Woodbridge Police Commission Meeting, March 2

A brief summary of what was discussed at this week's Woodbridge Police Commission meeting for those who want to know what's happening, but can't make it to the meetings:

• Lower than usual activity for the months of January and February was not cause for concern for Deputy Chief Raymond Stuart, but rather a result of the weather. In January, two DWI arrests and two drug arrests were made, but there were no burglaries reported. In February, a burglary occurred on Merritt Ave. and a GPS was stolen from a car at the Crest auto dealership.
• The deputy police chief reported to the commission that the D.A.R.E. program is up and running and Police Officer Vincent Lynch is doing a great job with the program at Beecher Road School.
• The Police Department will be obtaining a licence plate reader that records the license plate number of every car it passes. If there is a warrant or other issue with the plate owner, the patrol officer will be notified via a dashboard computer. The device will cost around $13,000 and will require a $1,000 annual subscription to the police network database in Newington, Conn. The department is using asset forfeiture funds to purchase the equipment.
• Police Chief Eugene Marcucci told the commission that the Board of Finance cut $2,000 from its $15,000 professional development in the fiscal year 2012 budget proposal. He said the department will meet the required training regardless of there being enough in the professional development account.  
• A federal grant that covers 80% of the cost of an electronic ticketing system is available. Since there's power in numbers, Woodbridge is going to team with Ansonia and other local municipalities for the application. After the government funds 80%, the town's cost will be roughly $1,600, less money than the $2,000 it spends on paper tickets every year. They'll be used for infractions and minor traffic offenses. The alleged offender will receive a paper ticket, but police officers will handle their ticketing process only via the computer.