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02/20/2024 12:16 PMIn an effort to increase understanding between the public and members of the police department, Old Saybrook Police Chief Michael Spera is looking to host a town meeting later this year that he hopes will benefit the public and the officers.
At a Police Commission meeting last month, Spera spent a few minutes outlining his goals for 2024. One of the goals mentioned was a town meeting where the public would have the chance to ask members of the department’s leadership teams questions they have about their work.
Spera elaborated that, in his mind, the event would take place later in 2024, potentially in the fall, in some place, such as an auditorium in one of the schools. Spera said his idea for the event would be for members of the public to come and ask questions of the department leadership, give compliments, or state concerns.
Spera said there would need to be ground rules established before the meeting but said it could be an opportunity for the public to learn why things are done a certain way or share any concerns.
“I think we can all be respectful adults,” Spera said.
Increasing the dialogue between the department and the public is something that both Spera and the Police Commission have worked on in recent years. Spera said the meeting would be a good opportunity to get members of the leadership team training on answering questions. Spera said he would work with the leadership team on how to field and respond to a question in a respectful manner.
“I think it would be a great training exercise,” Spera said. “It also allows the future leaders of our department to get face time with the community, so I’m not the only one talking about these things.”
Spera has long been a proponent of activities that get the community to know the officers on the force, such as community picnics or other engagements that allow people to talk to officers in lowkey settings. While the town meeting would be more formal, it would allow the public to get answers to questions they might have about what officers do and why they do it.
Goals
During the meeting, Spera outlined several other goals he has set for himself in 2024, including completing a master’s in public administration program, continuing on the path to Tier Three accreditation from the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, restarting the Police Explorer Program, founding a solution to the proposal of having an evaluation of the chief of police, coming up with a framework for a department staffing and structure plan, having a summer community picnic, and to “continue to be a bold, vocal public safety leader.”