Darien Police Seek To Renovate, Expand Department

DARIEN, CT — With an eye on staffing levels and a possible increase in female officers in the future, the Darien Police Department is looking to renovate and expand its women's locker room at headquarters.

On Monday, the Darien Board of Selectmen is scheduled to discuss and possibly take action on a request to transfer $40,000 for police locker room expansion and renovation.

In its almost 100-year history, the Darien Police Department at 25 Hecker Ave., has been significantly renovated and expanded in three separate projects in 1968, 1986 and 2011.

In a memo earlier this month to the Darien Police Commission, Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance, Police Chief Don Anderson explained why another project is needed.

He noted that until 1981, the sworn staff of the department consisted exclusively of men, which was not all that uncommon in small to medium sized departments at the time.

The DPD hired its first female officer in December 1981, and it was not until the 1986 renovation that the department had a proper women's locker room, Anderson said. Currently, there are just 10 lockers for female officers to use.

"Since that time, the makeup of the sworn members of the department has seen a steady increase in female officers and brings us to this point in our department's history," Anderson said.

The department currently has 11 sworn female officers, which includes one retired officer who serves as a constable.

When the building was last renovated/expanded in 2011 under former Chief Duane Lovello, the building committee discussed the fact that 10 lockers as currently installed might not be sufficient moving into the future, Anderson said.

Anderson said the footprint of the building was limited in 2011, and there was a need to create other required amenities. But as the department has grown over the years, the time to address the locker room insufficiency has come to the forefront, Anderson explained.

"Chief Lovello was in favor of installing more than the 10 lockers, looking ahead to future needs and staffing. That position has now proved to be correct," Anderson said.

The project would renovate the existing locker room space and add seven new lockers for women.

Anderson noted a national initiative aimed at achieving 30 percent female police recruits by the year 2030.

"It is quite possible that the Darien Police Department may well achieve this level of female sworn staffing by the year 2030," Anderson said.

With the current budgeted staffing level in Darien, Anderson said that projects to 16 female officers.

"This renovation should provide adequate female locker space to meet the needs of the department well into the future," Anderson said.

Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. It will be held in-person at Darien Town Hall and broadcast on Darien TV79 and YouTube.