On January 23,
2015 at 1:30 this morning, The Hartford Fire Department received notification
from the Connecticut State Police Troop E in Montville that Firefighter Cinque
Scott was arrested on charges of Failure to Drive Right, Operating under a
Suspended License and Driving under the Influence.
Firefighter
Scott has been a member of the Hartford Fire Department since 2000 and at the
time of this incident, was on Administrative Leave with Pay.
Effective
immediately, Firefighter Scott has been placed on Administrative Leave with
No-Pay pending further investigation.
There seems to be a pattern of alcohol and drug abuse within the Hartford Fire Department that needs to be addressed and dealt with. I am not sure if their EAP (Employee Assistance Program ) is operational, but it needs to be looked at so that people in a high stress occupation can turn somewhere for help other than alcohol or drugs.
I am also wondering what type of follow up is done to make sure employees have a valid drivers license. According to the release , Scott's license was under suspension at the time of his arrest. Anyone driving a City vehicle or potentially operating a City vehicle in any department should have the validity of their license checked regularly. Just imagine the liability to the City of someone crashing a Fire Truck or DPW Vehicle without a license.
You might recall a few years ago when the driver for Mayor Perez was found to have a suspended license , I believe after an accident with the Mayor's City car . At the time no one had checked his license.
It just seems sad that a respected organization is being embarrassed regularly now by the poor decision making of its members and reflecting on all when it is in reality a very few that need to be addressed At least it keeps their PIO busy
It used to be: Houston, we have a problem.
ReplyDeleteNow it's: Huertas, we have a problem.
without a doubt, WE, the people of Hartford, have a major problem, a very serious safety problem. Segarra must have known all along what's going on in the FD, why is he remaining silent? Is Segarra going to establish - you already know - another task force?
ReplyDeleteThe politicians are solely responsible for this problem. From their dictates on who gets hired/promoted to their lack of attention to the retaining of qualified Deputy Chiefs who refuse to take the A/C and Chief's jobs. The chickens have come home to roost! Cinque is another Caldwell who has been protected and allowed to remain when he should have been fired long ago. If the city was really interested in cleaning up this mess, they would institute immediate and random drug testing for all employees! They will never do that because most of their friends who they hired will never pass. DEMAND IMMEDIATE DRUG TESTING NOW!
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have a major problem. Its only the same 3 to 5 firefighters on the fire dept that keep getting in trouble all the time. They should receive help or get terminated if they refused help. You don't think the police dept has officers that drive drunk all the time. They just get away with it because they are police officers and rarely will another police officer arrest one of their own for DUI. That's why you never hear about it. I have attended numerous police functions and fire dept functions and everyone one is always intoxicated and then drive home.
ReplyDeletethere's definitely a problem but Huertas has no authority because of his character and no respect from almost the entire dept.
DeleteCinque has a Pre-Trial scheduled for 1/28/2015. Arrested 11/2/2013 for ILL OPN MV UNDER INFL ALC/DRUG. Plead: Not Guilty.
ReplyDelete12/2010 Guilty of: ILL Opn Mv Under Infl Alc/Drug
Sentenced to 6 Months Jail, Execution Suspended After 2 Days, Probation 18 Months.
1/2011 Guilty of: ILL Opn Mv Und Suspnsn-Alcohol
Sentenced to 19 Days Jail.
10/2010 Guilty of: IILL Opn Mv Under Suspension
10/2009 Guilty of: Reckless Driving
This guy had an obvious problem. Maybe he can share a cell with Vendetta. Great job EAP!
It IS a major problem. #1. It's more than just 3 to 5 firefighters, everybody knows that. #2. Even if it was these 'same 3 to 5 firefighters' as you say, you don't want them in the FD unless they get treatment.
ReplyDeleteWant to know why the HFD is so screwed up? Just look at our so called leader "Sorry Charlie". This weak punk kisses the feet of city lawyers and other officials while activly persuing personal vendettas against his own guys. This guy has no clue what real leadership is and consequently gets no respect. Huertas has lost control of this department, no one is listening to him at all. Funny how he never gets one on one with anybody around here. The man is a coward and I will tell him so to his face if he ever shows up at a firehouse. Time to get a little old school with these guys, see what they are made of. Guys, respect the safety of your crew and the safety of the public. This is all you should pay attention to until we have a change of administration and get some real leaders. "Sorry Charlie" and the fake deputys he just made can suck eggs, dont listen to any of them. Retire now Charlie you have failed.
ReplyDeleteHow about an IQ test during the hiring process.
ReplyDeleteHey Keven why don't you look into why one fireperson who showed up late for a recent Lts exam and one fireman got sent home for showing up late?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 4:07pm
ReplyDeleteIm not sure I am getting your point. Shouldn't they have been denied entry if they couldn't even be there on time for the test?
Caldwell and Cinque are only the tip of the iceberg, our FD is totally screwed up.
