There seems to be numerous issues that have been ongoing in the Hartford Dispatch Center. Until recently those complaints were mostly brought about by community people not being pleased with the professionalism of the way their calls for help have been handled. There have also been numerous issues with the way police and firefighters feel their calls are being handled since the dispatch center was taken out from under police and fire supervision and turned over to a civilian director.
But now the complaints against dispatch personnel, including supervisors, seems to be turning more to criminal complaints.
Earlier this week I posted the arrest warrant affidavit for one dispatcher,Kim Walton. listed by the City of Hartford as a supervisor. Although the accusations against her are troublesome and seem to show a lack of discretion and question her integrity, it gets even worse.
Another dispatcher, also listed by the City of Hartford as a supervisor, was recently arrested for criminal activity while she was actually working. The charges she was arrested on, violation of a protective order, apparently occurred while she was working on the morning of November 28, 2011. This wasn't her first arrest though, by the same Police Department she is dispatching for.
The arrest report is below, but violation of a protective order is a serious matter and not usually taken lightly by judges when someone flaunts their orders. It seems that Cassandra Davis has history of domestic violence with HPD which started with her first arrest on September 12, 2011 after a confrontation with her children's father at 80 Prospect Avenue in Hartford. That arrest was made by the Hartford Police for Breach of Peace 2nd degree and Assault 3rd degree. That arrest report is also below.
I know dispatchers are human beings with personal issues, and I do not want to paint all of our dispatchers with a wide brush because there are some very good ones serving the people and the emergency service workers in Hartford. I am seriously concerned though about someone that engages in criminal activity while they are working.
Can anyone say that Davis's actions while she engaged in her criminal behavior on November 28th violating her protective order endangered police and firefighters? I would think that the odds are pretty good that if she was willing to push the limit and violate a judges order, then her mind probably wasn't in the right place and yes, she jeopardized every one's public safety.
According to Connecticut Judicial records, Cassandra Davis was also arrested by Windsor PD on January 28, 2011 for operating under suspension. That case is pending in Enfield Court.
In the meantime, according to City of Hartford records, both Walton and Davis are still employed by the City of Hartford and receiving their full pay.
And for anyone that paid attention to the Director of the Public Safety Communications Center, Andrew Jaffe recently at a MARG meeting, it raises two issues. Jaffe either lied to the audience or is out of touch with what goes on in the area he supervises. One of the complaints by a resident at that meeting was that dispatchers seemed to be on their cell phones and not paying attention to callers when they were calling 911.
Jaffe stated emphatically to the group that no dispatchers were allowed to have their cell phones with them while they were working. If that is the case, how was Cassandra Davis texting the "protectee" from her cellphone as the arrest report states?
There comes a time when the City Administration may actually have to say they made the wrong choice. Supervising 3 or 4 employees as a police Sergeant when you are responsible for handing out cellphones and pagers doesn't necessarily make someone qualified to run a twenty-four hour a day operation that is one of the most critical links between the public, police fire and EMS personnel. Throw into that the 311 operation also, as was done recently when it was jettisoned from the Mayor's Office, and it puts even more of a burden on a mismanaged operation.
It is time for a serious look at the Office of Emergency Telecommunications before someone gets seriously hurt or worse.The lives of our Police Officers and Firefighters depend on their efficiency and I think many would agree that they aren't comfortable with that level of efficiency at this point.
Arrest Report Cassandra Davis 9-12-11
Arrest Report Cassandra Davis 11-28-11
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13 comments:
Im glad the public and kevin see what goes on inside dispatch. What a public safety issue. Proof is in the pudding. City hall needs to step in. Or maybe shell out some more of kevins tax money for lawsuits.
Jaffee can't even be honest about where he lives, do you expect him to be honest about the problems in there?
Kevin is right though, Jaffee was never a cop and only got the position because of some deal cut with Eddie Perez. It would be interesting to see those details actually come out. No search , no selection process, just give the job to Jaffee? Something stinks
I think the bar for hires and employees just hit the floor. Im sure she will get her job back too .... Racial conspiracy and a nolle for her ..
There is a ton more nonsense that happens at the department that is not revealed. Dirty hires. Still forged time cards. Abusive supervisors. Etc. And the word is that someone else is in hot water with the states attorney ... Hmmmmmmmmmmm
So this dispatch supervisor left her post to get into a fight with her ex. Wow. What a mess and an embarassment.
Hey kevin. Hot off the frying pan. A probationary police officer was recently fired within the last couple hours an out of state felony conviction was revealed recently. The officer forgot to reveal his past out of state arrests. Uh oh ....
Singin,
makes you wonder about the background checks and investigations. I hear there might be another one going soon also
It's not surprising, look at the backgrounds investigators. One is asleep at the wheel, and the other is at the gym all day. This unit should be civilianized, with a Police supervisor. But do not expect any changes, Heavren wouldn’t make a decision, and even if by some miracle he did, he has to get permission from city hall to order pencils… Heavren will probably just ask Sgt. Mertes to put out a memo in his name warning the Backgrounds “detectives” to do a better job.
Kevin for mayor and capt buyak for chief. Real leaders and common sense could make a difference. Hopefully when mayor wooden takes over he will lay the smack down and take htfd out of the sewer of new england ..
Can you call 911 from the dispatch center?
There was a time when the Emergency Dispatch Center at Jennings Road was the epitome of class and character and job professionalism.
Everyone involved knew that their primary responsibility was to assist callers, but to never forget that it was also their sworn duty to protect the officers on the street.
Things began to change in the late 80's when Mayor Milner and his successor Mayor Perry left the city in shambles - rife with violent street gangs and the beginning of a different culture that turned from respect for the law and it's officers to disdain for all authority. In short, it became extremely dangerous on the streets.
The standards for the radio room were lessened to a dangerous degree. New hires were incompetent and cared little about their responsibilities. Training was almost non-existent and a powerful union (who only showed up at election time) contributed to a less than professional atmosphere. There were always a few good ones coming in, trained by the senior staff, but that was not the norm.
There was shooting of two police officers on Homestead Ave that was the beginning of the end for HPD Comm Div.
The Division needs to start over with new and loyal personnel. Most of all it needs civilian supervisors who are capable of training new recruits who have no idea what it's like to serve a shift on the Hartford Police radio.
It's impossible to teach these skills in a training class given by officers who are being disciplined at the moment or others who have hardly served time in the radio room. The supervising staff must be experienced police radio dispatchers who know the ramifications of the job inside out and who have a comprehensive knowledge of the City of Hartford and every area inside it. They must also be stiff disciplinarians who will not tolerate personal issues on the job and disloyalty to those they are paid to serve.
It can be done but must start from the beginning ... otherwise we are awaiting catastrophe that will surely happen.
The Division needs to start over with new and loyal personnel. Most of all it needs civilian supervisors who are capable of training new recruits who have no idea what it's like to serve a shift on the Hartford Police radio.
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Thanks, Cruiser, for your very clear presentation.
I think one way to get more competency in there is to start with paying these guys what they are worth. You are not going to get quality if you are only gonna pay these guys peanuts!! These men and women have a very important job that most people don't understand. Right now it is hit or miss in there. Some of them are very good and others could give a damn what is going on on the other side of there mic. If you ask me that is a huge problem. Is this another, you must be a city resident to apply job or is that ONLY for the fire dept..
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