structure will actually be farther away from Rockwell Elementary School, Johnson and the Middle School than the current police station. Thus, the safety of our school children is far removed from the concern over the police station’s proximity.

The 26,000 square foot, $14.1 million cost far exceeds the size and cost of police stations in the surrounding towns when factoring in population size. I find it shameful to justify wasteful spending and police station location by invoking the Sandy Hook tragedy time and time again.

Now think about this...

Do police department buildings protect us or do the police officers themselves?

Do police officers sit in the police department all day or are they out on patrol?

Where are criminals brought when they are arrested?

How many high speed, siren screaming police cars will be driving through our “Educational Park”, disturbing our classrooms, sports events, and putting the walking public at risk?

Why hasn’t the town offered any alternatives to the colossal $14.1 proposed project? I feel town officials too quickly dismissed renovating the current site and became impossibly seduced by the glamour of the new location.

VOTE NO (for now) and let’s get the police department, town officials and the public on board with a comprehensive plan to renovate the current police station property.

Anthony James, Bethel, Conn.