Wednesday, October 2, 2013

IS IT WORTH IT?

I think I have developed thick skin when it comes to dealing with comments on the blog ( as I am sure others who have been the subject of comments have had to do also). As I approach one million hits on the blog, some days I ask myself "is it worth it"? Then I think about the change and the people that have been helped by this blog, and I sit down and write another blog posting.

The comments usually don't get to me, but one that was submitted this morning was aggravating because I know the other side of the story. I don't usually respond through a  posting to a comment, but I think this one deserves it.

Here is the posting submitted this morning, I am pretty sure I have figured out the commenters identity, which I won't post the name, but in the end, make your own conclusions. The grammatical errors and spelling mistakes are being left as submitted:

Brookman I think you have uncovered another problem at HPD. Seems in your drive to become the "Guy in the know" by all your unconventional ways you have shown that officers are violating standard operating proceedures by handing you police reports outside the FOI and records handling policies. At times you have obtained reports, such as in the Bond Street murder, that have not been redacted.

I am sure a great investigator like yourself or the guy on the second floor who gives the reports to you have an understanding of what can happen to an On Going inveatigation when all the information developed is just handed out for anyone to view.

I urge you to use the proper channels before you really mess up a case by putting things on your blog for all to see. I am sure you have never thought of that as an issue because you think your above it all.

You already have a radio and a odd thought that you are part of the police delartment with free rain to run around and tell everyone about how many times you meet the police chief and such, but the rank and file are pretty disgusted with you. Just the other day I even heard officer Secore say that he was upset that you were his friend because of the way he is now viewed at the department.

Brookman you point a spot light on many problems in Hartford and that is good, just don't be the guy who screws up a case and helps a bad guy get away with murder!

I know you think your to smart for that, but you came pretty close on Bond Street. We all know who your unconventional means are so stop being a braggard!

