WEST HARTFORD, Conn. --
A West Hartford police investigation has found that police response time to a call on Abbotsford Avenue in March where a man was shot took too long.
The investigation "revealed a series of procedural decisions, complicated by independent events, which led to the delay," according to West Hartford Police Chief James Strillacci.
Strillacci said he accepts the findings of the investigation, which was conducted by the department's civilian complaint review board.
The board launched an investigation after Quintina Texidor's nephew was shot outside her Abbotsford home in March.
In March, Texidor called police several times stating that her daughter, a 16-year-old Conard High School student, was being bullying by six Conard students who had arrived at her Abbotsford home.
Police showed up, but only after Texidor’s 19-year-old nephew was shot trying to diffuse the situation. He survived the gun shot wound.
In a letter to Town Manager Ronald Van Winkle, Strillacci said "the board found that the public safety dispatcher "who took the first call was unfamiliar with gang jargon."
"All PSDs have now received one hour of gang-awareness training via CD. Classroom training on gangs has also been offered. Refreshers will be provided as necessary," according to Strillacci's letter.
The board concluded "that there are certain steps which can be taken which may help prevent a recurrence of such delays. Some of these steps have been taken already, others are in progress," according the letter.
