I was watching Channel 3 news at eleven Wednesday night. They displayed a large amount of cash, drugs and guns seized today from Wilson Street in Hartford after an investigation by the shooting task force.
I've also seen that there is some question as to whether the Shooting Task Force will be continued past November of this year. I'm not sure why the timeline exists since gun violence seems to be year round in Hartford now. It also is quite apparent that Hartford's underground economy, the drug trade, fuels much, if not almost all of Hartford's gun violence.
It also seems quite obvious that at many times the right hand might not really be communicating with the left hand. If an operation that has been run with precision, such as that of the shooting task force, can produce the results they have in their short period of existence, why even think about ending it?
Instead, wouldn't it make more sense to strengthen it and expand the program? My thoughts are that Vice and Narcotics, actually make that Narcotics, (the "vice" part should be something the conditions units and Community Service Officers deal with)should be reconstituted and combined with the Shooting Task force unit as the Gun and Narcotics Task Force, roll all of those assigned to Narcotics now into a unit that most likely would produce some real results at reducing crime in Hartford.
And the involvement of the other agencies should also be kept. Drug and gun problems aren't confined within Hartford's borders. Much of the Task forces success is happening because of involvement, information and resources being developed outside of Hartford.A large part of the operational success of the task force, from what I have been told, is due in large part to the operational skills and "management style" pulling the task force together. Former Hartford Police Officer, now Chief Inspector from the State's Attorney's Office James Rovella and Lieutenant Lance Sigersmith, Commander of the HPD Intelligence Division, as well as numerous others from several agencies.
It just seems to make sense, the drugs are linked to the guns and the guns are linked to the drugs and the resources and expertise are out there producing results and making a difference. It would just take some leadership to find the funding and make it happen, most of the money is already being spent on the salaries, so it shouldn't be a big expense. It might actually be an example of working smarter and communicating to get results, rather than duplicating efforts and working against each other.
Some days it amazes me the number of people reading this blog. It also surprises me who is actually reading and the people that recognize me. I never planned on the numbers growing the way they have, and yesterday was actually a record with 2,679 page loads, or "hits", on the blog.
This weekend will most likely pass 400,000 hits, headed for half a million. This week also broke another blog record for me on the posting about the HPD advocate, over 120 comments were posted, and some more that were not posted and had no relevance to the actual topic.
As much as I look forward to gathering information and writing the new posts, I really enjoy the comments to see what you, my readers, are thinking. And from the feedback I get, my readers enjoy the comments also.
I would also like to thank my un-official media spokesperson, DKR, and his command staff for also drawing so much attention to WTP and contributing to its popularity. (Sorry Chief, but I really do appreciate your help)
Keep reading and keep letting me know what you think, and even more importantly, keep that information coming, we are making a change.
Here is the incident report you have been asking to see and the Hartford Police brass don't want you to see. Despite numerous requests from several media outlets and a formal FOI request from "We the People", the mind trust at HPD chose not to release the report. "We the People" was able to obtain the report through "alternative" means. But again, the truth always seems to win out, so here is the report for your reading pleasure.
A source at the Connecticut FOI Commission said on Thursday that the report was clearly a public document and should have been released.
So much for that transparency we keep hearing about from the Segarra Administration.
Please remember to keep Deputy Chief Dan Nolan in your thoughts and prayers for the next twelve months as he deploys tomorrow to Afghanistan to serve our country.
Just remember Dan, good will always triumph over evil.
Sometimes I just can't let something just die and I'll follow it until the bitter end, this I guess is one of those cases and some of you might be getting tired of reading about this, but what's right is right and I choose not to give up on this.
The picture above is of former Hartford Fire Department Deputy Chief Dan Nolan last night as he, and some of Connecticut's other brave men, as he prepares to deploy to Afghanistan, again, to defend our Country.
I don't usually let things bother me much or get overly emotional, but something about this entire situation is very troubling to me. I wish there was a way to flip a switch and see this situation correct itself, but I have to convince myself that eventually what's right will prevail.
