2023-05-04@10:22am–#Bridgeport CT– An SUV rear-ended a school bus from Guilford near the entrance to the Beardsley Zoo at Crown and Noble Avenue. Someone from the SUV required the attention of EMS. It did not appear that any of the children on board were injured.
#Bridgeport CT–On Friday April 28, 2023, the Bridgeport Police Regional Auto Theft Task Force, and other law enforcement partners, were operating in the vicinity of Ridgefield Avenue, and Barnum Avenue, when they observed a gray Mercedes Benz C-300 with heavily tinted windows and misappropriated New Jersey registration plate, circling an apartment building at Ridgefield Ave, Bridgeport. After making multiple passes, the operator pulled into the parking lot and backed into a parking space by the rear entranceway. The operator, later identified as Andy Marte age 29 of Meriden, CT stayed behind with the car running, while his three passengers, all wearing masks, got out of the car, and entered inside the building using the rear door.
Several minutes later, all three males emerge from the building, one of whom was wearing latex gloves, and returned to the vehicle. Based on the suspicious behavior and the motor vehicle violation (MISUSE/Counterfeit NJ License Plate), Task Force Officers conducted an investigative stop. While the vehicle was still stationary in the parking space, Officers removed the occupants from the vehicle for Officer safety and in plain view, observed a firearm, resting on the floorboard, behind the front passenger seat. After the parties were secure, Officers canvassed the building and recovered video footage, depicting the suspects attempting to break into an apartment using crowbars. A further search of the vehicle located two crowbars, and an additional firearm (Privately Made Firearm-“Ghost Gun”).
Incidental to the arrests, officers recovered crack-cocaine and pills on two of the suspects. Tyrone ALLEN, age 46 or Bridgeport, Jermaine BETHEL Jr, age 27 of Bridgeport, Kareen PORTER, age 24 of Bridgeport and MARTE, aka “AD”, were all charged with Conspiracy 53a-48 to Commit Burglary 2nd with a Firearm 53a-102a, Criminal Possession of a Firearm 53a-217, Criminal Possession of Ammunition 53a-217(a)(1), Illegal sale, delivery, or Transfer of a Firearm 29-33, Carrying a Pistol without Permit 29-35(a), Illegal Possession of Large Capacity Magazine 53-202w(c1), Weapons in a Motor Vehicle 29-38, and Failure to Obtain Serial Number (Privately made Firearm) PA19-6(2)(a).
Bethel and Porter were charged additionally for Possession of Narcotics With Intent To Sell.
MARTE and BETHEL were both on Parole for prior weapon charges and were remanded into custody.
The Bridgeport Regional Auto Theft Task Force, comprised of officers from Bridgeport PD, Stratford PD, Fairfield PD, Trumbull PD and Westport PD, have been operating in Bridgeport daily for over the past 18 months, in a collaborative effort to prevent and/or dismantle/disrupt acts of violence by concentrating efforts on recovering stolen vehicles before they can be utilized in the commission of violent crimes.
2023-05-10:25–#Bridgeport CT–#ctfire– Firefighters are on the scene of a two-alarm fire on Greenhouse Road (north end). Assistant Chief Hathaway told me everyone made it out safely and there are no reported injuries. I have a number of viewers promising to send me a video so when I get it I will post it.
2023-05-02@6:40pm–#Fairfield CT–Firefighters on the scene of a stove fire in the 1500 block of Melville Avenue.
This news report is made possible by:
2023-05-02@5:44pm–#Bridgeport CT– 3 car crash I-95 northbound near exit 26. No word on injuries.
#TRUMBULL CT
Captain Anthony Lopes started his career with Trumbull Police in October 2006, and has held a variety of assignments since that time. Most recently, he was working as a lieutenant for Administrative Services where he was primarily responsible for facilities and fleet management, the Records Division, and financial matters including budget preparation. He previously served in various roles including Patrol Shift supervisor and Quartermaster in the Support Services Division. He is also the Commanding Officer for the department’s Dive Team. Captain Lopes holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Central Connecticut State University. As of May 1, he will have responsibility for all Uniformed Operations.