Signed
A watchfull eye on Deep Throat




The Bond Street case the commenter mentions is most likely the catalyst for this rant.
The writer mentions that I came close to compromising a potential homicide on Bond Street. This started when I became aware of the kidnapping report earlier in the day on Bond Street, I obtained a copy of the incident report and along with WFSB reporter Matt Campbell, went to the Bond Street scene. The officers involved earlier in the day took all of the proper steps according to the report, The initial responding officer Meg Cirigliano, took the complaint and appears to follow all of the proper steps, the suspect description was broadcast by radio and she then notified her supervisor, Sergeant Dixon Vega and he responded to the scene. Vega then notified his supervisor Lt. Robert Allan. Officer Cirigliano even went so far as trying to “ping’ the victims phone in an attempt to get a physical location for him. According to numerous sources , that is where it ended.
When myself and Campbell met up at what was or should have been treated like a crime scene, we were both surprised by the lack of any Police presence. No yellow tape, not even on Police Officer on scene. It was even more interesting as witnesses began coming out of their homes and giving us very detailed accounts of what had happened. One witness even pointed out the victim’s car which was parked directly in front of the Bond Street address he had been abducted from at gunpoint.
One witness gave us a very detailed description of the car and the female and how she put the gun into the victims face before the car raced off. I finally asked one of the witnesses if they had given their statements to the Police yet. They all replied no. Something wasn’t right here. A kidnapping that eventually resulted in a homicide and the area wasn’t even treated like a crime scene?
Witnesses with critical details right down to specific items the kidnappers were wearing approached us and no one was there from HPD. I called Lt Foley and asked him why it wasn’t being treated like a crime scene. I think I caught him off guard with the question. He was at the Portland homicide scene I believe and apparently thought the Bond Street scene was being handled. I called Sgt. Spell from the Shooting Task Force and asked if they were involved in the case. No, it had apparently been assigned to Major Crimes. 
Between the two calls to Foley and Spell, within minutes an HPD Supervisor followed by several Patrol Units arrived on the scene, lights and sirens,. The yellow tape went up and finally it was treated as a crime scene, probably about four hours too late for any evidentiary value.
Someone dropped the ball and it was probably the commenter  who was claiming I potentially compromised his case.
The truth is that this case was compromised from the moment  someone made the decision not to get up from their desk and respond to a kidnapping scene.
One supervisor who eventually responded asked what I knew and I had told them about the witnesses and the details I had been told. They made the comment “how sad is this, I am getting  my briefing from a blogger and not Major Crimes”. 
The fact is that Campbell and myself were given details by witnesses who had been allowed to slip through the cracks  when no one took the time to come out and follow leads. Lt Foley asked us not to reveal certain details and we both agreed so as not to compromise the investigation in any way. I never posted the report because it wasn’t needed and quite frankly I figured the problem and questions regarding the crime scene would cause more problems.
To address a couple other items: Yes I do talk regularly with Chief Rovella, and these are conversations you will never see in a blog post. Chief Rovella knows that and we do talk quite openly about many issues. I enjoy our conversations because the Chief is a man of vision and you can’t help but learn when you spend a little time with him. Whether it is his philosophies on drug enforcement, staffing, budgets or even David Kennedy’s books, I can spend hours talking, but more importantly listening to the Chief.
And I don’t need to go about “bragging” about the time I am fortunate to spend with the Chief because the reality is that as soon as Chief Rovella meets me in the lobby, the text messages start flying. “The Chief just let Brookman in, what’s going on?” Yes, as juvenile as that seems the word travels quick.
The reference to the “guy on the second floor” Is the Police Department’s Public Information Officer LT. Brian Foley. Lt Foley has not “leaked” me any information and every report I have posted has been accompanied by an appropriate FOI request or is e-mailed to me and probably thirty or forty other media outlets at the same time. If I ask for an incident report that I learned about first, I submit an FOI request to Foley.
Lt Foley has been a breath of fresh air when it comes to the distribution of public information, he is available 24 hours a day, has established a very professional reputation with the media, and he clearly gets “It” when it comes to transparency
As far as redactions, brush up on your FOI statutes. There is very little than can be legally redacted from police Incident reports except specific things like social security number, operator’s number or other things that could maybe be used for identity theft. Names of juveniles and sexual assault victims should also be redacted. I am not sure what information you think should have been redacted from any reports including the Bond Street report, but you are probably wrong.
As far as when the report is released or what is released is entirely up to the agency releasing it. The statutes list exemptions that may be claimed, but doesn’t require an exemption to be claimed in any case. An agency may claim that release could compromise an ongoing criminal investigation, but the fact that a report covers an ongoing criminal investigation doesn’t mean it can’t be released if the agency finds no reason not to release it.
As far as the old days of HPD where it was a fight to get information , get used to the change. There is a new Chief that understands his responsibility to maintaining the public trust by being transparent and the doors to the information bunker have been opened wide. Everything you do is open to public scrutiny.
Your comment about the Officer who wishes to deny being my friend is fine, That Officer will probably also tell you that I am one of the driving forces behind him actually getting his job back, and I know where I stand with him. He has to survive there in a childish atmosphere and it is about survival. I get that.
Maybe if you had gotten off your butt and went to a kidnapping scene, you wouldn’t have to be protecting that same butt now.
I stand behind what I have done, I would never compromise an investigation and I value my relationships with Chief Rovella, LT. Foley and many others at HPD that know how to act like adults and make Hartford a safer place and do their jobs well day in and day out




28 comments:

  1. Kevin,

    No one will deny, even reporters that have been in this market for years, that you are the one to follow now and you have a great way of obtaining information. Also, no one can deny that your skills have brought accountability to City Hall, HPD and as yesterday showed, the Hartford Fire Department. Those that take the shots at you have probably either been someone that has felt your reach or is afraid of coming under your scrutiny. No one wants to be exposed for potentially being incompetent and messing up a homicide scene, but it happens

    Don't apologize, keep doing what you are doing

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  2. Whiskey for breakfastOctober 2, 2013 at 1:38 PM

    Brackman,
    The only officers who hate you are the ones who are manipulating the system . Lazy, pj driven, and cant even answer their radios. I have bad days too, but i do try to act professional when it comes to work. I dont park in front of the dept, or go and stalk the pj office. A lot of people here have lost their minds when it doing the job and use this blog as a target because it does reveal these scams and manipulations . This job is pretty simple, 99 percent of it is show up on time, in a uniform, and answer your radio. Most do that, but then the others blame the blog and others ...

