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NORWALK, Conn. – Officer David Nieves was relaxed when a reporter walked up with a camera Monday — but only because President Barack Obama and his entourage had already passed under the Interstate 95 overpass he was guarding in Norwalk.
Nieves was one of about 15 Norwalk police officers assigned to the secretive extra duty detail, a police source said. They were guarding every overpass and I-95 entrance in town. Each spent about four hours on the assignment, including the briefing and the time spent helping to make sure Obama was safe, the source said.
Whether the city will be reimbursed by the Secret Service is questionable, the source said. "We've gotten into fights with Secret Service before," he said.
Nieves was relaxed when The Norwalk Daily Voice approached him on Scribner Avenue but said the reporter couldn't stay. The presidential motorcades had gone by five minutes earlier and was already in Stamford, he said. The southbound side of the highway below him was still devoid of traffic, as state troopers blocked the entrance.
Traffic on the southbound side was still jammed a half-hour later.
Westport police also blocked every I-95 overpass that the motorcade passed. The motorcade included two ambulances, two limousines, a scout car, a utility truck, about seven SUVs, at least five vans and numerous state trooper patrol cars.
Comments (13)
I'm fine with the police officer in that picture. But can we get a couple of the flag men off of the road crews and paint that bridge railing before it rots away? Or has that also been outsourced to City Carting?
A great deal of planning occurs prior to any presidential visit. Local and state police agencies work with the Secret Service. As far as reimbursement for police services, when President Clinton attended a fundraiser for his own reelection at the home of Martha Stewart, the City of Norwalk sought and received compensation from his relection committee in the amount of more than $30,000 for that visit.
Correct about republicans, conservatives as in the village idiot Bush
Man, Tim is such a broken record. It's funny though, anytime I see an article that shows a picture of a NPD officer, or is going to mention it and I see comments, I know he is in here. I give him credit though, he wants changes in the NPD. And he knows the best way to do it....critize it on anonymously through this side. Bravo,sir.. Bravo. Maybe one day you will grow up and actually do something to fix the problem.
I will continue to be a broken record as long as the NPD has the broken recored of being a failure.
Now that the president's visit is over, and nobody got hurt, it is easy to criticise. It is also easy to ignore how much goes into keeping a president safe. We are all entitled to opinions as to how it might be done better, but, when lunatics can so easily get military grade weapons, and there is so much hate voiced here, we should be proud of anything our police did to help keep our president safe.
Wake Up. Its called the secret service..All the NPD did was stand on the overpass at time and a half...
@Old Timer
Agree. Well said.
@Tim T
If the pay is so high and the work is so easy, why don't you take the physical fitness test, take the written test, and join the force? Then you can make lots of money and be a big hero by solving the problems that you claim Norwalk has. What's stopping you?
That is about the dumbest thing you have posted yet stooge...Why is it every time one critiques the failures and many at that of the NPD some blow hard comes out with if you don't like it become a cop..Simpleton let me ask you something if you brought your car to be repaired and they failed to repair it and you complained would you be expected to become a mechanic...I pay taxes and lots of them for these over paid civil servants to do a job and the answer when they do not do what they are over paid to do is not me doing there job..Now does the simpleton understand
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Tim T,
You obviously have no idea what goes on with the Norwalk Police Dept. They do the job of protecting the city and they do it well. I know several officers on the department some are friends and even had relatives that were on the department. May you and any one else that has bad things to say about the Norwalk PD you should think about it and get your fact straight first.
My facts are straight. Also I know exactly what goes on at the NPD...ZERO which is clear by all the unsolved shootings, killings and stabbing week after week..Nice try at spin but you failed.
"Norwalk Officers Help To Guard Obama " Now thats a scary thought. The only thing the NPD is proficient at is guarding a hole at a construction site at time and a half..
Tim, obviously you hate republicans, conservatives, police, Let me guess, you love B. Hussein Obama, don't you?