Police Commission approves road closure for recovery vigil
Other Committee · Meeting of June 17, 2026
New Canaan Police Commission clears road closure for a vigil expected to draw 750 people. The commission unanimously approved closing South Avenue between Morse Court and Elm Street from 2 to 10 p.m. on September 1, with a rain date of September 2, for the 10th annual addiction awareness vigil organized by Paul Wright of the New Canaan Parent Support Group, contingent on separate town approvals. The chief reported the department is running near 90 percent of its fiscal 2026 budget and about 77 percent minimum staffing amid summer vacations, after a job candidate chose Norwalk over New Canaan.
Commissioners also heard four commendation letters, including one crediting Sergeant Colino with performing off-duty CPR that saved a man's life at a Wilton track event: "he saved that guy's life," one commissioner said.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,103 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of June 17, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
Approval of Minutes
The commission opened by approving minutes from its May 20 regular meeting and its June 1 special session, both by unanimous voice vote without discussion. Both items were procedural and consumed less than two minutes of the meeting combined.
Road Closure Request: Addiction Awareness Vigil
Background and stakes: The New Canaan Parent Support Group has held an annual addiction awareness vigil for close to a decade, and this year marks its 10th anniversary. The event has grown from a small gathering to what founder Paul Wright says draws hundreds of attendees, including many from outside New Canaan, requiring the commission's approval each year to close a public road for setup and the evening program.
The question before the body: Whether to approve a road closure on South Avenue to allow the group to erect a pop-up park for the vigil and its recovery speakers.
Substantive content: Wright told the commission the vigil has drawn as many as 600 attendees in each of the past several years, and he expects 750 this year, a figure he said would make it the largest recovery-focused event in Connecticut. He said roughly 25 percent of attendees are New Canaan residents, with the remainder traveling from other Connecticut communities, some over an hour, to attend. Wright requested the closure begin at 2 p.m. to allow time to set up before the program starts at 7 p.m., with teardown following. He asked that if the event's planned date, Tuesday, September 1, is rained out, the closure be moved to Wednesday, September 2, at the same hours. Wright also said the group intends to place awareness ribbons on utility posts along Elm Street and Main Street and asked for the commission's approval to do so.
The deliberation: A commissioner noted having worked with Wright on the event previously and observed that it draws heavily from outside New Canaan, characterizing that reach as "a real positive." Wright agreed, describing strong participation from the broader recovery community, some of whom travel more than an hour specifically for the event. A commissioner asked whether Wright had secured approvals from other town bodies; he said he had not yet done so but was pursuing them. The commission discussed making its approval contingent on Wright separately clearing the town's special-events process, including insurance and stipend requirements administered through town hall.
"I'm telling everybody we're going to have 750 people, which would make this by far the biggest recovery event in Connecticut," Wright said.
Procedural steps and outcome: A commissioner moved to approve the request; it was seconded and passed on a unanimous voice vote. The commission specified the approval covers South Avenue between Morse Court and Elm Street, for the vigil on Tuesday, September 1, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., with a rain date of Wednesday, September 2, at the same hours, contingent on Wright obtaining the other required town approvals. After the vote, a commissioner asked Wright for his contact information, saying a friend was organizing a similar event in Pennsylvania and might benefit from speaking with him; Wright agreed to share his information and offered to speak with the Pennsylvania organizer directly, noting a contact in Florida had helped him get his own event started years earlier.
Implications and what is next: The closure is now approved by the Police Commission but remains conditional on Wright completing the town's special-events approval process before September 1. Residents along South Avenue and in the surrounding area should expect road restrictions and increased pedestrian activity that evening.
2026 Charity Bike Race
Background and stakes: An annual multi-distance bicycling event, including a 5-kilometer run and 25-mile, 10-mile and 62-mile bike legs, has passed through the northern section of New Canaan for a number of years. The chief raised it as an informational item rather than a request requiring commission action.
The question before the body: Whether any commission action, such as a road closure, was needed to accommodate the race.
Substantive content: The chief said only the 62-mile bike leg passes through New Canaan, along a route that includes Reservoir Lane, Ponus Ridge, Oenoke Ridge, Lukes Wood Road and New York Avenue, though he was not certain of the direction of travel. He said riders come through in small, spread-out numbers with no staging or rest stops in town, so the event does not require road closures or dedicated police coverage.
The deliberation: A commissioner asked whether a vote was needed; the chief said no, since no roads would be closed and the event has run for years without incident or a dedicated town contact organizing the New Canaan leg.
Procedural steps and outcome: No motion was made and no vote was taken. The item was treated as informational.
Implications and what is next: Residents along the affected northern roads may see bicycle traffic on the race date but should not expect closures or detours.
Recruitment Update
Background and stakes: The department has been working to fill staffing vacancies, an effort the commission has followed at recent meetings. At its prior meeting, the commission had approved extending a job offer to a candidate.
The question before the body: An update on the status of that hire and the broader recruitment effort.
Substantive content: The chief reported that the candidate who had been offered a position chose instead to join the Norwalk Police Department. Sergeant Callinan is leading the department's ongoing recruitment process to fill remaining vacancies.
The deliberation: A commissioner asked who had spoken with the departing candidate and whether pay had factored into the decision. The chief said Sergeant Callinan had handled the conversation and that the choice did not appear to come down to compensation, characterizing the comparison between New Canaan and Norwalk as "apples to oranges" and calling it a personal decision the department respects.
"It's a competitive market. We realize that, and that's just something that's a sign of the times," the chief said.
Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was required; the update was informational.