Lieutenant Paul Driscoll was hired by Trumbull Police in March 2001 and spent much of his career in the Patrol Division, including an assignment as a rider with the Traffic Division’s Motorcycle Unit. He also worked in the department’s Detective Division for a period of time. Lieutenant Driscoll holds two (2) Bachelor’s Degrees from Westfield State College. He will be taking over as the midnight Shift Commander in the Patrol Division starting the month of May.
Sergeant Quinn Gagstetter has been with Trumbull Police since October 2016, where he has served as a Patrol Officer and member of the department’s Dive Team and Honor Guard unit. During his graduation from the Milford Police Academy in 2016, he received several awards for high academic achievement, as well as exceptional proficiency in practical skills training. Since that time, he has earned several department service awards, including two (2) for Life-Saving incidents. Sergeant Gagstetter previously served with the U.S. Coast Guard and is still an active member with the USCG Reserve Unit in New Haven. He is also working toward a degree at Naugatuck Valley Community College. Beginning in early May, Sergeant Gagstetter will be assigned as a supervisor in the Patrol Division.
These promotions, along with two (2) other recent sergeant promotions from this same candidate list, were made following the retirement of several senior officers last year, including one Captain and a Deputy Chief. Other vacancies for sergeant positions were filled earlier by the promotions of Sergeants Tim Fedor and Brian Federowicz, following the retirement of a senior sergeant in December of 2021. Department administrators consider the promotion of these ranking officers essential to the effective operation of the agency, in order to maintain a level of professional standards by providing adequate supervision and management.
The Department has been struggling with a shortage of personnel, primarily due to numerous resignations, plus a severely diminished applicant pool which has limited the ability of the agency to replace those officers in a timely manner. Last year, in 2022, the department lost a significant number of personnel, which included three (3) retirements and ten (10) resignations. During that same time, seven (7) recruits were hired, but most of them are still in the police academy and field training and will not be available to work independently until the end of the 2023 calendar year.
The Trumbull Police Department continues to recruit and hire officer candidates to fill twelve (12) vacancies, in an attempt to regain the authorized strength of eighty-two (82) officers. Significant monetary incentives are being offered for certified applicants, but everyone is encouraged to apply. More information and applications can be found at PoliceApp.com.
[Photo attached, L to R: Sgt. Gagstetter, Capt. Lopes, and Lt. Driscoll
Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Kids Online Safety Act, comprehensive bipartisan legislation to protect children online and hold Big Tech accountable.
“Our bill provides specific tools to stop Big Tech companies from driving toxic content at kids and to hold them accountable for putting profits over safety,” said Blumenthal. “Record levels of hopelessness and despair—a national teen mental health crisis—have been fueled by black box algorithms featuring eating disorders, bullying, suicidal thoughts, and more. Kids and parents want to take back control over their online lives. They are demanding safeguards, means to disconnect, and a duty of care for social media. Our bill has strong bipartisan momentum. And it has growing support from young people who’ve seen Big Tech’s destruction, parents who’ve lost children, mental health experts, and public interest advocates. It’s an idea whose time has come.”
“Over the last two years, Senator Blumenthal and I have met with countless parents, psychologists, and pediatricians who are all in agreement that children are suffering at the hands of online platforms,” said Blackburn. “Big Tech has proven to be incapable of appropriately protecting our children, and it’s time for Congress to step in. The bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act not only requires social media companies to make their platforms safer by default, but it provides parents with the tools they need protect their children online. I thank Senator Blumenthal for his continued partnership on this critical issue and urge my colleagues to join us in the fight to protect our children online.”
The Kids Online Safety Act provides young people and parents with the tools, safeguards, and transparency they need to protect against online harms. The bill requires social media platforms to put the well-being of children first, ensuring an environment that is safe by default. The legislation requires independent audits by experts and academic researchers to ensure that social media platforms are taking meaningful steps to address risks to kids.