I'm not sure if part of it might be the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 coming this weekend I guess as we all sat glued to our television sets 10 years ago Sunday, just about all of us can tell you where we were when the twin towers collapsed and followed the events from the comfort of our homes. I can tell you where Dan Nolan was, he was headed to NYC to sift through the ruins along with hundreds of other firefighters and first reponders.
It might also be from spending much of this past weekend re-reading the transcripts of Nolan's mediation hearings. Hearings , by the way, in which he prevailed, the hearing officer found no wrongdoing on Nolan's part and ordered him re-instated with all back pay and benefits due to him. The hearing transcripts were the official version of the testimony recounting Nolan's termination by a corrput Mayor eventually convicted of felony charges against him and a puppet of a Fire Chief willing to comply with the corrupt Mayor's wishes.
Particularly troubling was reading the testimony of retired Chief Charles Teale who, in my opinion almost oozed dishonesty in almost every statement he made under oath. Many of those statements contradicted by other witnesses that took their oath seriously and testified to the facts truthfully.
Teales inability to remember facts and select lapses of memory come through loud and clear in his testimony. Surprisingly though he did remember taking a payoff from an eye doctor and he did testify to that under oath. (page 69 of transcript below, page 52 on PDF page numbering)
Maybe it is the picture I have posted here before of Dan Nolan in front of the rubble and devastation we have all come to know as "Ground Zero". Deputy Chief Nolan and many, many others selflessly gave of their time to search through the rubble of the World Trade Centers to recover the bodies of those who died in the attacks.
Maybe it is knowing that Dan Nolan has given up the comfort of his home and the comfort of being near his family, especially his parents during their final months here before they passed away. Dan is one of those unique individuals who is willing to sacrifice that to go to areas of the world to protect our lives as Americans, giving up what most of us take for granted.
And I think what bothers me the most is that the same systems that Dan is willing to go into harms way to protect, are treating him so poorly.
Our military and people like Dan Nolan have fought and died to preserve our system of justice, our freedoms to make life choices as to who we want to associate with or what charities we choose to support. A system of justice that ensures everyone fair hearings when accusations are made against them. In the case of the mediation hearings, the hearing officer found that Dan Nolan and his actions were credible and his termination was not.
And now, two days before he is set to leave US soil and go to the sand and rock of Afghanistan, the City of Hartford made an offer to Nolan to end their persecution of him if he accepted their deal. The City of Hartford apparently made the offer to Nolan that they would pay him all of his back pay since the date of his termination, approximately $210,000. He would be brought back and rehired for one day to submit his resignation to take effect September 16, 2011, and of course agree not to pursue any lawsuits or claims against the City.
Why would Hartford's Corporation Counsel make such a settlement offer if they were on solid ground and their actions were legitimate?
For anyone that knows Dan Nolan, guess what his answer was. If you guessed absolutely not, you guessed right. I think that if this matter ever makes it to a jury, this offer will seem like pocket change compared to what a jury may potentially award in the end.
When you weigh the testimony as to how Nolan's termination was orchestrated by a corrupt Mayor convicted of felony criminal charges and carried out by a puppet of a Fire Chief with some real credibility issues of his own. How do you accuse Nolan of using his position for personal gain because he encouraged recruits to participate in charity events, while at the same time the Chief of the department, Chief Teale, had his hand out accepting a payoff to reimburse him for a penalty imposed on him for profiting from the improper rental of City property?
I guess we know now that Mayor Segarra will not step up to end this nonsense. I have to ask though, how do you send a respected war veteran and firefighter into harms way without clearing this matter up first. Nolan should be going to Afghanistan knowing that this matter was resolved, and be able to concentrate fully on his performance as a soldier and not wondering what his future will be when he returns home. It's wrong and it says a lot about the character and integrity of anyone in a position of authority to change the outcome, including Mayor Segarra, the City Council and even Chief Casares.
