State Police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance was the "celebrity" guest at Wednesday's Celebrity Breakfast sponsored by the Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce at the Manor Inn in Milldale. "I am not a celebrity," he told the crowd.

Instead he gave the credit to the men and women of the State Police who provide law enforcement services to people across the state. Nearly half of the 169 towns in Connecticut, do not have a police department and a state police officer covers the municipality, Vance said.

Vance also addressed how law enforcement has evolved over the years and now has highly detailed and trained personnel to work special squads to investigate cyber crimes, illegal drugs and murder investigations.

The 37-year career officer said this summer state police will conduct a major crackdown on distracted driving. The campaign "will save lives, especially that of young people," Vance said.

See full story in the May 20 issue of The Southington Citizen.