Police Commission

LACONIA POLICE COMMISSION APRIL 20, 2017, MINUTES LACONIA POLICE HEADQUARTERS 126 NEW SALEM STREET, LACONIA, NH – 3:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER – Chairman Douglas Whittum called the Meeting to Order SALUTE TO THE FLAG – Chief Christopher Adams led the Pledge of Allegiance RECORDING SECRETARY – Deborah M. Sawicki ROLL CALL – Chairman Douglas A. Whittum, Commissioner Armand E. Maheux, and Commissioner Thomas K. Tarr Chairman Whittum recognizes Staff Present – Chief Christopher A. Adams, Captain Matthew J. Canfield, Lieutenant Richard E. Simmons, Lieutenant Allan L. Graton, Lieutenant Thomas E. Swett, and Prosecutor James A. Sawyer Chairman Whittum – A quorum has been established and there are three Commission members present I. Personnel Matters A. Commendations & Awards – Chief Christopher Adams advised we actually have one commendation that was not on the Agenda, to a man who has selflessly served this community and the Police Department for twenty-two years, Commissioner Armand Maheux. Chief advised the recommendation came from Chief Moyer to name the Community Room after this great man, Armand Maheux. Chief Adams advised the Laconia Police Department Community Room is now the Armand E. Maheux Community Room in grateful appreciation for his dedicated service to the Police Department and the citizens of the City of Laconia. Commissioner Armand Maheux noted the Laconia Police Department is one of the finest in the State of New Hampshire and he is proud to be a part of the amazing group of professionals. B. Training – Drug Recognition Expert School – Officer Holly Callanan. Lieutenant Allan Graton advised Officer Callanan has just finished her first phase of Drug Recognition School with the second phase to take place in Arizona. The Lieutenant advised all expenses for this training are fully covered by the State and there will be no cost to the City of Laconia. Commissioner Maheux inquired what this will entail and was advised she will be able to recognize someone under the influence and what type of drug they may have consumed. Lieutenant Graton advised we are also focusing on Spring Firearms Qualifications and Use of Force Training. Laconia Police Commission Minutes – April 20, 2017 Page 2 C. Miscellaneous – Laconia Links. Chief Adams advised he did two “Coffee with a Cop” Meetings at the Tavern and Normandin Square, and was asked a lot of questions and both were well attended. The Chief advised he and Captain Canfield also attended a Stand-Up Laconia Meeting on March 23, 2017, at the Huot Technical Center. Chief Adams advised there was also a “Reminder” article with regard to the Hands Free Law which went into effect on July 1, 2015. D. Resignations/Retirement – No Discussion E. Hirings – Lieutenant Graton advised our two newest hires completed their physical fitness tests on Monday and both passed, and they will be starting the full-time Academy on May 1, 2017; leaving us with one Officer down at this time. F. Promotions/Reorganization – Chief Adams advised he interviewed three qualified candidates for the position of Chief of Police and three for Captain, and ultimately will be recommending Captain Canfield as the new Chief of Police and Lieutenant Graton as the new Captain. Chairman Whittum advised the Commission opened the position for Chief of Police within the Department and received only one applicant, Captain Canfield, and there was no doubt he is the man and the right choice for the position. Chairman Whittum advised he is privy to an incident that happened in a surrounding town in which Captain Canfield became involved and when hearing the full story, he couldn’t believe the amount of common sense, personal integrity, and how impressive the Captain handled himself. Chief Adams advised he was hoping the Captain would be the next Chief as he has gotten to know him over the past twenty years and his experience, personality, and community connections are truly amazing. The Chief advised he feels confident leaving the Department and knowing this guy will be taking over, which is very reassuring, and can’t thank the Commission enough for making this choice. Commissioner Maheux noted the Captain’s was the most impressive resume he has read in a long time. Commissioner Tarr advised he has lived in this community for 14 years and we are fortunate to have a candidate; such as, Matthew Canfield, who has such integrity, professionalism, experience, and is of the highest caliber. Commissioner Tarr advised he is sorry to see Chief Adams leave, but is happy for Chief Elect Canfield who will be following in the professional footsteps for years to come. Chairman Whittum also noted a job well done in the selection of Captain Graton and feels confident in the Captain’s abilities to perform the duties with his new position. II. Division/Bureau Commander’s Forum A. Division/Bureau Commander. Captain Canfield advised Motorcycle Week planning is well underway and the Breakfast Briefing is scheduled for May 31, Laconia Police Commission Minutes – April 20, 2017 Page 3 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in the Woodside Building of the Taylor Community. The Captain advised he recently met with Financial Director and we are in line to wrap up the budget in the positive for this year. Captain Canfield advised there was an Active Shooter Presentation on March 27, 2017, at the Beane Conference Center for Healthlink which included safety preparations and there were approximately fifty in attendance. Commissioner Maheux inquired of the construction in the Weirs and if it will create any issues for Motorcycle Week and