The transcripts of the testimony from Chief Teale and others is pretty dry and boring, but it will shed a lot of light on this matter. If you have a little time, scroll through the document and read it. Teale's admission of taking the payoff is on page 69 of the transcript document if you go by the page numbering printed on the transcript, it is on page 52 if you go by the numbering from the PDF document. Teales denials of his friendship of Nolan, even though they were hanging out together at the Mardi Gras strip club in Springfield can be read on page 13 of the transcript, page 25 of the PDF itself.
More transcripts will be posted over the next few days so enjoy the reading and feel free to comment.
And Dan, my thoughts and prayers along with those of many, many others are with you as you head off to protect our freedom. Focus on keeping yourself and the other men and women with you safe, and rest assured, this matter will not die. If the City of Hartford isn't willing to do the right thing, a jury of your peers will when you return. Until then stay safe, and thank you for your service to our City, our Country and the countless charities and people that have benifitted from your service
The Hartford Courant is reporting this afternoon that the Hartford Police Union is endorsing Mayor Pedro Segarra for election in the upcoming primary. I have to ask why? Could a contract settlement be imminent now?
Let's look at Mayor Segarra's real track record on crime, not the one that is claimed in his campaign propaganda. The fact of the matter is that Mayor Segarra's budget for the upcoming year specifically made large cuts to the very Department he claims to be increasing. Segarra approved a budget that cut almost $1 million from Chief Roberts proposed budget.
No other City department suffered substantial cuts like that. $500,000 alone was cut from the Police Department overtime budget at a time when homicides and shootings were escalating to what at that time promised some record numbers for the year. Another $300,000 in cuts were made to Chief Roberts budget for his office and Command Staff. Although the intent of the City Council apparently was to eliminate two Assistant Chief positions in a top heavy administration, instead recruit positions were cut from the latest Police Academy class.
Those recruits cut were from the latest class of what was supposed to have been 30 new police officers for Hartford's streets. Again let's look at the facts. Last year in 2010, one week after Segarra assumed office after Eddie Perez's felony convictions, a class was graduated from the Academy which brought the sworn officer strength of HPD to about 465 officers. Now, a little over one year later after Segarra assumed office, the actual sworn strength of the Hartford Police Department is less than 425 officers and continues to drop due to attrition, retirements, terminations, etc.
Even when the current class graduates and makes it through their "FTO" (Field Training Officer) period, the numbers will still be far less than when Segarra assumed office. And the potential is there, at the current hiring rate and loss rate, that next year at this time the sworn number could be 400 officers or less. Maybe we should find some money to hire laid off Troopers that are ready to go and work immediately.
It is also misleading and disheartening to hear the claims that Mayor Segarra spearheaded and according to the HPD Union press release Segarra "supported ...a Gun Task Force to promote a safer more vibrant community." . The fact of the matter is that under Segarra there was no initiative launched to stem gun violence in the City until Governor Malloy stepped in and through States Attorney Kevin Kane took control and organized the Shooting Task Force.
The HPD union press release further states "He (Segarra) has clearly set lofty goals for public safety personnel who serve this City and has taken steps to independently review the operation of the police department's command structure. We support his actions and vision". Again, let's deal with the facts. There are no goals, lofty or otherwise, being set for the Hartford Police Department by Mayor Segarra.
The administration and Command staff at HPD are in total free fall now, just waiting for the Rudewicz report to be submitted, and in the mean time Segarra is doing nothing to stabilize the organization. He as allowed actions to take place that in private he admits are wrong, but publicly does nothing, most likely worried about the impact his actions might have on specific voting blocks in the City.
Anyone who read the over 100 comments on last weeks posting regarding HPD, whether you believe the comments or not, would have to feel there may be a problem at HPD.
For Mayor Segarra to now claim to be the "Law and Order Mayor" is less than genuine. If he was in fact concerned with the stability of HPD, would the men and women of the Department be working over a year without a contract under his administration?
