Blue Christmas
Police from Greenwich and other Connecticut communities gave the beleaguered Newtown Police force a much-deserved Christmas present. They covered the Christmas eve and Christmas day shifts in Newtown, so that all Newtown Police and emergency dispatchers could have both days off.
Newtown, which generally has 4 or 5 officers per shift according to one source, since the tragedy, has been fielding upwards of 30 officers per shift due to funerals, and continued media presence in the town. Additionally, crime scene and other investigative activities have also occupied much police man-power.
GPD has been sending a few officers per shift since the tragedy — and Christmas was no exception.
And Newtown officers and dispatchers weren’t the only ones to get a Christmas treat. Resurrecting an old GPD custom, Chief Heavey worked a patrol shift on Christmas day, as did Command Staff Captain Mark Kordick — in place of two “rank and file” patrol officers. On Christmas eve, the names of the lucky officers for whom the Chief and Captain would cover were drawn from a hat. (Perhaps a Santa hat!) Reportedly, the Chief arrived for work at 6:30 a.m. presumably after this children opened their presents. December 25 is the Chief’s birthday, too.
That is how the men and women in blue spent Christmas — as they do every day, taking care of others.