The Bethel Police Commission has not published an agenda or minutes of meetings since January 20, 2021; the Bethel Police Department itself hasn’t published any news since 6/12/2018. And what became of the old police blotter that normally is published in every small town newspaper?
First, the commission meetings. Bethel residents have no idea what goes on during these meetings if the town website doesn’t post anything to inform the citizenry. They say it’s all about boring traffic stuff. But woe be unto you if you show up at one of these meetings just out of curiosity. The chair of the commission (in this case, Rubino il Duce) will challenge you rudely to identify yourself, whether you wanted to say anything on the record or not. This happened to us a while back. Chief Pugner and his minion Lieutenant Libertini sat impassively on the side with all their deadly gadgetry hanging from their stiff uniforms. Hell, one doesn’t want these traffic cops to know who you are or where you live. You’re just going to end up seeing a lot more of them around town. Best not to speak at these meetings.
As to the department itself, we may have to file FOIA requests just to get a look at the police blotter. There are too many flatfoots as it is (we counted over fifty on their website). That’s too many, even for such a dangerous place as Bethel, where the crime rate is through the roof. We are afraid to go into town to shop for fear of muggings, if not murder and rape. Our fellow citizens are perennially rioting in the streets, just for entertainment.
We have just learned that our dear Town selectman is leaving his post for a better job in another town. Alas. If it’s a matter of more money, we urge that the town triple his salary, which expense would be covered by letting go of three police officers. That should cover it nicely.