Why can't we start dealing with the facts when we select our next Mayor rather than being guided by false rhetoric and propaganda?
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY HARTFORD COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY GAIL HARDY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark A. Dupuis
Communications Officer
State of Connecticut
Division of Criminal Justice
300 Corporate Place
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
860-258-5997
www.ct.gov/csao
Hartford State’s Attorney Issues Statement on Motor Vehicle Stop
On Friday, September 2, 2011, the Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office became aware of a motor vehicle stop conducted by the Hartford Police Department at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 1, 2011, on Barbour Street in Hartford. The vehicle, owned by the State of Connecticut, was being operated by Denise L. Nappier, Treasurer of the State of Connecticut.
Treasurer Nappier attempted to explain to the Hartford Police officer who made the stop that the vehicle was a state “fleet” vehicle that she as Treasurer was authorized to drive. Despite informing the officer of this information, Treasurer Nappier was issued a summons for operating an unregistered vehicle, having no insurance and misuse of registration plates. Treasurer Nappier was released at the scene and left to walk home when the vehicle was ordered towed by the police officer.
Upon review of the summons and accompanying police report and valid registration documents, State’s Attorney Gail P. Hardy determined there were no violations of any motor vehicle or criminal statutes and there was no basis for the issuance of the summons or towing of the vehicle.
Based on the findings of her review, State’s Attorney Hardy will request that the Court dismiss all of the counts in the summons. The vehicle was released to the Treasurer’s Office on Friday afternoon.
State’s Attorney Hardy met with Hartford Police Chief Darryl Roberts on Friday afternoon to advise him of her findings.
I guess the answer to that is probably yes, as it seems that the long awaited Rudewicz Report may be submitted this week.
But putting the report aside for the moment, Chief Daryl K. Roberts must sit in his office some days and shake his head asking "WHY ME?". A lot of the controversy is his own doing, many of them caused by questionable decisions he has made as to those he surrounds himself with. The latest one though I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he had very little control over.
It would almost be a comical situation if it didn't have the potential to turn very bad very quick. It seems that, according to several HPD sources, Connecticut State Treasurer Denise Nappier was charged with Operating an Unregistered Motor Vehicle, Misuse of Plates, Operating Without Insurance and her vehicle was towed and her Connecticut License plates were seized last Thursday night by a Hartford Police Officer.
I don't have the actual copy of the incident report, I will hopefully have that tomorrow, so in the meantime I won't name the HPD Officer. The sources that spoke with me were not sure what the probable cause, if any, to stop Ms. Nappier was. They all thought it was bizarre the way the situation was handled and no supervisors stepped in to correct the incident before it went too far.
I originally thought Nappier was fair game if she was operating her personal vehicle without the proper plates. It seems that wasn't the case though. It was her state issued vehicle with the single digit "Connecticut Official" license plate. I think Nappier is either plate number "4" or "5". Right there, that should have immediately raised red flags for anyone paying attention.
The only thing worse would have been that she was towing plate "1", Governor Malloy, or "2" Lieutenant Governor Wyman. But nope, no red flags for anyone. Apparently, if the stop was called in, no supervisor heard it or questioned it. The wrecker was called to tow the state vehicle, the plates were seized and Ms. Nappier was sent on her way to walk home with her summons in hand.
Even more interesting though is the fact that the officer's sergeant signed off on her report and approved it, what HPD calls a "10-9". Still no red flags. I would think my first question after reading the report would have been "YOU DID WHAT?". And then immediately have set about implementing some serious damage control, first of which to make sure the State Treasurer had arrived safely home after she was left walking.
It seems that sometime Friday, Hartford County State's Attorney Gail Hardy with one of her Inspectors in tow, paid a visit to Chief Roberts at his office. From what I am told, it wasn't the most cordial visit between the two (they seldom are) and the Inspector was sent to retrieve the plate from the barrel they are tossed in before they are returned to DMV.
