03/17/2007
Apartment owner proposes to cut on-site police patrols
By: Kory Loucks , Journal Inquirer
EAST WINDSOR - The owner of Millpond Village Apartments is proposing cutting the on-site police officer's hours by half, despite a recent murder nearby.
Michael R. Martin, senior vice president of Winn Residental, owner of the Millpond Village apartment complex, told the police commission that originally Winn Residential was thinking of replacing the on-site full-time police officer with a private security firm for financial reasons.
Winn Residential's three-year contract with the town to provide the on-site officer at the 360-unit complex ends this year.
Police Officer Bruce Everett works at Millpond Village 40 hours per week and Winn Residential underwrites his salary, which is about $80,000 annually, including benefits, Martin said.
Martin said Winn would consider keeping the on-site officer but would reduce his hours to 20 per week.
It was suggested at the meeting that the primary hours for police patrols of the complex are in the afternoons when students come home from high school.
Police Chief Edward J. DeMarco Jr. said he has a good working relationship with Winn Residential, and "any level of commitment" from them is appreciated.
"We'll take anything we can get," DeMarco said.
"One of the things we could do is set aside a two-bedroom apartment as a sub-station on the property," Martin said.
This would allow the officer to have more visibility and not have to go elsewhere to write reports and have access to a restroom, he said.
Police Commission member Linda Sinsigallo said, "I think it is wonderful what the officer has done. He has had a great impact of lessening crime."
Police Commission Chairman Richard Sherman told Martin: "If we go to less hours and we have an officer there, I don't know if we will be able to have the same officer all the time."
Police Commission member James Barton was concerned that reducing the onsite police officer's hours was going to add expenses to the police budget, since Everett is not part of the roster now.
After the meeting both the chief and Barton said they did not feel that reducing the on-site officer's hours would be perceived in a negative light, despite the recent murder of Javed Akhtar, who owned the One Stop Convenience store across the street from the complex.
Akhtar was shot in the neck on Feb. 28 outside the store and died Saturday, March 10.
Winn Residential had been paying for a premium service, which has helped the officer assigned to the Broad Brook section of town, but the chief did not view the proposed change negatively.
After the meeting Everett said, "my personal opinion is that it is very unlikely" that the person who shot Akhtar was someone from Millpond Village, and that "it may have been from the outside." He emphasized that it is important to "let the detectives do their job."
Everett added that he has a good rapport with the people living at Millpond Village, and felt that he would have heard something if someone there was involved in the murder.
Terry Doyle, the Millpond Village property manager, said Akhtar's slaying shocked residents.
"There is a whole group who are fund-raising" for the family, Doyle said, adding that they are planning a candlelight vigil for Akhtar.
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