Implications and what is next: The department continues recruiting to fill its vacancies, with Sergeant Callinan running the process. No timeline was given for the next hire.
Approval of Invoices and Employee Reimbursements
Background and stakes: The commission routinely reviews and approves department invoices and reimbursements for uniforms, clothing and equipment.
The question before the body: Whether to approve the current batch of invoices and reimbursements.
Substantive content: A commissioner asked about invoices from an athletic shoe vendor showing balances owed of roughly $2,000 on some line items, asking whether that reflected a single high-cost purchase. The chief clarified the balances are cumulative across the department's account with the vendor rather than tied to an individual purchase, and confirmed the department maintains a running account there.
Procedural steps and outcome: With no further questions, a commissioner moved to approve the expenses; it was seconded and approved on a unanimous voice vote.
Implications and what is next: No further action required; the approval clears the invoices for payment.
Letters of Appreciation
Background and stakes: The commission reviews commendation letters recognizing department members for notable actions, a recurring agenda item.
The question before the body: To receive and acknowledge four letters submitted since the last meeting.
Substantive content: The first letter, from Sergeant Catinella, described Officer Heights' investigation into a fight that broke out among parents at the end of a state playoff basketball game between two out-of-town teams. Multiple officers responded to the initial disturbance; Officer Heights followed up using video footage and ultimately obtained an arrest warrant for those involved. The second letter, from Kelly Coughlin, recognized the department's participation in the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run, which fielded nine runners and one bike officer this year. Participants named in the letter included Lieutenant Timothy, Sergeant Galliani, Officer Bellino (also referenced as Sergeant Bellino), Sergeant Cavaliere, Officer Adams, Sergeant Rozzano, Officer Gibson, Officer Blank, Officer Risitelli, Officer Shanahan, Officer Castro and Officer Prado, with Jennifer and Shannon assisting in organizing the event. The chief said the torch run's route has historically run along the Interstate 95 corridor but, because of Coughlin's involvement, now runs through Stamford before the torch is driven to New Canaan and carried on a leg into Darien; Coughlin was recognized by Special Olympics and ran the torch into the stadium that evening. The third letter, from the Wilton Police Department, described Sergeant Colino rendering aid while off duty at a track event at Wilton High School, where an elderly man was found unconscious, not breathing and in cardiac arrest. Colino began CPR and continued until Wilton police officers arrived; the man survived, and Colino is expected to receive a lifesaving award from the Wilton Police Department. The fourth letter, from Staying Put in New Canaan, thanked the department and Officer Coughlin for hosting the group's members for a tour of the new police headquarters building and a session on protecting themselves from scams.
The deliberation: Commissioners reacted with brief comments of praise after each letter, calling the Colino incident "extraordinary" and noting the difficulty of responding to a medical emergency quickly while off duty.
"From what this says, he saved that guy's life," one commissioner said of Sergeant Colino.
Procedural steps and outcome: No formal vote was taken; the letters were received and acknowledged.
Implications and what is next: The commission indicated it wants to be notified when Wilton police formally present Colino's lifesaving award.
Monthly Report
Background and stakes: The chief presents monthly reports on budget, statistics, staffing, extra duty and false alarms as a standing agenda item.
Substantive content: The department is operating at about 90 percent of its fiscal year 2026 budget with the year closing out, which the chief called on track. Motor vehicle stops rose sharply in April because of a state-funded overtime grant campaign focused on enforcement, which brought more officers onto additional shifts; stops have since fallen off but remain part of ongoing visibility efforts. Motor vehicle violations are down about 25 percent year-to-date, which the chief attributed partly to a harder winter with more snow than in recent years slowing enforcement activity. Staffing is running at roughly 77 percent of minimum levels, which the chief described as typical for early summer given vacations. Five officers are currently in training and expected back on their regular shifts in the coming weeks; one officer is in the police academy; the department currently has one vacancy after accounting for two positions, with two additional officers on extended injury leave. Extra-duty billing was described as being in better shape than the chief has seen, with Branch Construction identified as the largest contractor working with the department and paying its bills reliably. False alarm balances are low overall, though some balances older than 120 days are likely to be written off as properties change hands or businesses close.
Procedural steps and outcome: The report was informational; no vote was taken.
Implications and what is next: The chief will continue monitoring staffing as five officers return from training and recruitment continues for the department's open position.
Adjournment
With no further business raised, a commissioner moved to adjourn; the motion was seconded and approved on a unanimous voice vote.
Police Commission members: Not identified by name in the transcript or in any supplied roster, agenda or minutes; multiple unnamed commissioners spoke, moved and seconded motions throughout the meeting.
Police Chief: Presented the recruitment update and monthly report; referred to only as "Chief" throughout, with no surname given in the transcript.
Sergeant Callinan: Referenced as leading the department's recruitment process; not confirmed present in person.
Paul Wright: Founder of the New Canaan Parent Support Group, appeared to request the road closure for the addiction awareness vigil.
New Canaan Parent Support Group — organized the addiction awareness vigil for which Paul Wright requested the road closure.
Wilton Police Department — sent a letter of commendation regarding Sergeant Colino's off-duty lifesaving actions and plans to present him a life-saving award.
Special Olympics (Law Enforcement Torch Run) — the subject of a commendation letter from Kelly Coughlin recognizing the department's participation and expanded route through New Canaan.
Staying Put in New Canaan — sent a letter thanking police and Officer Coughlin for hosting a station tour and scam-prevention briefing.
Branch Construction — cited by the chief as the department's largest extra-duty contractor, described as current on payments.
State overtime enforcement grant — cited by the chief as the funding source behind the April spike in motor vehicle stops.