Community Corner

Officials Look at Ways to Address Vandalism on Trail

As police continue to investigate vandalism on the new section of the linear trail, officials look at ways to prevent future incidents.

Earlier this month, the brand new Phase II section of the Rails to Trails opened to oohs and ahhs from residents. The joy was short lived, however, as the trail was vandalized earlier this week and tagged with spray paint in several locations.

Now town officials and business leaders are striking back, offering incentives to catch the culprits and discussing ways to improve security to prevent future incidents from happening.

“It’s tragic to see something like this happening,” said Town Councilor Anthony D’Angelo. “This trail is a great thing for the town and something we should be proud of. Here we have an example of a small group doing something that ruins these efforts by the town.”

In Ansonia, vandals also hit a separate section of the trail this week with a similar type of tagging, Ansonia police confirmed, but further details were not available.

Southington police and the Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce will soon offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the vandalism, confirmed Chamber President Art Secondo and Southington Police Sgt. Lowell DePalma.

Both said further details of the reward would be released during a press conference on Friday morning.

This isn’t the first time the town has been affected by vandalism along the trail, DePalma said. In 2007 and 2008, there were several instances of vandalism perpetrated by a group of minors in the downtown area and along the original section of the trail that extended from Mill Street to downtown Plantsville.

The town reacted with increased enforcement and eventually the minors were caught and arrested.

“We learned something in dealing with it then,” DePalma said. “If there’s a message that needs to be sent it’s that vandalism is not funny and it’s not art. It’s criminal."

Previous incidents led police to discuss the possibility of bringing cameras in to help monitor the trail. D’Angelo said certain areas could benefit from it, such as the old Milldale Depot, but it is too costly to put cameras the entire length of the trail.

Secondo said in addition to cost factors, cameras would have to be night vision equipped, spaced close together and could still be largely ineffective.

“These aren’t incidents happening in the light of day, they are taking place at night. It would take four miles of cameras and lights to solve the problem. That’s a last resort,” Secondo said. “Somebody knows who is doing this, and we are going to find that person and get them to talk.”

Although cameras are not a likely solution, the town has addressed the problem in other ways already.

Parks officials have worked to quickly cover up graffiti to avoid encouraging others to commit such acts or reward perpetrators.

D’Angelo said the town could also consider alternative options including a unique idea presented by the Parks Department: covering high-risk sections of the trail in an approved mural.

The decision would ultimately have to come from the Town Council following a discussion, D’Angelo said, but is one of several things that could be considered. He said officials have already talked with the high school about getting art students involved.

“We are trying to think outside the box,” D’Angelo said. “What we need right now though is for the public and business owners to be vigilant.”


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