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Health & Fitness

The Crisis of New London

I am quoted in a recent editorial of stating "New London is in crisis" and "public safety is declining, promoting increased criminal activity.” The key word here in the word “AND”. Crisis is a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined, in other words turning point. Absolutely CRISIS is the correct term to use when describing New London today.

New London is at a stage where the sequence of events in the administration of the city and the administration of the police department will determine for better or for worse our future as a community. Perception is the key here. How is New London perceived? How will New London proceed? Everyone is watching, New London is constantly in the news, not much is good. Budget hearings where the most common answer from the finance director is “ I DO NOT KNOW”, a fire department lieutenant arrested for shoplifting at UCONN and another officer suspended for an incident in a neighboring town, lawsuit after lawsuit,  a police K9 denied needed medication, a police K9 locked for more than 75 days, scooters stolen at gunpoint, a rapist on the loose with no composite sketch released. On top of that the chief executive and the chief of police have two calls that day and say the rape was not discussed, if that is true ( I have no independent knowledge that it is not) it does not speak well of the communications with respect to critical public safety matters. These items individually would not merit a second look or media frenzy like we have seen.

The crisis in New London is not a crisis comprised solely of the public safety department issues. One must look at the totality of what is going on in our city, then and only then it is easy to see the crisis at hand. If our chief executive officer cannot see the crisis he must not be looking too closely.

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