Camillo, Police Discuss Safety On Greenwich Avenue

GREENWICH, CT — Although there are no police officers directing traffic on Greenwich Avenue anymore, there is more police coverage on the .65 mile stretch of iconic roadway than ever before, according to First Selectman Fred Camillo and the Greenwich Police Department.

On Wednesday, Camillo and GPD Deputy Chief Robert Berry held court on Greenwich Avenue and discussed public safety just days after an attempted robbery in broad daylight near the Apple Store sent ripples through the community and across social media.

Officers were redeployed on Greenwich Avenue in 2020 around the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit with the goal of making public safety more streamlined and efficient.

Instead of having officers anchored and directing traffic, unable to readily respond to calls for assistance on the Avenue, the town equipped officers with bicycles who patrol up and down the Avenue and on side streets, making them more mobile and approachable, Berry said.

Uniformed officers also returned to walking a beat on the Avenue, along with plainclothes officers and a patrol car.

"There's much more police presence than ever before in the history of Greenwich," Camillo said.

When the traffic cops were removed from Greenwich Avenue, residents were outspoken and said they helped deter criminal activity.

In the wake of the attempted robbery on July 18 in which police said a man tried to steal items from a woman who had just left the Apple Store, the debate about public safety on Greenwich Avenue was sparked again.

A 16-second video of the attempted robbery was posted to social media. The clip did not show any police in the area — a good Samaritan intervened and struggled with the suspect before he was able to get away.

Camillo and Berry said a bicycle officer arrived quickly, just after the video cut off.

"They're able to get in and out of traffic and get there quicker, not just because they're faster, but because they're accessible through the traffic," Berry added. "What we've found is our response times for calls in the central business district are actually lower now because of their ability to respond."

Camillo said the bicycle cops are constantly engaged with the citizens on the Avenue, something they were restricted in doing while standing at a traffic post for seven hours a day.

Officer Nick Carl, who was a part of the discussion on Wednesday, called his power bicycle "an awesome tool."

"It's super nimble... It's so multifaceted," he said, while touting its approachability. "I can stand on the corner and I'll meet tons of people. You never know when those connections come in handy down the road... Nobody wants to come up to a police car."

The bicycles are also equipped with medical supplies, which allows the officers to respond to medical calls and provide assistance.

The redeployment of officers also coincided with the proposed Greenwich Avenue intersection improvements, which have also become a hot-button issue in town.

Camillo has been a strong supporter of the projects, which feature bumpouts to decrease crossing time for pedestrians and increase sightlines for drivers. The projects also improve aesthetics with more greenspace and plantings.

The Elm Street/Greenwich Avenue project was completed last year, and the town is currently in the process of finalizing plans for two more intersections.

Critics have said the projects, which are paid for through state funding, don't improve pedestrian safety.

Camillo pushed back on that Wednesday.

"Bumpouts do work all over the country. They always have," he said. "We have to deal with facts, and the facts are these are much safer."

Berry said there have been no changes in the amount of accidents involving pedestrians on Greenwich Avenue in recent years.

Camillo said the town is always trying to "evolve and restrategize" to make Greenwich Avenue safer in all facets. He said every town in the state is dealing with an uptick in crime.

"And because we're Greenwich, we're even more of a target," Camillo said.

Greenwich was recently ranked the sixth safest community in Connecticut, and Camillo said he has aspirations for the number one spot.

"I don't think we're far off," he said. "We just want to tell people that you are perfectly safe here, but you're never going to be 100 percent safe. There's no place on earth that can offer that. We ask you, please, be aware of your immediate surroundings."