Healthy Living
Darien Police beards earrings Leukemia Society 2018

Darien Police Officers Grow Beards or Wear Earrings in a Fundraising Project for Leukemia Research

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From November through this February, Darien Police Officers are fundraising for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Officers participating in the fundraiser are required to donate $50 for each month that they participate. The Darien Police Commission has authorized Police Chief Raymond Osborne to relax grooming standards during this period to allow male officers to grow neatly trimmed beards and female officers to wear earrings. — an announcement from Darien Police Department
The donations will support “Jenna’s Team” honoring Jenna Dos Santos, daughter of Darien Police Officer Michael Dos Santos, who was diagnosed with leukemia in the spring of 2009. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer research. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Business
Crane Thorndal Circle

Solar Panels Delivered to Roof of Thorndal Circle Office Building

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It’s not everyday we see cranes in Darien.  On Monday there were two. 

One doing routine maintenance, it appeared, on the cell phone tower by Darien Police Headquarters, and the second in the parking lot of the Thorndal Circle Office Park. — an announcement from Darien-based Greenworks Lending

The later was lifting the parts and pieces of a solar panel installation to be placed atop 28 Thorndal Circle. The installation by Stamford-based Peregrine Renewable Energy at 28 Thorndal will be the second by building owner Jerry Nielsen, who also recently installed solar panels atop 6 Thordal Circle, also with Peregrine. The two buildings are part of Thorndal Circle Office Park.  Both have deployed solar with 100-percent financing from Greenworks Lending via the state’s C-PACE program, which allows for renewable and energy efficient building upgrades to be financed privately through a special tax assessment on commercial properties. Literally just beneath the ongoing installation is an interesting commercial tenant —Greenworks Lending itself.

Public Safety
Twitter April 20, 2018 Daniel Skoumbros Darien Officer

How Darien Police Are Working with Schools in Town to Protect Students

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Not only is a significant part of the town population in Darien schools when school is in session, but 13 police officers are assigned to visit the schools regularly, staying informed about and familiar with the buildings, the staff and meeting the students. At a recent Police Commission meeting, Police Chief Raymond Osborne pointed out the work done by police in the schools and, separately, informed the commission that officers in the Youth Division attended a school security conference in Massachusetts for the first time. School Security Conference
Detectives James Palmieri and Mark Cappelli, as well as Darien High School’s School Resource Officer Bryan Wallman recently attended a school safety conference at Woodstock Academy in the town of Woodstock, Osborne said. “They’re engaging with school and safety professionals and [attending] relevant sessions on active shooter response, security on school campuses, student mental health issues and critical decision-making,” he said. “We sent all three of our Youth [Division] people up there to get a little more well-versed on that kind of stuff.

Animals
K-9 Argo Police Dog Darien Police vest

Darien Police Dog Argo Gets Gift of a Protective Vest

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A nonprofit organization has donated a protective vest to Darien Police Department for Argo, one of the department’s two police dogs. The vest, donated by an anonymous sponsor through the nonprofit Vested Interest in K9s Inc., can help protect Argo from bullet or stab wounds. The charity, headquartered in East Taunton, MA, was set up to provide protective vests for police dogs in law enforcement and similar agencies across the United States. Since it was started in 2009, the organization has provided over 3,000 protective vests in 50 states, through private and corporate donations. The vests are valued at a total of $5.7 million.

Outdoors
police boat Darien police boat

What the Police Boat Commander Wishes More Darienites Out on the Water Would Know

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Darien Police Officer Derek Mulcahy says that one of the more frequent things he and other officers on the department’s police boat do when out on the water is tell boaters that they’re violating a safety regulation. “When we’re out there and we’re not responding to calls, we’re kind of driving around, out looking for boating violations,” Mulcahy, commander of the Marine Division, told the Darien Police Commission at a recent meeting. “A lot of it is just kind of educating people. We don’t see people intentionally breaking laws — a lot of people just don’t know what they’re supposed to do.” “Overloading boats — too many people on them — we see that a lot with the younger kids,” he said.

Public Safety
Thumbnail Coffee with a Cop

Darien Police Hold ‘Coffee with a Cop’ Event, 10 AM to 12 Noon, Monday at Upper Crust

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Darien police invite you to join them Monday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Upper Crust Baking Co. downtown to have a cup of coffee, and get to know officers. “No agendas, no speeches, just a chance for you to get to know the officers that serve your community,” police said in an announcement on the department’s Facebook page. Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe (it used to be known as Upper Crust Bagel Co.) is at 980 Post Road. Other police departments in the area have been holding similar events, including New Canaan and Norwalk.

Public Safety
Steven Costantini Kelly Thurston new officers

Darien’s Two New Police Officers Will Be in Training Until After Christmas

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Darien Police Department filled its last two open positions on Thursday when two new, probationary police officers were sworn in in front of their families, other police officers and town officials, but it will take a while before they’re through training. Staff Shortage Likely Means Less Use of Police Boat
The two new officers will be training until after Christmas, said Police Chief Raymond Osborne. In fact, as Town Administrator Kathleen Buch said earlier in the week, the department has two other officers expected to be on medical leave, which means that the agency, with about 55 sworn officers, will have essentially four vacancies for much of the year. Buch told the Board of Selectmen on Monday that in order to avoid excessive overtime, Osborne had told her the Darien police boat likely won’t be used on weekdays early in the boating season. “That’s too bad,” First Selectman Jayme Stevenson said.

Darien Depot
Police Winter

Find Out About the Past and Present Darien Police Department March 22 at the Depot

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Find out about the history and present organization of the Darien Police Department in a one-hour presentation by two police detectives Thursday evening, March 22 at the Depot. Detectives Mark Cappelli and James Palmieri will talk about the department from 7 to 8 p.m. They’ll discuss the many teams, bureaus and collaborations within the building at 25 Hecker Ave. “The Darien Police Association strongly and generously supports the Depot and its programs — and always is there to keep an eye on us!” the Depot said in an announcement. “Please bring a friend and join us for an hour.”