Hartford police bring back walking beats, community patrols NBC Connecticut [Video]

Hartford is bringing back community policing, including three walking beats across the city.  

“Community-based policing is going to be a core tenant of our public safety strategy,” Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, (D) Hartford, said during a press conference Friday at City Hall.  

Arulampalam and interim Police Chief Kenny Howell said 20 officers will be redeployed to patrol communities. 

That includes five officers who will walk beats along Albany Avenue, Park Street and Downtown.  

Howell said the department focused on areas with high crime or quality of life issues and could add more beats as staffing increases.  

Civilian Police Review Board Chairman Eric Crawford is hopeful the changes can improve relationships with the city, noting officers were able to connect with people when they walked neighborhoods.  

“Back in the day when you had the beat cops who walked the streets, got to know the grandmothers, the aunties and they sit on the …