I guess I am not the only one optimistic and hopeful about the future of Hartford.
The last couple of days have seen my volume of phone calls greatly increase with information. Most of those calls have been from people involved or knowledgeable of City operations . They all know I protect my sources, but it still takes guts to make the call.
Whether it is about pay raises going under the radar for the HR Director or last minute spending by the acting Assistant Fire Chief. ( For some reason that Acting Assistant Fire Chief may soon be named Acting Chief until the replacement for Huertas arrives. Again , why I am not sure because sources have told me actively campaigned for Segarra with the rank and file) Burt back to my point, apparently the Acting Assistant Chief has been spending money the last couple weeks like a drunken sailor ( sorry to any sailors) in an effort to circumvent any belt tightening that is expected by a new Administration.
I am also being told that Fire Chief Huertas's last day with HFD will be January 13th, 2016. His replacement will take office January 25th reportedly. That only leaves HFD with two weeks under direct Union control and the acting Chief..
Many of the tips received recently are still in the process of being researched and obtaining documents. So if you haven't seen your info posted here yet, rest assured I am working on them. I appreciate all of your help. None of this would be possible without your help. In closing, a new Administration does not mean your diligence is no longer need. We heard the word "accountability"
quite often during the campaign, and even though things appear to be going in the right direction, proper accountability will keep that progress moving.
Thank you all again, readers and contributors and commenter's alike, A healthy and Happy New Year to you all. And special best wishes to our New Mayor Luke Bronin and especially his family who will have to put up with his call to service once again.
And to our new Council Members, never forget the great trust the people of Hartford have placed in you. Never let them down but more importantly, never forget why you are there
Uniforms,footgear and equipment isn't drunken sailor spending. Why don't you find out how many flop houses and substations we're paying for for PD. Maybe if they didn't have so many places for them and their side pieces to hang out in they could actually solve some crimes.The money spent on PD for the crime rate in Hartford is ridiculous yet all you do is blow their horn. They have more useless special units and equipment than anyone and still don't accomplish anything. PD gets whatever it wants and still doesn't produce, but all you do is try to help bring down Huertas who was basically alone for his whole term. Think of the worse @#$% hole PD would be if Rovella had been on his own.
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!!!
DeleteKevin, Happy 2016 to you as well. You are a vital source of information and rebuttal in Hartford.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and healthy in 2016 and all the years to come.
1:16PM
ReplyDeleteSorry Scott (or Vinnie). I guess I touched a nerve with that posting. HPD is at least under some decent leadership and Management,and they do produce results, everyday guns are being taken off our streets by "those useless special units". the same can't be said of HFD until the new Chief comes in. Plenty of good people there, just poor leadership, including the Union Rep. Brady
If the leadership is so good, then why are the results so bad.
ReplyDeleteSorry Vinny, the results at HPD were the best they ever were from 2012, 2013 and 2014 (under Rovella) Then the council let 30% of the police force retire without any hiring. Ask them why the results are so bad. In fact, read Kevin's post from earlier. Rovella predicted the drop in crime and warned council about it every single year. Council is to blame and thank god they are gone. HPD loves their HFD brothers and sisters. Under good leadership HFD will turn it around.
ReplyDeleteBut as a side bar- HPD sure got good results in terms of taking guns off the streets from firemen and arresting them. Those results are pretty good.
The two firefighters you mentioned with the gun arrest are no longer part of this department and both were legal gun owners . I agree both made stupid decisions with there weapons,but don't forget to mention they were both legal gun owners. You speak of them as they had illegal firearms in their possession.
DeleteHPD is the second biggest cost to this city. A force of 498 should produce better results. They are still the 2nd largest police force in the state with exception to the state police. HPD should not claim victory as crime throughout the U.S. was down except for murders. This remained a particular issue in Hartford and other urban areas. The proposition being made is hiring more police officers will further lead to less crime. This is as if the two results are absolutely intertwined. They are not as past history has shown: the same claim was made in New York where pro-policing individuals conflated "frisk-n-search" policy with the reduction in crime. Not true! Each new police officer adds approximately $1MM in new pension liability. How does a cash strap city like Hartford afford this when it cannot pay the existing $40MM in ARC payments to the pension fund that is a major component of the systemic deficit problem of the city?
ReplyDelete8:28am
ReplyDeleteBig difference between "legal" gun owners and "responsible" gun owners. And I think Lt. Patterson is still there, along with all of his issues.
9:38PM
ReplyDeleteYour numbers are off, the recommended number is 486 but the actual number as of last week was 389, far under where they should be. I am not sure where you got 498 from