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On Thursday, police chiefs from six communities announced the formation the Fairfield County Traffic Unit, a new collaboration that means officers can cross municipal borders to pursue suspects, make motor vehicle stops and enhance traffic safety.
“This is great for smaller departments,” said Easton Captain Richard Doyle. “With one phone call, we can have 10 to 15 officers at our disposal.”
The new agreement — covering Bridgeport, Fairfield, Stratford, Trumbull, Monroe and Easton — also means the unit can apply for state grants for things such as group training and better regional communication.
“We can take little steps now to turn it into better communication if something big happens,” said Fairfield Lt. Robert Kalamaras.
Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara said traffic woes are the No. 1 complaint he receives from residents. The agreement means police can better handle drunk and drugged driving now that municipal boundaries “are just lines on a map,” he said.
Added grant opportunities will help all departments, said Bridgeport Police Chief AJ Perez.
“These days budgets are tight so it takes this collaboration to get the job done,” he said.
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