Volume 23, Number 7
www.berlincitizen.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
New Senior Center bus rolls into town By Nadya Korytnikova The Citizen
The vehicle is handicapped accessible and can safely transport two wheelchairbound passengers at a time. It is equipped with a sneeze guard and a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, which uses UV light to clean and sanitize.
The Senior Center recently acquired a new, 12-passenger accessible shuttle bus for residents.
The Berlin Police Department’s Community Relations Team, from left: Isabella Delgado, Cathy Griffin, Shawn Solek, Brandon Lagueux, Kevin Chaffee and Aimee Krzykowski. The team is headed by Lieutenant Shawn Solek and coordinated by Ofc. Lagueux. Courtesy of the Berlin Police Department
Police department forms Community Relations Team By Nadya Korytnikova The Citizen
The Berlin Police Department has launched a Community Relations Team, the department’s latest initiative to combat a sharp increase in property crimes. The team will focus on reinvigorating neighborhood watch programs, improving communication concerning crime trends, educating the community on crime prevention methods and building positive relationships between the department and the public. Headed by Lieutenant Shawn Solek and coordinated by Officer Brandon Lagueux, the Community Relations Team encourages residents to form neighborhood
The center uses the bus for trips to doctor’s appointments, prescription pickups and other necessary errands. “We are really excited about this new bus,” said Town Manager Arosha Jayawickrema. “It offers convenience for our senior citizens who rely on somebody else for transportation.”
Unlike the older model, which was retired, the new bus has a Bluetooth receiver, allowing drivers to answer calls from the Senior Center hands-free. The vehicle is also more fuel-efficient and provides a “smoother, softer” ride in See Bus, A10
watch groups, which greatly help police deter crime and make communities safer, said Deputy Police Chief Christopher Ciuci. “We cover 26 square miles, and it’s the most unfair game of hide-and-seek ever, because our officers are out there seeking criminals who are operating under the cover of darkness,” the deputy chief said. “We need to recruit more people to help us find the offenders.” Other Community Relations Team members include officers Cathy Griffin, Aimee Krzykowski, Kevin Chaffee and Isabella Delgado. See Police, A11
Senior Center bus driver Joe LaVallee, right, shows Town Manager Arosha Jayawickrema around the new bus. Photos by Nadya Korytnikova, The Citizen
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