Currently, officers at the Wallingford Police Station headquarters on Main Street cannot access the World Wide Web. They can access internal databases and government databases through the existing computer network there, however. However, access to the World Wide Web would prove helpful to some detectives looking to investigate both online and offline crimes. Establishing access to the World Wide Web for these detectives is not as easy as it seems. Connecting the existing computer network to the internet would place confidential records stored on that network at the mercy of computer hackers. Arrest reports, case reports, and other classified documents need to be protected from tampering or deletion by hackers.

Transforming Crime

According to the Chief Douglas Dortenzio, the internet has transformed the nature of crime in the United States. Consequently, the internet is changing the way law enforcement officials fight crime. To police officers, the internet is both a powerful tool and a source of new, dangerous threats to the security of the American public. In Wallingford, the police department is looking to make changes to meet the new challenges of the internet era, and to utilize the internet in their efforts to enforce the law and investigate crimes.

“There are a lot of eggs in that basket [the current network], and the risk of trying to connect that to the World Wide Web are considerable,” commented Police Chief Douglas Dortenzio, “we are looking into creating a new network that would protect the integrity of the databases, but it would cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. As law enforcement officials, we are not involved in the private sector, where we would have to compete with others. We have no competition, so our emphasis is not on cutting edge technology, but rather on reliability and security.”

Building a New Station

Additionally, the Town of Wallingford is considering the possibility of building a new police station, or renovating the existing station. The current police station was converted from a state armory 24 years ago, and is in need of renovations within the next five to eight years in order to remain an effective facility. Town officials are pondering whether to renovate the current building, bringing the parts of the building that do not meet code levels to code; or to build a new police station on some of the 2.9 acres of vacant, town owned property that sits behind the current police station – the so-called Wooding-Caplan property.

Stressing the Importance

At a town meeting last April, Police Chief Dortenzio stressed the importance of upgrading the police headquarters. Currently, the Police Department has three locations, which makes the department “a fragmented organization as it is. Our functions are not easily parceled out,” observed Dortenzio. In a report delivered to the Town Council in April, Dortenzio further reiterated the importance of new facilities, stating: “I [think] our operations would be strained, but could survive for approximately the next five years-- and perhaps to eight.”

Costing Taxpayers

To promote the long-term viability of the law enforcement community in Wallingford, taxpayers need to recognize their fiscal responsibility in helping the Police Department meet new challenges. A new network and a new building would be extremely costly, costing thousands, if not millions of dollars.