City Unveils New Security And Safety Features At Latham Park

STAMFORD, CT — On Wednesday morning at Latham Park in downtown Stamford, Mayor David Martin was joined by local elected officials, police commissioners, and public safety personnel to unveil a new tool that aims to improve the safety and security for residents and visitors.

A Blue Light Safety Tower was installed at the park just off of Bedford Street near the sidewalk and benches. The tower features an emergency call button, as well as a mounted 360 degree camera. This is the 11th such tower installed around the city, with another one being installed at Columbus Park.

The Blue Light Tower installation sites are based upon park usage, topography, the number of 911 emergency responses within the past twelve months, and input from the residents of the communities.

"This is part of a larger initiative that we've done during my administration, which is to bring more modern technology to our police," Martin said on Wednesday. "We are not seeing crime where these poles go up. It's there primarily as a deterrent. Criminals don't normally like to commit crimes right in front of a camera. These things actually appear to be reducing crime."

The towers allow a caller to quickly communicate with 911 in case of an emergency. When a caller activates the emergency call button, they are immediately connected to the 911 call center via the camera and the microphone. The 911 dispatcher can see the caller via the camera and communicate with them via the microphone. The Blue Light on top of the tower enables the Police, Fire, and EMS to quickly locate the caller. There is also a mounted security camera above, which gives first responders a 360 degree view of the area.

Martin stressed that the goal is "not to make this a police state." The security camera will not be monitored constantly, but footage will be recorded so if there is a car accident or any other type of incident, police will have visual evidence to refer to.

So far in the last six months, Martin said, four people have used the emergency button feature on other towers.

"Let's be clear. This technology does not replace our police officers. When an emergency comes, the police have to be there, and when the emergency isn't there, we need our police to form relationships in the community," Martin added. "These technological improvements help augment and strengthen our ability to keep the public safe and give our police a visual tool to keep the public safe."

Martin also noted that the emergency call button can be used for health emergencies.

"It isn't just for the police. On occasion we'll respond to medical calls and other types of emergency calls. If someone needs help in a hurry and for whatever reason they don't have a cell phone, they can press one of these buttons," Martin said.

For Stamford Board Representatives Annie Summerville and Denis Patterson, who represent District 6 in the downtown area, the new tower at Latham Park is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

"This is so wonderful. It makes us feel more safe," Summerville said. "So far I've had no negative feedback."

Patterson, who lives nearby Latham Park, said the area can get very busy especially at night.

"There are a lot of older people who sit and relax and enjoy themselves [at the park]. This just makes everyone feel more secure," he said.

The installation cost for the towers varies, and Martin said it's easier to install towers in areas where there's fiber optic access. The average cost to install a tower before fiber electrical work is $20,000. The towers are funded through the city's capital projects fund. Two more towers will be installed soon at Jackie Robinson Park and Boccuzzi Park.

Martin urged any Board Representative or constituent who believes a tower is needed in a particular park or neighborhood to reach out. The City has a camera review committee that will review locations in terms of potential incidents and the amount of traffic in the area. Martin added that there is money set aside for certain requests, and that he'd be willing to add more funds if need be.

Joseph Gaudett, Director of Emergency Services for Stamford, said the tower provides instant access for residents to first responders.

"The addition of the cameras adds that extra dimension for us to get that real time awareness of what's going on. We can share that information with the boots on the ground as they respond," Gaudett said.

Gaudett came to Stamford in 2019 from Bridgeport, and has helped revamp the city's 911 operations. He has collaborated with police, fire, EMS and dispatchers to streamline and quicken responses and make sure the right people are going to the right calls.

Adding more technology features to first responders has been an important initiative for Martin. For example, 911 operations now employ an application called Carbyne, which can pinpoint a cell phone's exact location, with permission from the caller.

A kayaker was recently saved out in the water thanks to the feature. The kayaker did not know her exact location, but the fire department boat that was dispatched was able to use her latitude and longitude coordinates through Carbyne. They plugged the numbers into their GPS, and were able to make a successful, quick rescue with less resources.

Now, the Blue Light Tower is just another tool in the toolbox.