Berlin PD Signs Interoffice Agency Agreement

At a recent Town Council meeting, the council approved an agreement that would allow officers from the towns of Newington, Rocky Hill, Cromwell and Wethersfield to help Berlin with non-emergency operations like patrolling streets and private duty jobs. The officers could also be used to assist in drug and traffic task forces.

Deputy Mayor Steve Morelli said he did not see one town in the agreement that made sense. Berlin Police Chief Paul Fitzgerald answered he is working hard to add that other town, New Britain, to the agreement.

A perfect example of this was during the Berlin Fair. During the Fair, there was also a home football game at Sage Park on Friday night. Officers from surrounding towns came to Berlin to help handle the traffic at both sites so they went off without a glitch.

If this agreement was not in place, every time a neighboring police officer was asked to work in Berlin, they would have to be temporarily sworn in by town clerk Kate Wall, so that they would have the same powers a Berlin police officer has.

The town already has a mutual aid agreement in place for emergency situtations. Berlin has called in K-9 units from surrounding towns and the SWAT team from New Britain. Those are examples of emergency mutual aid.

"We have great relationships with the other towns and hope to add more towns in the near future," Fitzgerald added.

The Berlin Town Council passed the agreement 5-0 as Councilors Rochette and Dacey were absent.