Officer Anderson Relieved Of Duty

The Milford police officer who accidentally killed two Orange teens in June when his cruiser broadsided their car on the Boston Post Road lost his job Monday night.

The Board of Police Commissioners fired Jason Anderson, a five-year department veteran, and suspended another officer, Richard Pisani, for 30 days without pay in connection with the incident. The board also extended Pisani's probationary period, due to end in February, for another year

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Dead Mans Body Found On Zion Hill Rd. Milford

Police have tentatively identified a man shot to death in a wooded area by Zion Hill Road yesterday evening as a 28 year-old New Haven resident.

The man's name has not yet been released pending notification of his next-of-kin, police said this morning.

Investigators are asking the public for information about the shooting, including the car the victim was believed to have been driving, a 2000 tan Honda Accord, with Connecticut license plates 797 XNT.

The body of the Hispanic man was found shortly before 7:30 p.m. yesterday in a wooded area about 1,000 feet from the intersection with Wheeler's Farms Road. The site is not far from the High Street exit of Interstate 95. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS personnel.

The fatal shooting is the first murder in Milford this year.

Police found the victim lying in a pool of blood after neighbors reported hearing numerous gun shots.

"There were a lot of shots," said Dee Anderson, who was visiting her best friend, Stacey Cerreta, on Century Lane, which fronts Zion Hill Road. "It sounded like firecrackers and I thought to myself, 'July 4 is over.' "

ORIGINAL FRANK JULIANO STORY

NEW HAVEN REGISTER STORY

More Video At THE HARTFORD COURANT

Downtown Citizen's Bank Robbed

Police are investigating an armed robbery Friday morning at the Citizen's Bank branch downtown.

Brandishing a gun, a man wearing a bandana demanded cash from a teller at the bank, at 123 Cherry St., shortly before 9:30 a.m., according to Officer Vaughan Dumas, police spokesman.

The robber fled on foot with an undetermined amount of cash, heading south on Gulf Street toward Milford Cemetery, Dumas said.

Described as 6 feet tall with a slender build, the suspect was wearing khaki pants, a gray hoodie and a dark baseball cap, police said. He disguised himself by wearing a blue-and-white bandana and mirrored aviator-style sunglasses and held a small black weapon in his right hand, witnesses told police.

Police have released photographs and video surveillance images from bank security, hoping anyone who recognizes the suspect will come forward.

Richetelli Budget Cuts Nix Milford Bike Patrol

There are three fewer police officers patroling the city since the fiscal year began July 1, and Police Chief Keith Mello says it’s beginning to have a tangible effect.

The Board of Aldermen voted to eliminate an officer position from the budget, saving $52,000, and the police union was the only municipal bargaining unit to not accept a wage freeze as part of a new contract, resulting in two positions not being filled this year.

“Being down three positions, there has to be a reduction in some areas,” Mello said.

One popular program being “temporarily discontinued” is the downtown bike patrol, he said.

On weekdays, an officer on a bicycle was downtown to help with pedestrian safety, traffic enforcement and to provide high visibility for businesses.

Mello said the officer also helped provide enhanced safety for the thousands of residents using the train station.

Mello stressed there is still coverage downtown being provided by regular police patrols.

The bike patrol was instituted several years ago at the request of downtown business leaders, who wanted more police presence.

This past year, the downtown officer has written 10,000 tickets, the chief said.

Mello also said this year there may be a marginal increase in the response time for “low-priority calls,” but “high-priority calls will still receive immediate and appropriate response.”

Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. said there are three vacancies in the Police Department, but two of those positions could be filled at any time if the police union agrees to a new two-year contract, which would include a no-wage increase this year, and a 2 percent increase in the second year.

Seven other municipal unions agreed to a similar deal, saving the city about $700,000.

Richetelli said talks between the police union and the city are in the “beginning stages.”

The mayor said he has been in talks with Mello to ensure the three vacant positions will not hurt on public safety.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Brian McCready

Alcohol Testing For Students?! "Brilliant" or "Batty"

Kids appear to have changed very little since the day I was young, just like today there are good ones, bad ones and those you wonder about. For the most part underage drinking did go on then as it does today. This is just part of the youth culture and common everyday peer pressure.

Now here is the off the wall idea that Harvey Polanski has... imposing a Breathalyzer test at school functions. Although this idea has not yet been approved, Polanski intends to ask the school board to approve it. Adults working at school events will be the ones required to administer these tests to students.

