DoingItLocal

Mayor Bill Finch swore in the Fire Department’s newest captain this week.

Frank Falanga, 58, is a 25-year veteran of the department. Until his promotion, he was assigned to Engine 6 on Central Avenue. He now is assigned to Fire Headquarters as a safety officer.

“Frank is a fine fire officer and the promotion is well deserved,” said Fire Chief Brian Rooney. “We’ve had some high-caliber firefighters take the next step in their careers recently. Graduations and promotional ceremonies are always good days in the fire service.”
Falanga’s promotion brought the department to a full complement of 17 captains. The city recently administered an exam for fire lieutenant.

Last month, five fire officers advanced in rank: Michael Caldaroni was sworn in as a battalion chief and Scott Foss,  Jeffrey Cronin, Frank Bridge and Kevin Shevlin were promoted to the rank of captain.

4:44pm Report of a motor vehicle accident on I-95 Northbound between exists 18 and 19.

1:20pm–#Bridgeport CT– Report of a man’s iPad was robbed from him at Courtland Street and State street by a male who assaulted him.

1:01pm–#Stratford CT–A bicyclist was hit by a school bus on Main Street near St. James church.  No word on injuries.

12:39pm–#Stratford CT–Police fire and EMS behind Dock Shopping Plaza at the piers/Birdseye Boat ram for a possible body found in the water.  A red vessel was seen sinking by the Moses Wheeler Bridge earlier this morning, not sure if the two are connected.

(Bridgeport, CT – June 20, 2013) – A 40-year-old man was arrested after an animated, hours-long stand-off with police Wednesday night.

Devin Robinson, of 227 Edna St., cursed at police and threw household items at them from a third-floor window as they attempted to talk him out.

The standoff began Wednesday at about 6:50 p.m. when Officer Stacey Lyons was dispatched to the location. She spoke to his ex-girlfriend, who stated that Robinson had been acting “crazy” for several days and moved most of his belongings out. He came back Wednesday to retrieve the rest of his belongings and she let him in because he appeared to be amicable. The situation slowly escalated into a fight.

Then when she went downstairs to answer the doorbell, he locked and barricaded the front and back doors of the apartment. Before police arrived, he threatened the woman’s life. She heard him say on the phone that he wanted “three throwaways,” referring to firearms.

As police surrounded the house, a shirtless Robinson climbed out of a third-floor window, cursed at police, made obscene gestures and intimated that he had a gun.

Detectives  Michael Fiumidinisi and Chris Borona, both expert crisis negotiators, responded and attempted to engage Robinson but he responded with more curses, belligerent comments and gestures.

He then began hurling objects —  among them an air conditioner, an assortment of canned food, furniture, glass plates, pots and pans, a baker’s rack and a gaming system – out the window and at officers below.

He also stated that if he was arrested he would make bond and kill his ex-girlfriend.

The department’s Emergency Services Unit was deployed and ultimately made entry into the apartment, found Robinson hiding and arrested him after a brief struggle.

“The operation was tight, textbook,” said Capt. Robert Gearing. “ESU did an outstanding job containing a very volatile situation.”

Police located a booby trap that apparently was placed above a door and designed to injure officers who entered.

Robinson was charged with five counts of assault on a police officer, three counts of threatening, interfering with police and various other charges.