As of now, it seems as though the entire situation was more of a clerical error
caused by a new vehicle issued to Nappier and the paperwork hadn't caught up with DMV yet. It just makes you wonder if anyone is paying attention.
Why was the car even sent on the road if the proper paperwork wasn't in place, but also when does common sense kick in to figure out the situation?
Like I've said before Chief, it can't get much worse
Many people were openly disgusted when the news came out about a woman who lived alone, along with her dog, was found dead in her home on Goodrich Street in Hartford. Debra Jurasus-Shriner by all reports had been deceased in her home, undiscovered, for at least two months. The reports painted a very grim picture of a decomposing corpse of both Debra Jurasus-Shriner and her dog, lying dead in the house. Mail was reported to be piling up as well as a strong odor coming from the house.
Fingers were quickly pointed at the Hartford Police Department and the way the calls from neighbors and others were handled. Mayor Segarra quickly called for a complete investigation into the matter.
Now the entire situation is about to take another bizarre twist that will, and should, be a black eye for our City.
Several police sources have confirmed for me that arrest warrants are expected to be issued by prosecutors and the Court for several neighbors of Debra Jurasus-Shriner. It seems that while Debra Jurasus-Shriner lay deceased and decomposing in her home, at least four of her neighbors were burglarizing her home and stealing her property. Apparently, according to sources, none of the thieves ever took the time to make an anonymous call to alert authorities of the dead body inside the home after they were done ripping her off.
At least one source questioned how anyone could even enter the home to steal anything. A source familiar with what now was a crime scene said that even veteran law enforcement officers were overwhelmed with the stench of the decomposing body as well as the flies and maggots in the home from the rotting flesh as they collected evidence inside the home.
I know this could happen anywhere, but what kind of a society are we when some one's neighbors can just step over her rotting body to take a television or other personal items they stole from her? Although he was highly criticized by politicians for his comments when he made them after the hit and run of Angel Arce-Torres on Park Street, Chief Daryl Roberts had it right. Roberts had stated at the time that as a City we had lost our "moral compass" and we had a "toxic relationship" with each other.
I would have stronger words for anyone that could treat a neighbor like that, but Chief Roberts evaluation would still apply today.
For those not familiar with the "Broken Window" theory, it was introduced in 1982 in an article by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. Essentially the study apparently showed that if you ignore the little things, the larger issues are allowed to occur without check. It was meant to apply to crime issues in an urban environment, but it would seem to apply to a much broader spectrum of behavior.
Can the same theory be equated to job performance and accountability? Very rarely are government employees held to a standard that might apply to their counterparts in the private sector. Part of that I think is based on the hiring of supervisors and department heads who in many cases, particularly in Hartford, are political cronies who receive their positions based upon political influence rather than any actual legitimate selection process.
The picture above is a perfect example. It happens to be in the rear lot of the Hartford Police Department, but I'm sure most of us have seen the same conditions of trash barrels along Franklin Avenue, Park Street or even many of Hartford's parks. And although the picture above was taken today, several people I asked said the overflowing trash is a regular condition. It apparently is not one that occurred because it was a holiday weekend.
I have to wonder how long someone working at Westfarms Mall or the Travelers Insurance would be employed if their boss pulled into a parking lot and saw something like this?
I know in the great scheme of things, this may seem like a minor issue, but that is what the broken window theory is all about. If no one is held accountable for something like this, they will have no problem escalating their incompetence to the next level knowing the consequences are non-existent.
Isn't it time that we insist that those we pay to actually supervise, start supervising? And this is not a police department issue, the picture just happens to have been taken in their lot.
THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THIS BLOG ARE STRICTLY THAT, MY OPINIONS.After getting fed up with the lack of openness in Hartford City Hall, I decided to begin a program on Hartford Public Access Television called "WE THE PEOPLE". Through tips received we have been able to expose numerous issues that the Perez Administration would prefer to keep quiet.
Any information received is kept in strict confidence, feel free to e-mail me at krbrookman@earthlink.net or call me at 860-883-2297 with any information.
