Inside the North Haven Police Department: K9s, a new bike unit and nearly 30,000 calls a year

North Haven police answer nearly 30,000 calls for service a year, and the department has been changing how it handles them.

In its section of the town’s 2024-2025 Annual Report, published in the 2025-2026 Civic Calendar, the North Haven Police Department lays out a force that’s growing, adding specialized units and leaning on partnerships for calls that aren’t about crime at all.

A bigger force

The department added one officer position in January 2026, bringing it to 59 sworn officers. New recruits go through a 26-week police academy followed by at least 12 weeks of field training.

The department also stations POSTC-certified police officers at every public school in North Haven, to safeguard students, staff and visitors.

The K9 team

The department’s K9 handlers and their dogs are among its most recognizable members. Three handlers and their partners, posed with their cruisers, were featured in the department’s section of the annual report.

A bike unit for the shopping centers

In 2025 the department created a Bicycle Unit to extend its reach into North Haven’s retail and commercial shopping centers, where patrol cars can’t always get close.

Mental health and crisis calls

Some of the most critical calls officers handle involve mental health, drug and alcohol use, and domestic violence, the report says. A significant number of patrol officers have gone through Crisis Intervention Training, which focuses on helping people in crisis and de-escalating for the safety of everyone involved.

The department partners with BH Care, the Quinnipiack Valley Health District, ODMAP (an overdose-mapping tool) and the town’s Community Services Department. It also works with LINKED, which trains officers to communicate with people who have autism or other developmental disabilities, and carries sensory kits to help calm situations.

Task forces and quality of life

North Haven officers serve on regional task forces, including the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crime task forces, and an area ATV task force targeting reckless dirt bike and ATV riding.

After a reckless street takeover in the Universal Drive area, detectives made about half a dozen arrests, the report says. The department and the town are pursuing local ordinances aimed at street takeovers and ATVs.

About the department

The North Haven Police Department was established in 1943 and is headquartered at 8 Linsley St. The department maintains professional accreditation, which it says keeps it current on industry standards and best practices.

For emergencies, call 911.

Get North Haven news first: subscribe to the North Haven Courier newsletter.

Got a tip? Email news@northhavencourier.com

Photos courtesy of the Town of North Haven and the North Haven Police Department