From Greenwich Police Chief Heavey
To the Residents of the Town of Greenwich,
I am writing in response to last night’s vote authorizing the Greenwich Police Department to submit our plan to the Office of the State Traffic Administration (CTDOT) for the automated speed camera enforcement program. I want to express my sincere appreciation to the RTM for its support and to the many residents who made the case for this measure.
This proposal did not originate in our department’s preferences; it grew directly out of what we heard from residents. Speeding and reckless driving have consistently ranked among the most frequent and urgent complaints brought to this department, at neighborhood meetings, through our complaint line, and in conversations with Greenwich residents themselves. Residents told us, repeatedly, that they do not feel safe on their own streets. Last night’s vote gives us a better, more consistent tool to respond to exactly that concern.
I am grateful that the RTM weighed this program carefully and chose to move it forward. That deliberation, and the trust it reflects, is not something we take lightly. We recognize that authorization carries with it an obligation to implement this program responsibly, transparently, and in a way that earns and keeps the public’s confidence.
So I want to be clear about what comes next. This department remains fully committed to confronting speeding and the safety risks it creates. In the period ahead, we will:
• Continually review and, when needed, amend this program and work through the required approval process;
• Continue to deploy targeted speed and traffic enforcement and respond to residents’ reports of dangerous driving;
• Work with Public Works, Traffic Engineering, and the BOS Traffic Authority on engineering and traffic-calming measures alongside enforcement;
• Keep residents informed at every stage and maintain open lines of communication with those who experience these problems every day.
I also want to assure residents that this program will be administered with a focus on safety, not revenue, and with appropriate safeguards and public notice. I welcome the opportunity to continue this conversation with the RTM and with residents as we move forward. The goal – safer streets for the people of Greenwich – has always been a shared one, and last night’s vote brings us closer to it.
Respectfully,
James J. Heavey
Chief of Police