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  3. The great pumpkin charlie brownOctober 2, 2013 at 1:40 PM

    Secore is ok, at least he trys to be a cop. Not like that w smit person who continues to screw up and blame others for his own stupid issues

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  4. kevin,

    I can respect you didn't want to say who the commenter was, but can we say who it wasn't?
    The other MCD supervisor Sgt. Brandon O'Brien had actually gotten off his butt and went to the other half of the scene and was supervising in Portland, unlike his counterpart who chose to stay in the office.

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  5. Anonymous, 5:49PM

    I think you just did

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  6. Kevin, you are doing a great job ! Don't let this stuff get to you, the way I see it, and probably many more feel the same, If the employees of any department for the City did their jobs, and did it without being shellfish, and greedy, then maybe it wouldn't have to be people like you keeping the rest of us informed of what is going on within the City, the honestly of some people working for the City isn't there anymore, and we need people like you Kevin to keep the City on its toes! Thank you for doing what you do, keep up the good work !

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  7. thick skin does not match with comment moderation "enabled".

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  8. Kevin,

    I've been reading your blog for some time now & never posted. Dont apologize & keep up the great work. I dont know where you find your energy to keep trying to improve Hartford, but I hope you keep finding it.

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  9. Hey. I have a 100% true tale of insanity. Everyone respects bones, i do. The guy did his time and applied to glastonbury. He was patroling glastonbury two days after his retirement from hpd. A true cop and dedicated professional. I guess that occonnor tried to call glastonbury pd and prevent bones from going there because he wanted the job. That is straight up dirty. I would take an intoxicated blind man instead of dennis. I commend glastonbury for taking bones. He is a major loss for hpd and ert team. Its absolute silly that dennis thinks he is even in the same league. Its amazing. You really cant make a lot of these things up. But this one true incident did make me chuckle a little. Good luck bones.

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  10. Keep exposing them!!

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  11. Brocken table in Rocky Hill barOctober 4, 2013 at 3:57 PM

    Wow... Brickman when you go out there aren't you afraid for your safety? Those areas are rough! Brave

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  12. Anonymous 3:57pm.

    Not half as afraid as I am of meeting you on a road in your hometown of Glastonbury as you try to Navigate your way home from the local bar

    Pease out,
    Brickman here

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  13. Eating out at casa miaOctober 4, 2013 at 4:26 PM

    Calling another dept to sabotage a job is insanity! What is wrong with that guy. Fitness of duty exam!,, Bronkman you really need to run for city government! let the fundraising begin....

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  14. Learn from your mistakes..October 4, 2013 at 4:40 PM

    No worries D.O. I don’t hold a grudge;

    Next time I see you at the Irish Home, I promise I’ll buy you a Guinness. I haven’t broken any table there (yet).

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  15. No more pj grievances denisOctober 4, 2013 at 7:43 PM

    Set up a 36 detail the next street over fron the glastonbury vfw. Its really simple when the drunks make it easy . Why has no internal investigation been started on the dennis using the term " revenge" in the booking facility in front of other officers ? I seem to remember a report was written on it ... As silly as it is. Its fact .

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  16. Oops I feel off the table while singing said,

    I sure hope that they think about giving Foley, aka biggest scammer in all of HPD, a star in the near future. Hopefully Rovella will see through all of Foley's shenanigans and not even give it a thought. Kevin maybe you should talk to some of the real Detectives in MCD and they'll tell you how Foley has created such a hostile environment up there. MCD used to be the place to be but once Foley arrived he drove out some great detectives and brought in the ones with no time on the job just because they were able to do work on his new house.