When I personally asked students how they felt about this idea, many outright laughed and those that did not felt it was a violation of their privacy. One student called it extreme and characteristic of a "police state" mentality.

Should Polanski succeed in getting this mandatory test approved, students indicated that he better start patting down students as well. One student, who does not want his name mentioned, indicated that if he chooses to get drunk at prom night he will just show up sober, and drink inside the event after he is tested.

Knowing the will and resolve of kids, I can agree that this will agitate a "cat and mouse" game with authorities. This program will also cost the taxpayers money that is in short supply. Adults will need training, and police will be involved in prosecuting kids at school events who may have tested positive for alcohol, when in reality they could be under the influence of an alcohol based medication like cough syrup.

Hopefully this terrible idea will not pass as it sends a clear and compelling message to our town kids that they must all lose their liberty and trust because of a few kids with an alcohol problem. School staff, and teachers for the most part already know what kids pose the greatest risks of drug abuse and alcoholism without a needed test. It is not hard to recognize a drunken youth, faculty senses do not need to be replaced with costly digital machines.

This news is also preceded by automakers exploring the introduction of the Alcokey system. This system will require that the driver blow into a tube, passing this sobriety test will result in the reward of your car starting. Some fear that onstar will also get in on this "nanny state" technology and actually call the police if the Alcokey system fails the driver.

Petty Thieves Hit Lexington Green

The wonderful development here in the North end of Milford, Lexington Green seems to always have its share of nuisances when it comes to petty criminals. This latest incident involved the theft of of two video game consoles and a purse from Oak Ridge Lane.

According to the victim the game console can be identified as belonging to her kids because she initialed everything. The game console bore the initials "J" and or "B" and can be clearly seen in large letters.

Her neighbor was also the victim of a stolen purse, a purse that was taken from the inside of her car parked in front of her house. These thefts at Lexington Green and its associated two developments are not uncommon. Just last year vandals damaged the gazebo, spray painted profanities on the rocks by the gazebo, and followed up with a purple "W' painted on the main entrance.

Those responsible for these juvenile delinquent acts almost always trace back to local kids who either live in the development, or have parties where outside kids come into the development sometimes under the influence of alcohol and do damage to association property.

In the last year accidents have also been up as two light posts and a fence was taken down by distracted, or drunk drivers who failed to adequately pay attention to the road. Should anyone know of any information that can assist in reporting the names of individuals involved in these criminal acts, they are urged to contact the local Milford Police department, or me the neighborhood watch dog at (203) 247-4357.

Teachers Wife Abused By Police Officers

WARNING EXTREEMELY DISTURBING VIDEO!!!

The continual flow of political apathy, and a post 9/11 era (where the ideals of an undeclared marshall law in our nation, has led to brazen acts of tyranny against good people in American towns) has now come to haunt ordinary hard working Americans. Acts of extreme police brutality (like the one in this video), excessive surveilance, and a suspension of our basic liberties in the name of our security has resulted in a new country where police have less accountability and more power than ever before.

The video below, is not an isolated incident, but rather one of many thousands that go on each month across our country. Happily I will say that this tyrannical crime has not occurred in our town, but I will say that if it happened elsewhere it is not entirely impossible that it could not happen here. This woman, was the wife of a school teacher who I promise is no longer apathetic to politics. I suggest we not wait until this happens here before before we take action.

Harborside Middle School Sent Into Lockdown

Earlier today news arrived that Harborside Middle school was sent into lock down. Students there indicated to me that they heard an announcement over the loudspeaker calling for a "Code White" of which indicates a security condition. A similar lock down occurred at Simon Lake school not even three weeks ago.

At approximately 3:30 today I contacted the Milford Police Department and the officer on duty declined to comment, but did refer me to a community office. That office is expected to release an official press release. For now this blog is only going to report the information provided by persons on school premises. Students and teachers indicated that they believed the school was called into lock down for the safety of the students. Some students were scared, and indicated that police cars were buzzing the school. Some students indicated that they felt the school was ill prepared for a lock down and some teachers did not draw their blinds and lock their doors as required. Some teachers were unsure as to what a "code white" even was.

The story on the street is that a local downtown bank was robbed and the police were concerned for school safety as they were in pursuit of a robbery suspect. The entire incident resulted in nothing more than a big scare. The students and school were eventually called off lock down and the local Milford Police Department indicated the situation was "under control."

Children were also sent home with a letter this afternoon indicating the lock down condition, but the letters offered no explanation as to the events resulting in the school scare. For now we will be waiting for the official press release of which will be due out shortly.