the summer season. Captain Canfield advised it should be wrapped up by Memorial Day. B. Support Division. Lieutenant Graton advised Robin has been working on the Accreditation Cycle to keep everything updated on a regular basis and it is three quarters of the way through. C. Operations Division. Lieutenant Richard Simmons advised motor vehicle enforcement is up, with a rise in the number of motor vehicle stops. The Lieutenant advised the event board is starting to fill up with the Little League Parade scheduled for Saturday, and we are gearing up for the summer with Special Officer Donald Kimtis coming back for the season. Commissioner Tarr inquired about the Pumpkin Fest as he had heard that Keene wanted to make a comeback. Captain Canfield advised he had heard similar news, but doesn’t believe it will affect our celebration. D. Detective Division – No Discussion. E. Legal Division. Prosecutor James Sawyer wanted to thank Chief Adams for being the longest working Chief he has worked for and each Chief brings his own style. The Prosecutor advised Chief Adams added a lot in terms of positive morale, inside and outside the Department, and by no means is he the operational expert that Matt is, but he has welcomed everyone and does not judge anyone which has been filtered down through the Department. Jim further advised that Chief Adams has a warm heart, has been his boss, a friend, and he will be missed. Jim advised he has always been impressed by the way Officers are led and the way they act which can be attributed to the professionalism shown by Captain Canfield, specifically referring to a major incident where the right decision was made at the right time. The Prosecutor advised Captain Canfield’s calmness and fairness has allowed him to work with other people in the City. Prosecutor Sawyer advised he is in a good place and will bring his own style to the Department. III. Orders and Bulletins – No Discussion IV. Commission Action Laconia Police Commission Minutes – April 20, 2017 Page 4 A. Acceptance of March 16, 2017, Minutes. B. Motion to Accept Promotions – Chief and Captain. Chairman Whittum entertained a Motion to approve the appointment of Captain Matthew J. Canfield to the position of Chief of Police and Lieutenant Allan L. Graton to the position of Captain moved by Commissioner Maheux, seconded enthusiastically by Commissioner Tarr, and passed unanimously. C. Out-of-State School. Chairman Whittum entertained a Motion to approve the out- of-State school request, moved by Commissioner Tarr, seconded by Commissioner Maheux, and passed unanimously. V. Review of Monthly Activity Reports A. Department Monthly Highlights. Chief Adams advised we had 25 domestic disturbances, 73 other disturbances, 6 suicidal subjects, 10 Violations of Restraining Orders, and 17 victims were served through the Victim Services Unit. Chairman Whittum complimented the Department for the assistance provided to the Town of Gilford during their tragic loss, which is very significant. Chief Adams advised a lot of personnel stepped up to the plate to help out and volunteered their time to cover the shifts during calling hours as well as the funeral. B. Monthly Fleet Report – No Discussion C. Criminal Investigative Unit Statistics – No Discussion D. Monthly Patrol Division Statistics. Commissioner Tarr advised he noted there has been a significant increase in Aggravated Assaults. Chief Adams advised these are the more serious level assaults and believes the drug epidemic has an impact on these numbers as well as the simple assault numbers as well. Prosecutor Sawyer advised also that in a domestic violence incident, if an individual is choked, this is now considered a Felony level offense. Prosecutor Sawyer advised most of the time these are people who know each other, and adding one or two incidents makes a huge change in the percentage level. Chairman Whittum inquired if the transient population also plays a role in these numbers. Chief advised he believes stranger on stranger crimes are still pretty rare in this community and a lot is people who know each other. Chief Adams advised there has been a decrease in the Crimes against Property by approximately 21%. Commissioner Tarr also noted a change in the Shoplifting numbers. Lieutenant Simmons advised a lot of this depends on the Loss Prevention Associates within Laconia Police Commission Minutes – April 20, 2017 Page 5 the business itself and their reporting. Prosecutor Sawyer advised in the case of Walmart, they are now down to one Loss Prevention Associate, but they still remain quite active. Chief Adams advised the Group A Crimes have shown a slight increase, Group B Crimes have decreased 10%, and overall, the statistics look fairly good. E. Budget Print-Out. Captain Canfield advised we are on track to finish the year within the budget. F. Monthly Traffic Statistics. Chief Adams advised the accident numbers are up which may be attributed to the weather, and noted the parking ticket numbers have been fluctuating a lot. Lieutenant Simmons advised this number should start to rise with the summer months coming and the return of the Community Resource Officers. Chairman Whittum noted he has seen an increase in police enforcement on Prescott Hill. VI. Correspondence to and from the Department. Chief Adams advised there was a thank you from Sergeant Kevin Butler to the Troops regarding cooperation with the Patrol Division during a recent investigation and arrest; a thank you from Sergeant Christopher Noyes for the Robbery at McDonald’s, which was another great group effort; a thank you from Captain Canfield regarding the escapee; a thank