State Rep. Foncello Tours State Police Troop A Barracks, Goes for Ride-Along

Southbury–State Representative Martin Foncello (R-107) recently visited with members of State Police Troop A in Southbury.  67 Troopers cover 81 highway miles, from the state line to exit 28 for the I-691 interchange, along with portions of Routes 7 and 8.

“After voting on the State Police Union contract, which included incentives to boost recruitment and bolster retention, I wanted to get a more in-depth look at and broaden my knowledge about their agency,” said Foncello.

“We’re starting to get up to proper staffing, but the State Police have been understaffed for the last few years. Agency wide, we are down several senior members due to retirement because of changes in pension and health benefits, so we lost a lot of that institutional knowledge.  This is a young department now, and there’s room for growth, so this is a sought-after Troop. In addition to the highways, we also provide policing services for towns like Sherman, Roxbury, Bridgewater, and Southbury. This leads to young troopers having an opportunity to investigate criminal cases,” said Lt Kyle Rapp.

During a tour of the barracks, Foncello learned about the procedure when criminals are brought into the station, the work of dispatchers answering 911 calls, and about efforts of the Troop to raise money for improvements to the facility. Foncello learned that State Police can assist local towns by bringing in the major crimes van. They also provide manpower and respond to situations like mall lockdowns. Since troopers take their vehicles home with them, the agency can activate their full roster of almost 1,000 members at once.

Foncello was also invited to go on a ride-along with Trooper Daniel Murphy. The pair discussed updated state laws regarding pursuits, searches of vehicles and the impact of the legalization of recreational cannabis. Foncello saw license plate reader and laser speed enforcement tools in action and how Trooper Murphy handled a traffic stop.

“I was a liaison to the NYPD for the Department of Homeland Security, so policing has always been an interest of mine. It was good to learn about all the modern technology at the disposal of Connecticut State Police Troopers,” said Foncello.

As for cannabis, officials told Foncello that it has changed their job in some regards, but they noted that a breathalyzer doesn’t work to test someone for being under the influence of drugs either.

“I am interested in working with local and state police to find confident field sobriety tests or techniques to determine potential cannabis use or impairment,” added Foncello.