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More feet on the street

(From left to right) Mike Gendron, Doug Lambert, Damien Kozikowski and Alan R. Blankenship are the four newest members of the Chicopee Police Department. Reminder Publications photo by Courtney Llewellyn
By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



CHICOPEE Last week, Mayor Michael Bissonnette announced that community input was needed to make the city's safety initiative a successful venture.

"This meeting is a result of what residents have brought to my attention," Bissonnette said as he welcomed residents, business owners and law enforcement officers to the Tuesday morning meeting. "This is for everyone who lives and works in the downtown area and for everyone who has made a commitment to this city with not only their blood, sweat and tears but their money as well."

A proposed plan from the mayor, the Board of Aldermen, the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce and the city's police department was laid out for those in attendance. The most significant points of the plan include placing more police officers downtown and additional lighting for Exchange Street, Market Square and the Triangle.

"There will be more walking beats downtown, as well as more cruisers," Bissonnette promised. Police Chief John R. Ferraro confirmed this.

"There will be two officers on a walking beat downtown from 4 p.m. to midnight and one officer from midnight to about 3 a.m.," Ferraro said. "People's perception of a cop walking down the street is stronger than if they see a cruiser going by at 30 miles per hour."

Ferraro stressed the importance of community policing, however. "We need to nip things in the bud, we need to get called," he said. "Call us before something happens. Let us know about suspicious people." He added that compared to this time last year, the police department has received 100 more calls about issues in the downtown area, which he perceived as a good thing.

Bissonnette agreed, adding, "Let us know if you have any leads. You know your neighborhood, your neighbors and your customers. No call is unimportant if it's a problem for you, it's a problem for us."

Cpt. Connie Burke of the Chicopee Women's Jail said, "I think the police presence in the community is really making difference."

With more "feet on the street" from Holyoke Catholic School and increased enrollment at the Elms, the mayor and police department are also focusing on keeping customers of the business community safe.

"We learned a hard lesson from Springfield about what not to do downtown," Bissonnette said. "Now, our downtown is safer than any other in the area. The License Commission is very active in monitoring liquor licenses and the health and building inspectors are looking to continue improvements. Chicopee wants to help make your business successful," he stated.

John Murray, who owns a number of businesses downtown, said he was especially excited about the new, brighter lighting.

"The Job Corps came in and cleaned up the graffiti on Exchange Street two weeks before the new lights were installed, and very little vandalism has been done since then," Bissonnette said. "The lights serve as part deterrent, part solution."

Alderman Charles Swider complimented the city on what's been done so far to make it a safer place to live and work. "You've done a great job coming together and working together," he told those in attendance.

Public safety in Chicopee, especially downtown, will continue to an important issue for the mayor's office.

"The only way to create a solution is to make us aware of a problem," Bissonnette said. "You can't let the little stuff go."