ReplyDeletePerfect example of HFD leadership! While the department is falling apart like a rusted out Pontiac, the the Chief takes Shelly (head of EAP) out of town. WTF!???? Ehh...we're better off without. Back to deflate gate!
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin
ReplyDeleteLook into the C tour female FF at E9 who owes the city over 200 sick days. The city let her use time she never had !! Another protected individual whole some "good" candidate got screwed out of a job cause they want to make HFD "like the make up of the city" You notice the suburbs don't have nearly as many problems because they hire the best candidates not the friends and relatives of ignorant political powerplayers
4:31pm
ReplyDeleteany idea where he is? that seems to be the big secret also. I guess the Union President is MIA
Yea...what about that criminal at E9. She has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from the city. Want evidence???? Just look at Mercados sick card...its all there, it has happened, and there are multiple records. Channel 3 has these records. They were about to expose her when Bell died, but laid off when the tragedy ocurred. Hopefully, the reporter will pick it up soon. And oh yea..Shelly from EAP is as big a paycheck thief as Mercado...once again Want Evidence...just look at her sick card.
ReplyDeleteThese haters will go down, I promise you! Look all you want, right knows, right and you bigot turds will go down. I'll set my watch to it!
ReplyDelete"Vin" is peeking at us all from behind the curtain, chuckling as he fills his coffers as fast as he can. Like an over grown hamster. He's getting ready to make his exit. Greed has takin him over. He and his right hand man Rocco will move on to an already set up career somewhere else. We will be left with a mess beyond imagination, and a condo the union never ever should have gotten. Greed and sloth. Shame on us in the HFD for allowing this to happen. Seems so many are concerned with nothing but overtime, 212 time and how to rise up in the ranks. Old timers from the past would call us all a bunch of pussy's. Disgusting.
ReplyDeleteYea..its the I-Team at WFSB that is doing the investigation on Mercado. Jill Konopka is the reporter...she is relentless..
ReplyDeleteThe City's auditors claim they have looked into this and found nothing. Please feel free to call or email in private with any additional information about this
ReplyDeleteI think Mercado is under Rjo's sisterhood protection plan.
ReplyDeleteThe problems in the HFD go beyond Bell, Caldwell, Cinque, Huertas and Waller. It rooted deep inside, it's a long time cultural issue that Huertas is not able to correct, and with Terry it will be much worse.
ReplyDeleteHFD need a complete shake up.
In the matter of Scott, he obviously has a drinking problem and was charged with being drunk at work this year, but to be clear it should be noted that Scott was actually AWOL that AM due to screwing his days up probably from being drunk, when called at home he panicked and ran to work even though he was unfit for duty and that's how that came to pass.
ReplyDeleteHe is no ball of fire and is shall we say not highly motivated but drinking at work has not been a problem for him like Caldwell, but his personal life has carried into his professional life and after more chances than most has come to bight him in the ass big time. To my knowledge he has gotten a lot of help from EAP and other entities, just couldn't get right. Not a bad person, just not cut out for the Fire Service, would not lump him in with the belligerent trouble making loud Caldwell.
As far as the Sick cards go on employees, it is ridiculous how shoddy these record are and for years it is the only way sick time was tracked. As of last 2yrs or so it is now tracked by the Fire House computer programs.
ReplyDeleteAs a company officer receiving a new transfer to a station it is easy to tell something about your new department member, just look at the thickness of their personal folder and the size of their sick cards, it speaks volumes.These cards are kept openly and easy for anyone to see. The big question is has the member been paid for each day logged on the card, or when out of time did they have pay deducted. No way to tell that in the firehouse.
That being said, members can accumulate 15 sick days a year, by doing the math on how long someone has been on the job it is easy to tell if they have used more sick days then they could have possibly earned. Raises and eyebrow doesn't it. In the case of the before mentioned it is easy to say that the size of her sick log is well above the average member, even with many less years on the job.
Many people with terrible injury and sick records have been promoted for years. Do you think it is a good idea to promote someone who can't seem to come to work the majority of the time. Remember we work a 42 hr a week schedule, but do it in just 92 days a year. How hard is it to show to work on time, sober, 92 times compared to the average vocation.
In a related matter someone should really look at the sick cards and patterns of abuse. I have seen the flu listed multiple times by 1 individual, 7 times in 1 year, and looking at that same individual still, 21 times over and 8 year period. That is a lot of flu. Anybody reading this ask yourself how many times have you had the flu in your life?
ReplyDeleteThis is easy to prove, all you have to do is look, I addressed it, nothing happened. These are very real concerns the administration should be researching.
At the same time the administration, not just the current administration comes down hard on some for use of sick time,
I have heard of home visits by the Chief or assistant and skips at promotion time.
It should also be understood as first responders we come into close contact with all kinds of sick people, it is a wonder we don't all exhaust our sick time.
Kevin, another thing that should be looked at are the details of line staff to the Chief's office.
ReplyDeleteThis is a practice of letting people work at the chief's office on a day shift only basis 4 days per week in lieu of their regular 24 hr. shift.
