Firearms Training Being Considered for Candlewood Lake Patrol Officers
"Last summer was a zoo here." Those are the words of the newly elected state representative from New Fairfield, Patrick Callahan, talking about Candlewood Lake. Speaking to the Newstimes, he went on to say,
The islands were getting trashed, jet skis were popping up all over the place, and the population on the lake just exploded.
Callahan has introduced a bill in the state legislature that would require Connecticut Lake Patrol Officers to be trained in the use of firearms so the officers could carry firearms or batons while on duty.
Currently, 24 officers patrol the 5,400-acre Candlewood Lake. Callahan is pushing an agenda that all lake patrol officers should have the same training as other law enforcement professionals to carry out their jobs safely.
The point being is if one or two patrol officers approach a half-drunk crowd of 100 people partying on an island that has been closed by the Candlewood Lake Authority, there is a chance their safety could be in question if they are unarmed.
It certainly doesn't mean that the officers are going to start shooting random people. Let's say that the same situation occurred on land where the 100 partygoers were drinking and playing their music super loud and someone called the police; the officers would show up with, you guessed it, their firearms.
In his bill, all Callahan wants is the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection(DEEP) to provide the training. It is up to them to decide whether they want the officers to carry firearms.
Candlewood Lakes' Island House
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