The Avon Police Department is one of nine departments in North Central Connecticut to have regional arrest powers for non-emergencies and misdemeanors. Avon, Farmington, Simsbury, Bloomfield, Canton, Granby, Suffield Windsor Locks and Windsor police departments have jurisdiction to obtain warrants and make arrests and traffic stops for suspects in any of those towns. Avon is also are part of a regional narcotic division and SWAT team.
The department receives about 100,000 calls per year, and 32,000 are calls for service.
Court appearances for arrests made by the Avon Police Department take place at either Enfield or Hartford courts, depending on the location of the arrest or where any arrest warrants were issued.
The Avon Police Department was honored on March 27, 2010 with a Flagship Award for Service Excellence and Professionalism and meritorious accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Association (CALEA), marking in the 93rd percentile for well maintained and accurate files.
Chief Mark Rinaldo heads the department. John Widing is the chaplin. Jeffrey Blatter was appointed as police captain Dec. 5, 2011. Lt. Christina Barrow heads the patrol division, which includes the detective unit and three patrol squads. Lt. Kelly Walsh leads the operations division and oversees the communications unit, training , accreditation, records unit, scheduling and animal control. Beverly LaPlume is the animal control officer and operates the canine shelter on Arch Road.
The department also has three officers running the DARE program in the Avon Public Schools and five officers on bike patrol. There is also a computer crimes lab housed in the police department.
Information for Avon Police civilian applicants is available on the police department webpage on the town website for those interested in dispatch, records and secretarial jobs.
The department is located next to the Avon Town Offices on Route 44. Parking is available in the municipal lot.
Department Phone Numbers:
Emergency calls (police, fire and medical): 911
Routine calls: (860) 409-4200
Animal Control: (860) 409-4205
Records Division: (860) 409-4220
Chiefs of Police:
William Scott: 1950-1958
Malcom Heath: 1958-1961
Lester Clark Sr.: 1962-1968
Domenic Zacchio: 1968-1983
James A. Martino Jr.: 1983-2001
Peter A. Agnessi: 2001-2005
Mark Rinaldo: 2006-Present