you from Chief Bean Burpee of Gilford for our assistance; a thank you from the Doris family; a thank you for the recovery of a stolen pick-up truck to Officer Croteau and Officer Jepsen, and a thank you to Lieutenant Simmons from NAMI as he was nominated for the NAMI New Hampshire Annual Award in the category of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. The Chief advised even though the Lieutenant hasn’t won the award, it is a testament to the relationship he has built with NAMI, and any time there is a major incident in the State, he is called, which shows a great honor. Chief Adams advised we received a thank you from the Evangelical Baptist Church for a presentation that was done on fraud and identity theft, and a thank you from the Deputy Chief of Liquor Enforcement for our participation on an interview panel for their new Chief. VII. Chief’s Report A. Performance Assessment Report Cards. Chief Adams advised they were all A’s, and one B. B. Laconia Rehabilitation Center Complimentary Breakfast – March 24, 2017. Chief Adams advised this was held on Blueberry Lane and was attended by Captain Canfield and several others which was very nice. C. Coffee with a Cop. Chief Adams advised he recently attended two Coffee with a Laconia Police Commission Minutes – April 20, 2017 Page 6 Cop Meetings at the Tavern and Normandin Square and both were well attended with some good questions being posed. The Chief advised he is hopeful this will continue as this is an awesome program. VIII. Old Business – No Discussion IX. New Business – Commissioner Tarr noted a concern with regard to the escapee from the facility on Green Street. Captain Canfield advised he has met with the powers to be there and a better protocol has been established in the event there are future escapes from the facility. Commissioner Maheux advised he was under the impression the State School property was closed, and the Chief advised this is actually located off of the State School property and they are not prisoners, but are there on a civil basis or voluntarily. X. Confirm Date of Next Regular or Special Meeting – May 18, 2017. Chief Adams advised the swearing-in ceremony will be held on Friday, April 28, 2017, at noon at the Pitman Freight Room. XI. Other Business – No Discussion XII. Citizen Comments – Councilor Baer offered congratulations to Captain Canfield and Lieutenant Graton on their promotions and applauded the Captain’s resume which was in the Manchester Union Leader today. Councilor Baer advised one of the perks of being a City Councilor is the responsibility as a liaison to a department within the City and it has been an honor to be the Police Department liaison. Brenda stated as a Councilor, she wants the Police Department to be the best they can be and they are, and when it comes to the Chief, we have had something very special, and there will be others who will speak on his accomplishments. Councilor Baer stated he is a caring individual who reaches out to everyone he meets on a personal level, and will find a 98 percent approval rating on how the matter is handled. Brenda noted when there is a bad report, the Chief will make contact to find out where the problem lies. Brenda advised the Chief has left messages on her phone inquiring if things are okay in her Ward and if there is something needed for discussion. Brenda stated the Community Events bring everyone together on a one-on- one basis, and also complimented the Chief and his Department on the multiple training programs afforded as well as the new technology skills. Councilor Baer advised as a result of his leadership, the Officers and employees of the Department are true professionals. Brenda advised the Chief will be missed and he is the personification of a good cop. Dennis Lintz noted there are five drug-related deaths in the community and there are so many things that are overlooked, he would like to know the policies and did inquire about Laconia Police Commission Minutes – April 20, 2017 Page 7 57 Blueberry Lane regarding involvement in drug-related actions. Dennis advised yesterday was the anniversary of the Messer Street accident. Dennis advised he was provided with a report from the Gilford Police Department which included two people who are now deceased, these types of trends continue and he doesn’t know what to do about them. Dennis stated this is an observation and he is not sure who to contact. Dennis stated he came to the Chief as he is a good person and listens, but there is stuff that needs to be followed up on and people are dying. XIII. Non-Public Session RSA 91-A:3II(a) – The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee or the investigation of any charges against him or her unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting, and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted. On a Motion by Chairman Whittum, moved by Commissioner Tarr, seconded by Commissioner Maheux, and passed unanimously, in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 II (a), the Laconia Police Commission entered into Non-Public Session at 3:45 p.m. At 4:00 p.m., the Non-Public Session ended on a Motion by Commissioner Maheux, seconded by Commissioner Tarr, with a unanimous vote to maintain the Minutes as confidential, in accordance with RSA 91-A:3,III. Chairman Whittum entertained a motion to seal the Minutes, moved by Commissioner Tarr, seconded by Commissioner Maheux, and passed unanimously. Chairman Whittum entertained a motion to approve the Laconia Drug account, moved by Commissioner Tarr, seconded by Commissioner Maheux, and passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.