Open Letter to the Board of Finance about Crime in Windsor Locks

Good Afternoon,

As I sat down to compose this email I had my Police Scanner on. My intentions when I first wrote this email was to share with you a 60 Minutes interview http://youtu.be/d8Ls3YSuICw  that took place in Springfield Ma, just 15 minutes north of Windsor Locks.  As I was composing this email, I listened to the WLPD as they arrested a man for heroin possession.  Springfield Deputy Chief John Barbieri http://youtu.be/nUSQlMaBQ9A explains why the price of heroin in Springfield is the cheapest in the country, and how people come from as far away from Vermont to purchase it.  The street price of heroin is $10 a bag.  The same man who was arrested on Linsal Street today for possession of heroin, was arrested 2 days ago for possession of ketamine (date rape drug) and thanks to our State's judicial system was right back on our streets.  The drug issue in WL is not just confined to Chestnut Street, it's a Town wide issue. Elm Street, Greenfield Drive, Belaire Circle, South Center Street, Spring Street, and Southwest Ave to name a few, all have major drug issues.  These are the reasons why we asked for and you granted our budget increase. Chief Osanitsch spoke about New Britain and Hartford being drug city's, and we are sandwiched between them and Springfield.  I was alarmed at the budget presentation how some members of the Board of Finance who voted for the budget, had started to backpedal.  I hope this email will provide them the resolve to speak vocally to residents about why this budget is exactly what our Town needs to turn away from the abyss that we are headed for.  The facts speak for themselves. http://www.windsorlocksct.org/site/files/wlpd2011-2012crimestats.pdf. 

Kevin Brace