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  17. Anonymous 1:34PM,

    I don't think I need to defend Lt Foley, but if I recall correctly, Foley was not in MCD when his house was built, he was still a zone LT.As far as the way MCD is run, I think they are well above the national average for the percentage of cases cleared, especially homicides

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  18. Anonymous at 1:34 PM......

    Drove out some great detective's as you say? Or, got rid of the turds that couldn't close a case and preferred to be out drinking and partying all the time when working at night?
    The nerve of Foley to break up the party!!!

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  19. Let's not forget the point of this article. Weaver sucks, he's a lazy bum. He always has been. He's been taking credit for what Javi DeJesus did years ago for capturing Brian's killer. Weaver did nothing but took credit. As humble as Javi is, he's never spoke the real truth about Weaver doing nothing that day. Time for Foley to bounce Weaver, shoulda been done long ago. Give him a taste of patrol, which he's never had!

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  20. Weaver sucks said........
    Let's not forget the point of this article. Weaver sucks, he's a lazy bum. He always has been. He's been taking credit for what Javi DeJesus did years ago for capturing Brian's killer. Weaver did nothing but took credit. As humble as Javi is, he's never spoke the real truth about Weaver doing nothing that day. Time for Foley to bounce Weaver, shoulda been done long ago. Give him a taste of patrol, which he's never had!

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  21. The real investigators ...October 5, 2013 at 5:25 PM

    Here we go with the silly train. Why does everyone think patrol is the red headed step child of a catholic amish family? I cant wait for capt/ chief joe to hit the streets soon. Then he will lead us like william wallace !! As for weaver and foley go, weaver knows how to do all that computer stuff. He is lazy at times, but a wealth of knowledge. As for foley. He does do a good job speaking to the media. But he supervises through back stabbing. You must earn the respect not write up your best major crimes detectives. He also pushed out the cream of the crop. Mui Who cares if he worked pjs Foley did.
    Who cares if poma talks trash. Foley does.
    No one opened a case when foleys brother in law defaced an major crimes roll and wrote a homo sexual comment refering to a sgt and detective. Where is that investigation? Yah. That item / evidence is still around brian. That would not be good for a star .....

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  22. Check how many detectives double as private contractors and did work on foleys house. I bet no permits were pulled. Leave weaver alone. He volunteers to help blind children learn the internet ..

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  23. Mr. Brookman,
    These comments are a clear reflection of what is wrong with our department. Instead of striving to improve themselves as officers in an attempt to be recognized our officers would rather trash talk the select individuals who have demonstrated investigative proficiency. To the underachiever trash talking the gifted investigator with enough mental capacity to master two careers, I feel the need to remind you of an interesting fact. Lt. Siegersmith was the acting commander of M.C.D when that particular detective was brought into MCD. Since you have already demonstrated why you are overlooked for an investigative assignment (yes it is obvious you are a poor investigator or you wouldn't make uniformed statements) I will also clear up what is certain to be your next idiotic post. His brother was brought up there under LT. Hawkins. Rather then trying to bring our department down to your level you should strive to rise to the level of our higher achievers.

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  24. Warrengton Avenue OfficeOctober 6, 2013 at 4:44 PM

    What difference does it make?... The point is they are doing a descent job and are clearing cases. The work gets done regardless who's the Lt or the shenanigans he was up to

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  25. Hey punk, Foley and Sigersmith were closing felony cases when you j**king off in HS, and Weaver did close that case. I was working that night you jack a**. How's that grab you!!

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  26. Beaner stop please.......how's that grab me? I was working also.....and? I know the truth. Is "vet" detective for veterinary detective? Stick to closing burglaries, not that you've ever closed one as of yet.

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  27. “Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

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  28. Dear Mounted Failure,
    I have never posted anything on this blog. Please do not call me out on anything, here or elsewhere.

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