Welcome to the Town of Groton, Connecticut

Community Policing

Community Policing is the means by which citizens can have greater influence over how their neighborhood is policed. This involves creating opportunities for officers to meet with the residents that they serve in order to learn what their concerns are, and then translating those concerns into activities that address them.

Community Policing Offices The Groton Police Department currently has three locations where our officers maintain special office hours: the Groton Community Center (61 Fort Hill Rd), the Groton Library (52 Newtown Rd) the Groton Police Substation (9 Water St).  Please check our Facebook page as those hours are subject to change. Officers meet with neighborhood associations, civic groups, or with individuals who stop in to discuss areas of concern.

Programs and Events The Police Department has partnered with departments around Town, including Parks and Recreation, the Public Library, Human Services and the Groton Senior Center, to arrange a wide variety of programs and events for the community.  Our officers are involved in the meal distribution programs, including the breakfast and lunch pick-up sites sponsored by Groton Board of Education and Groton Community Meals in conjunction with the Groton Senior Center.

The Cognitive Safety and Awareness Program is designed to connect law enforcement and those persons and families who are affected by Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia and TBIs. The program involves training police department members (supervisors, patrol and dispatch) on how to respond to calls involving persons with cognitive issues.  We meet with the families to collect essential information about the loved one with cognitive issues, in order to locate persons who have walked off (or “eloped”) in a timely manner and provide resources available to them. We recently extended this program to assist families who have loved ones on the Autism spectrum.

The Blue Envelope Program The “Blue Envelope” was created to enhance communication between a police officer and a driver with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of the envelope is to have the driver place their license, registration and insurance card in it, so they can hand it to the officer during a traffic stop.  On the outside of the envelope is helpful information and instructions for both the officer and driver on how to successfully communicate with each other.

The Green Envelope Program Similar to the Blue Envelope, this program was created to enhance communication between a police officer and a driver with hearing impairment.

Safe Futures - Law Enforcement Victim Advocate Community Policing Officers work with Safe Futures and the Law Enforcement Victim Advocate for issues involving domestic violence.  This partnership helps victims and families access services for domestic violence and sexual assault, providing safety planning, advocacy, support and information about the agency’s resources. The advocate provides immediate crisis intervention and advocacy to victims, acting as a liaison between law enforcement and victims during the initial investigation, as well as with follow-up services and referrals.

National Night Out NNO is a yearly event, which takes place on the first Tuesday of August.  The purpose of National Night Out is to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods a safer and more caring place to live. The event also promotes emergency and disaster awareness; heightens crime and drug prevention and awareness; generated support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs; and strengthens neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.

Police Service Dog Program:  Since its inception in August of 2019, the Groton Police Department has been the proud recipient of two Labrador retriever service dogs, “McDonald” and “Chase”.  Both dogs were donated by Puppies Behind Bars (PBB), a non-profit organization that teaches inmates how to train service dogs for first responders and military veterans with PTSD.  McDonald was named after retired NYPD Detective Steven McDonald (EOW 1/10/2017) and trained in Bedford Hills Women’s Correctional Facility (NY).  Our current dog, Chase, is a 1 year old yellow lab, trained in Downstate Men’s Correctional Facility (NY).  Chase is partnered with Community Policing Officer Heather McClelland.  She accompanies Officer McClelland in her daily duties and has the primary role of providing assistance to the officers and staff of the Groton Police Department in a therapeutic manner.  Additional duties include carrying out community outreach functions such as educational programming, specialized events, and community interaction; providing assistance to victims of violent crime and other crimes of sensitive nature; creating a more engaging relationship between the community of Groton and the officers and staff employed by the Groton Police Department; and providing assistance to partner agencies, first responders and the many military personnel who call Groton home.