Blumenthal and Blackburn first introduced the Kids Online Safety Act in February 2022 following reporting and after spearheading a series of five subcommittee hearings with social media companies and advocates on the repeated failures by tech giants to protect kids on their platforms and about the dangers kids face online. In July 2022, the Kids Online Safety Act passed the Commerce Committee on a unanimous, 28-0 vote.
The Kids Online Safety Act has been cosponsored by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Todd Young (R-IN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Peter Welch (D-VT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jim Risch (R-ID), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Katie Britt (R-AL). More cosponsors may be added during today’s session.
The Kids Online Safety Act is supported by hundreds of advocacy and technology groups, including Common Sense Media, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Compass, Eating Disorders Coalition, Fairplay, Mental Health America, and Digital Progress Institute.
The Kids Online Safety Act:
· Requires that social media platforms provide minors with options to protect their information, disable addictive product features, and opt out of algorithmic recommendations. Platforms would be required to enable the strongest settings by default.
· Gives parents new controls to help support their children and identify harmful behaviors, and provides parents and children with a dedicated channel to report harms to kids to the platform.
· Creates a responsibility for social media platforms to prevent and mitigate harms to minors, such as promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and unlawful products for minors (e.g. gambling and alcohol).
· Requires social media platforms to perform an annual independent audit that assesses the risks to minors, their compliance with this legislation, and whether the platform is taking meaningful steps to prevent those harms.
· Provides academic and public interest organizations with access to critical datasets from social media platforms to foster research regarding harms to the safety and well-being of minors.
This press release was made possible by:
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is celebrating National Bike Month this May by encouraging the public to get outside and go for a ride. CTDOT is planning Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, with nearly 20 schools across Connecticut.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) established a Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) in 2005. Since then, many communities participating in the Safe Routes to School Program have shown improved safety and accessibility for students with and without disabilities.
“Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day is a great way to kick off Bike Month here in Connecticut. Active transportation allows us to get some exercise and fresh air while being a more sustainable mode of transportation,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “I encourage schools to use this month as an opportunity to sign up and reach out for assistance in planning Safe Routes to Schools activities. We’re here to help ensure those biking, walking, or rolling to school can do so safely in their communities.”
“National Bike Month and Bike, Walk and Roll to School Day promotes physical activity, and healthy habits, while also reducing traffic congestion around our schools. It is important that we all work together to create safer and more accessible routes for transportation and inspire our students and communities to lead healthy and active lifestyles,” said Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker. “I encourage all school districts and community members to participate in Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day during National Bike Month.”
The new Federal infrastructure law allowed for an expansion of this SRTS Program to include high schools (grades 9-12) and tribal agencies to encourage ALL students in grades K-12 to safely participate in active transportation to get to and from school. CTDOT is pleased to share the following updates from the SRTS Team:
New Safe Routes to School Program coordinator onboard – If you have questions or want to schedule a meeting, email Kristen Levesque at Kristen.Levesque@ct.gov.
New and updated 6 “E”’s framework that includes equity
Updated communication and outreach
Refreshed website and new online registration opportunities for school districts and town officials
The CTDOT Safe Routes to School Team offers free program assistance to school districts that are interested in developing a Safe Routes to School Program in their community. Some examples of assistance from the program include:
Education – Pedestrian and bicycle safety training, including curriculum resources
Outreach – Collaboration in planning events (such as National Bike and Roll to School Day)
Training –Completion of Champion toolkit and walkability and bike-ability checklists
Technical Assistance – Pedestrian Safety Assessments (Walk Audits) and data collection
The first scheduled event for schools to participate in this year is Bike, Walk and Roll to school day on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Register your school today and plan to participate in this event!
For more information on the Safe Routes to School Program, please visit ct.gov/dot.
This press release was made possible by:
2023-05-02@11:11am–#Bridgeport CT– Police investigating a machete attack on Barnum Avenue at Kossuth Street near the park.
2023-05-02@11:06am–#Bridgeport CT– Workers struck a gas line at Jetland and School Street. The gas company on the scene.
