State Police Combining Command Staffs of Troop H and Troop W

State police are merging the command and clerical staffs of Troops H, based in Hartford, and W, based in Bradley International Airport, starting Friday.

Lt. J. Paul Vance, state police spokesman, said the merger is just the non-patrol functions of the troops. Instead of having separate commanders and executive officers at each troop barracks, there will be one commander, one executive officer and the combining of clerical staff.

The patrols out of Troop H will remain the same as before and the patrols out of Troop W will also remain the same, Vance said. If an arrest needs to be made at Troop W, there will troopers there to do it, he added.

“Nothing changes,” Vance said. “The public will see no changes.”

Vance said the fact that Troop W is within the confines of Troop H, which covers the central part of Connecticut to the Massachusetts border, it makes good common sense and fiscal sense to what the department can to save taxpayers money.

There will staff available in the Troop W office at Bradley if citizens need to speak with state troopers.

State Sen. John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, whose 7th District encompasses the communities that surrounding Bradley, said he wants to be assured that the merger will keep Connecticut in compliance with the Aviation and Transportation Security Act. 

This federal law was enacted following the September 11 terrorist attacks and was designed to improve the security of transportation systems throughout the United States, with particular emphasis on airport security, Kissel said in a released statement.

“We need to be absolutely certain that this merger will not hinder security operations at Bradley International Airport,” Kissel said  “We cannot allow public safety to be jeopardized.”

Vance said the state police is always looking at the security of all of the districts the troops cover.

“Bradley International Airport is no different,” Vance said. “We certainly want to provide the best and most safe security we can. Nothing changes, troopers will still be patrolling the entire facility.”