Hamden Implements Security Upgrades

HAMDEN, CT — The Town of Hamden recently completed the installation of a number of key security upgrades at both the Keefe Community Center and at highly trafficked areas along the Farmington Canal Trail, Mayor Curt Balzano Leng and Police Chief Thomas Wydra announced in a press release.

In fall of 2016, the town completed the installation of video surveillance cameras along the Farmington Canal Trail at the intersections of Dudley Street, Ailling Street, and the jurisdictional boundary with the City of New Haven.

The technological upgrades at the Keefe Community Center included a video surveillance system, electronic door controls and video intercommunication devices. These new apparatus provide substantial enhancements in terms of building security and personal safety inside and outside of the facility. The town collaborated with American Total Protection (“ATP”) to determine appropriate improvements for the location and perform installation.

“Hamden is focusing on effective policing efforts on two different, but essential, fronts,” Leng said in a press release. “We have and will continue expanding our Community Policing and Outreach efforts, including walking beats, bike patrols, expansion of trained block watches and more. At the same time, technology upgrades give our officers the tools needed to be effective – and part of the Town’s increased technology focus will be to enhance public safety by investing in locations where criminal activities have occurred on too consistent a basis.”

Additional implementations of these types of technology-based safety efforts will include the installation of six new cameras at major traffic intersections throughout town. These new cameras will not only show activity at each intersection, but also within the vicinity of businesses and public places adjacent to the intersections.

Read more from the press release below:

In fall of 2016, the installation of video surveillance cameras was completed along the Farmington Canal Trail at the intersections of Dudley Street, Ailling Street, and the jurisdictional boundary with the City of New Haven. These cameras will record activity in the public space as a means to prevent, reduce and deter criminal activity. Additionally, the video recordings produced from these cameras will have the potential to provide critical visual evidence in criminal investigations. In addition, cameras on the Farmington Canal Trail (“FCT”) in the tunnel area near Skiff Street will be completed in January 2017, and will serve the same purpose as the cameras already in operation on the trail.

The Town is currently working with ATP on a design and configuration proposal for the installation of a video surveillance system, electronic door controls and video intercommunication devices at the Miller Memorial Library and Cultural Center, which is the next building on the schedule for these types of security enhancements.

The Town has now installed emergency telephones at the following locations:

• Rochford Field (1250 Winchester Avenue)
• Highwood Police Substation (953 Dixwell Avenue)
• Dudley Street at the Farmington Canal Trail intersection (65 Dudley Street)
• Skiff Street tunnel on the Farmington Canal Trail
• Mt. Carmel Police Substation on the Farmington Canal Trail (3908 Whitney Avenue)

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