Just recently a whole bunch of people going to detail on the 3rd floor were just made drivers. This means they were promoted to a position and given a raise to perform those duties only to walk away and get detailed to the 3rd floor. While on the 3rd floor your duties are very small and leave a lot of time, like studying for your second career in nursing, or persuing you side real estated business. Ask around about this and youll find a whole bunch of people have been paid a lot of money to better their own position in life instead of properly serving the citizens of Hartford all under full knowledge of the Chief of the Department.Once again a chosen few just request a detail and the gates are opened for them.
We do have a problem with HFD and we'll continue having a problem while Huertas, Waller and a few other bad apple are still in service at HFD. Things could have been better if that guy calling himself "mayor" installed a real leader, not a puppet, as chief of the FD.
ReplyDeleteCinque was going to get fired in the academy when he was a recruit. Cinques grandmother is retired fire chief Stewarts neighbor. Chief Stewart called his city hall buddies to keep Cinque from getting terminated in the academy. Ironically retired chief Stewart is a member of the new fire panel that the mayor created along with Chief Teale and Chief Casares who hired all these useless people. Now they brought back all the retired chiefs who ruined the department. It makes no sense .
ReplyDeleteNothing Pedro does makes any sense. Nothing. He's a corrupt, stinky politician who's trying to get reelected. If you thought he was going to get a real panel of professionals, outsiders, then keep on dreaming.
ReplyDeleteWe have no problem ,only a small group of individuals who continue to get in trouble on and off duty. Do the math its not 400 of us getting arrested. It's about 10 to 15 problem childs.
ReplyDeleteJust "10 to 15 problem childs" is 10 to 15 too many. In reality it's more than "10 to 15 problem childs", much more.
DeleteIt is our business if sick time is being abused and the record keeping in the Chief's Office is not legit
ReplyDeleteOur time our business. If u don't like it tell city hall to rewrite our union contract. We don't sit in an office all day. We actually run into burning buildings while everyone runs out.Do you know the crap we breath when our air bottles run out before we can make it to the exterior of a building. We also deal with sick people on a daily basis. Picking up heavy equipment. That puts wear and tear in your body. That's why we use our sick time because when its time to work we really work our butts off no matter what the conditions are . We don't sit in an office with an AC and heat with a suit and tie drinking Starbucks.
DeleteI have noticed that two of the the problem members of HFD have have resigned from the department or their own. It is sad that certain persons just won't leave the matter alone. The guys are gone and still those that love to complain keep on complaining. Why don't the make sure the air-bottles and generators are properly filled. Make sure that the follow the department directives and show their allegence to the Chief and stop bad mouthing the department and the City. Don't they realized that the comments directly impact on the publics perception of its members. Apply your efforts on postive things that can inprove the department. Also work on getting a training command staff that will better serve the department and do what they are trained to do and stop complaining behind covered faces in the media.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:26PM,
ReplyDeleteAs I said in my comments in a news story on Fox 61, the majority are hardworking professionals but unfortunately the actions of a few reflect negatively on all and that needs to change
9:09 PM, really, if it hasn't been for airing in the media it would still be business as usual over the last 15 or more years, everything swept under the rug, all OK. Allegiance to this chief? He is in it for the 150K only.Wants deniability on everything so he has to do nothing. If not for all the media attention Caldwell and Scott would still be here. Maybe we have to tear the whole thing down before we can really rebuild.
ReplyDeleteOn another note we had a chief and two acting assistants with a total salary approaching what, 400K and when asked none of them could do the department budget, they all have college and every other thing listed in the signatures behind there names and can't even do the budget,So they hand it down to a detailed Lt. that is handing out supplies, That is disgraceful. And when Chief goes to some meeting with the City Brass and they ask him a question on his budget he looks into space and has no Idea, why, cause he has no knowledge of the department finances and apparently doesn't care, talk about others stealing their paychecks.
Yes Heurtas we have a problem, let the light shine on this and let everybody know so it has to change. As far as public perception, they are paying for it they should know the truth.
11:09 P.M. everyone is entittled to their opinion. Since the new chief has come in there certainly has been some un-happy campers. When employees are asked to do something (their job) they immediately start to complain to no end. Does any credit go to the Chief when bad apples are identified and they leave the FD. Also why didn't the whistle blowers go to the media in the past to report there concerns with their faces covered.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 11:09 said, "Maybe we have to tear the whole thing down before we can really rebuild."
ReplyDeleteLet's not kid ourselves here. You won't be around to rebuild anything. Your mission is to tear the job down and leave.
There is no "WE" in your plan. It's all about you.
Do us all a favor and just get out. We're sick of you and your bovine excrement.
11:09 PM If you are so smart why don't you become chief and try see how far you will get it having the department run your way. If you were to tear the whole thing down and rebuild would mean that you would have to go. Wouldn't you agree. So when are you leaving. Oh wait I make great ot I dont want to leave I just want to complain. Hey if you don't like it leave.
ReplyDelete