Months in, Derry residents upbeat on State Police presence

By Bruce Frauman
© 2016 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Thirty-three residents of Londonderry gathered at the town office building on Wednesday, Oct. 12 for an information session held by the Londonderry Policing Committee to help it in making a new recommendation during the Select Board’s budget review process starting in November.

Londonderry contracts with the Vermont State Police to provide a dedicated patrol of the town for 25 hours each week. All who spoke were supportive of the police presence, though resident Shea Sullivan questioned whether the $84,000 annual expenditure approved at Town Meeting last March is “being well spent.”

Committee member Marge Fish said, “In terms of the safety of the roads, whether they are tourists, second home owners, or part-time residents, the fact that its slowed traffic down is good.”

Maryann Morris, who also sits on the 10-member committee, noted that 309 vehicles have been stopped with 271 warnings and 39 tickets issued. Westminster Barracks Commander Lt. Tim Oliver said the stops are a way for police get information about what’s happening in town and his troopers only issue tickets when clearly warranted.

“You will not be stopped unless you do something wrong,” Oliver said, noting that every stop is reviewed through police car camera video.

“I know that I drive slower through town now,” said committee chair Peter Pagnucco, responding to the question of how warnings help slow traffic, “I don’t know if the police are here or not, but I’m slowing down now.”

Based on weekly police reports posted on the town web site, Morris led the group through comparisons of the six months before the contract took effect last March and the six months since. Most significant to Pagnucco, 777 total calls were made during the six months of the policing contact as opposed to 167 in the previous six months.

Pagnucco noted that this is almost five times as much activity. A call is any response initiated either by a resident or by a trooper according to Oliver. In addition, 10 Driving Under the Influence citations were issued in the past six months versus one before the patrols.

Weston resident Melissa Hart told the committee, “I caretake a lot of houses in the area, and it’s very comforting to me to see a state trooper on a back road.”

“The Parks Board has been getting a decent amount of feedback from people that Pingree Park in particular is a much nicer place to go spend time with your kids,” said Parks Board member Kelly Pajala. “And they feel much safer there.” Many nodded in agreement.

In addition to statistics, Morris presented results of a survey distributed at many locations in town and on-line. The 122 surveys received represent 10 percent of all residents that, according to Morris, is considered a good response. Respondents were evenly split on whether they perceive a “decrease in drug crime” with 33 agreeing and 33 disagreeing.

“Typical Londonderry,” quipped Select Board chair Steve Prouty.

Morris said she felt good about the 39 percent of respondents who feel there is “an increase in my feeling of safety.” In contrast, 31 percent disagreed. “Where we really saw people agreeing,” noted Morris was the 56 percent of residents who agree there is “an increase in traffic safety” versus the 22 percent who disagreed.

Pagnucco said the results show that Londonderry is better off with 25 hours of police presence rather than being one of 24 towns covered by the Westminster barracks.

The committee, met after the public left to make plans for their presentation to the Londonderry Select Board on Dec. 5 and then to the town in general for the next town meeting in March. They have not yet voted on what recommendation to make.