MORE ON THE REVOLVING JUDICIAL DOOR

I just can't figure out what the message is supposed to be that our Courts are sending to those accused of criminal activity.

On Sunday August 25, a contingent of Hartford Police officers were assigned to the Toby Keith Concert at the Comcast Theater. Two of those officers, Sergeant Edward Yergeau and Officer Holly Donahue were assigned to patrol the parking lots and enforce underage drinking laws and keep order.

They observed a few individuals drinking that didn't appear to be of legal age. They approached the individuals to check their ID's and as is many times the case with intoxicated unerage drinkers, they didn't exhibit the best behavior.

The incident turned into a melee and the two officers ended up rolling on the ground with the underage drinkers. The underage drinkers were scratching and clawing at the officers as others in the crowd jumped on the officers backs. Both officers sustained scratches cuts and abrasions while arresting the individuals

The individuals were eventually arrested and transported to HPD where they were booked .

Maya Kumar, 19 of Fairfield CT was charged with Inciting to Riot, Assault on Police, and Interfering with Police.. Joseph Muratori , 19 also of Fairfield was also charged with the same charges. Samantha Mc Daniel  , 19 ofStartford Ct was charged with Public Drinking, Interfering with Police, and Possession of Alcohol by a minor.

Now the confusing part. All three were released by the Bail Commissioner from GA 14 on a Promise to Appear. I understand Bond is not supposed to be punitive, but they just assaulted Police Officers. They were back on the streets before the Officer's report was probably even written. And most likely still intoxicated. Maybe if they had to come up with even as little as  $1000.00 bond to get their release, the incident might be taken a little more seriously in the future.

A WPTA doesn't show a lot of support for our law enforcement officers who had just been assaulted.

Comcast Yergeau Report0001

THE REVOLVING JUDICIAL DOOR

 

Hartford is a violent City. I don't think many people would argue with that. When it comes to the discussion of how we change, that is where the difficulty begins.

I have a suggestion. As I read the releases regarding Hartford's gun arrests one thing seems crystal clear. Most of the people being arrested in Hartford for illegal possession of guns have already been arrested at least once for the exact same thing. Somehow that tells me the courts and the judicial system are not doing their part.

The arrests are being made by the Shooting Task Force and other Police Officers, so law enforcement seems to be doing its part uncovering the weapons and the criminals. For whatever reasons the courts are not following through. I believe in second chances and the first time might be explainable, but after the first arrest, I think you are exhibiting that you are unable to conform to the laws that society has put in place.

I obtained an Unusual Occurrence Report (UOR) from the Hartford Police Department today that is very troubling to me. UOR's are generated by Hartford Police Supervisors as a management tool that helps inform supervisors of critical incidents. They are also used to release information to the media.

This UOR was regarding a gun arrest made by HPD on Tuesday night. HPD had received information that several individuals were in the City in a rental vehicle and were in the possession of guns  and HPD Police uniforms. The information was that they intended to commit a robbery.

Hartford Police Detective Antuna observed the suspect vehicle  in a parking lot at 884 Capitol Avenue. Detective Antuna, with the assistance of Patrol Officers stopped the vehicle and a loaded firearm, a Colt 45 revolver, a bb gun, a ski mask and an HPD Sergeant's uniform shirt  and an HPD baseball cap were all found in the vehicle.

The most troubling part is yet to come though.

One of the persons arrested was identified as George Ortiz,  of 847 Burnside Avenue in East Hartford. He was charged with Criminal Possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit and weapons in a motor vehicle. Now the troubling part... as a footnote on the UOR it stated that Ortiz is currently on probation for Murder charges. WHAT?

Why is his probation not immediately revoked? Why is someone that is already on probation for murder and now roaming our streets in possession of HPD uniforms and a Colt 45 and a ski mask allowed to stay out. I have a hard time believing his intentions were honorable.

I would venture to guess that were either using the HPD  Uniforms to gain access somewhere for a robbery, or more likely robbing drug dealers who probably arent' going to call 911 to report that their drugs and cash  and weapons were just stolen by a Hartford cop.

The Judicial system needs to start doing their part and that is not a slap on the wrists and send them home. Serious sentences need to be handed out to those willing to carry and use  illegal fireamrs on our streets. Especially a convicted murderer on probation

HARTFORD DOES HAVE GOOD LANDLORDS, BUT IT ISN'T EASY

Dogwood trees destroyed by upset drug dealer

 

Windows smashed out by bricks

 

It seems that we always hear about absentee landlords and the slumlords that own many Hartford properties. But there are good landlords in our City that actually maintain their properties and do what responsible property owners are supposed to do.

One such landlord maintains several properties that he has owned for years in the Park Street area. He is a familiar sight to most people in the Seymour Street/ Park Street area. Most people would recognize Stanley Gutt as the guy that can be seen almost every day sweeping in front of his properties, picking up trash or painting and repairing his buildings.

In most circles, Stan would be referred to as a "senior citizen", although I think he probably wouldn't agree with that term. His energy level and his commitment to his properties is probably higher than many people half his age. I have had the privilege of knowing Stan for many years now since I moved back to Hartford and Stan is one of those people that still loves Hartford.

Sunday I think that love for Hartford might have been called into question.

I received a call Sunday morning asking if I could help Stan out with a problem. Apparently one of Stan's properties was the popular location for drug sales. Stan had one of our local drug dealers set up shop in front of his property at 161 Seymour Street. Gutt took the steps that a responsible landlord takes. He notified his Community Service Officer and apparently has a "standing complaint"  with the police department.

 A standing complaint gives the Police the authority to enforce loitering and other issues on the property without a complainant actually being present to make a complaint. The property at 161 Seymour is well lit at night and clearly posted for "no loitering".

Apparently last week Gutt  got fed up with his neighborhood drug dealer that set up shop at 161 Seymour Street. Gutt's drug dealer isn't the only one on the street though, Seymour Street appears to have become a hot spot with numerous dealers doing the hand to hand transactions to the drive up customers all up and down the block.

Gutt's drug dealer , who is not a tenant of the building, had also parked a couple vehicles including a 4x4 off road vehicle in Gutt's parking lot. Gutt asked the dealer to get off his property and remove the vehicle's or else he would tow them off the lot. The drug dealer must have thought Gutt was bluffing, and last week Gutt had the vehicles removed at the drug dealers expense.

The dealer approached Gutt on Friday and said that he wanted to be reimbursed for the towing fees. Gutt refused.

Not surprisingly, on Friday night, Gutt had all 6 tires slashed on his box truck that he uses as his rolling workshop to maintain his properties. The windows in the first floor apartment at 161 Seymour that he was renovating were smashed with bricks and two large dogwood tress that Gutt had planted in front of the property were snapped off..

I know the pride Gutt takes in the appearance of his properties and when I spoke to him Sunday, the hurt clearly came through. We can't allow responsible landlords like Stan to question their commitment to Hartford because of thugs that think they run our neighborhoods.

 Stan is out their again this week, cleaning and scrubbing his properties doing what he has done for years , contributing to Hartford's neighborhoods.

The drug dealer has apparently attracted much unwanted scrutiny from others that don't appreciate  his business methods and is finding out the hard way that good usually has a way of winning out over evil. Gutt's CSO ( Community Service Officer)  for the area, Officer Ghami Perez, is taking notice and working on the issue, the Shooting Task Force seems to be taking interest in the area and I am pretty confident it will not end there..

We need to drive out our slumlords, not the good guys that still love Hartford.