New Canaan Police Commission adopts new pursuit, firearms rules

Other Committee · Meeting of April 16, 2026

New Canaan Police Commission ties extra-duty pay hike to pending union contract. Commissioners voted unanimously to raise officers' extra-duty rate to match the sergeant's overtime rate, effective once both the police union and Town Council ratify a new contract. Captain Panda walked the commission through pursuit and firearms policy revisions required to meet a new state model policy, while a license plate reader policy was tabled pending state legislative action.

Officer Kelly Coughlin secured approval to close the pop-up park June 5 for the Law Enforcement Torch Run benefiting Special Olympics Connecticut. The department reported operating at 69.5 percent of its budget through March and 61 percent of minimum staffing, with two vacancies open since before last fall.

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Source: the Other Committee meeting of April 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

NEW CANAAN — April 16, 2026 — The New Canaan Police Commission voted unanimously Thursday to raise the extra-duty pay rate for officers to match sergeants' overtime rate, contingent on ratification of a new police union contract, while also signing off on a summer charity run and updated pursuit and firearms policies.

The commission's other business included approval of a permit for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Connecticut and adoption of state-mandated language governing police vehicle pursuits, department officials said. Commissioners tabled a proposed license plate reader policy, citing pending action by the state legislature.

The Full Story

The commission opened its regular meeting by approving the minutes of its March 18 meeting without discussion. It then heard from Officer Kelly Coughlin of the New Canaan Police, who requested use of the town's pop-up park between Elm Street and South Avenue on Friday, June 5, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the law enforcement torch run benefiting Special Olympics Connecticut. The race is scheduled to begin around 9:30 a.m. Commissioners approved the request unanimously and credited Coughlin with growing the department's role in the event from a single leg run out of Darien to a larger local presence.

Commissioners also discussed the annual Fourth of July road race, a roughly four-mile run along West Road that has taken place for years without incident. Because the route does not require a road closure, no commission vote was needed. The organizer has filed the required special events permit with the town, and officers will be assigned to assist with safety, according to the discussion.

The bulk of the meeting centered on revisions to the department's general orders. Captain Panda told commissioners the changes largely bring New Canaan's pursuit and firearms policies into compliance with a new state model policy, following a review by an outside assessor last fall that flagged gaps in the department's use-of-force documentation. Commissioners questioned Panda about a requirement in the state standard for initial and biennial refresher training on pursuit driving maneuvers. Panda said officers receive that training at the police academy but that the department, like many in the state, lacks a dedicated site for hands-on vehicle pursuit training since a former airport location became unavailable. He said the department is working to identify a new site. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve adoption of the pursuit-policy language for incorporation into the general orders, with a final, formatted version to return for review next month; the firearms policy update was approved as final. The commission tabled a separate policy governing license plate readers because state lawmakers are still finalizing related legislation.

Commissioners also approved, without objection, a routine batch of invoices and employee reimbursements for uniforms, clothing and equipment.

In the department's monthly reports, the police chief told commissioners the department was operating at 69.5 percent of its budget through March, with three months remaining in the fiscal year, and described the department's financial position as on track while continuing to monitor overtime spending. Monthly statistics showed improving motor vehicle enforcement activity as officers resumed distracted-driving patrols funded by a grant after a winter lull tied to snow. Commissioners also asked about a call logged as a bomb threat; the chief said the incident had been miscoded and involved a report of a suspicious box that a police dog confirmed was not a threat. A staffing report showed the department at 61 percent of minimum staffing for March, with one officer in field training, one at the police academy, and two vacancies open since before last fall.

The commission then entered executive session to discuss the pending police union contract. Upon returning to open session, the only item requiring a vote was a proposal to raise the extra-duty pay rate for officers to match the rate paid to sergeants for overtime work. Commissioners approved the change unanimously, though it will not take effect until the contract is ratified by both the police union and the Town Council.

"I'm here to request the use of the pop-up park between Elm Street and South Avenue on Friday, June 5th for the law enforcement torch run for Special Olympics Connecticut." — Officer Kelly Coughlin, New Canaan Police

"Through Kelly's hard work and fundraising efforts, they've seen us as serious donors and serious participants, so they allow us to run a leg through, which is a great honor." — New Canaan Police Commission chair

"The firearm changes, there aren't many, but that's a clear standard. The assessor looked at it when we came through last fall and identified that there's certain language that we need to have in there." — Captain Panda, New Canaan Police

Why It Matters

The extra-duty pay change, once the union contract is ratified, will put New Canaan patrol officers on the same overtime rate as sergeants for outside-detail work, a shift the commission approved without debate. The pursuit and firearms policy updates stem from a state-mandated model policy following a fall compliance review, and commissioners flagged an unresolved gap: the department has no local site to conduct hands-on vehicle pursuit training. A finalized, reformatted version of the pursuit policy is due back before the commission next month. The license plate reader policy remains on hold pending state legislative action.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Approval of March 18 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Approval of pop-up park use for June 5 Special Olympics Torch Run Tally: Approved unanimously

• Action: Fourth of July road race notification — No vote required; commission acknowledged the filed special events permit

- Vote: Adoption of state model policy language into pursuit and firearms general orders Tally: Approved unanimously

• Action: License plate reader policy — Tabled pending state legislative action

- Vote: Approval of invoices and employee reimbursements as presented Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Increase in extra-duty pay rate to match sergeant's overtime rate, contingent on contract ratification Tally: Approved unanimously