As I have said here before, and many others have said, it seems more and more that it is open season on Police Officers in our towns and cities and across the Country. Police Officers across the nation are being executed almost on a weekly basis for no other apparent reason than the fact they wear a uniform and a badge.
In this current climate, many Departments are facing a severe problem in recruiting and hiring qualified Police Officers, and quite honestly, I don't see it getting any better anytime soon in this environment
This may sound like I am falling for the police rhetoric,,but I think more likely I am being a realist.
Who in their right mind would want this job now a days. If the physical danger and the number of illegal guns on our streets waiting to be used against officers and civilians alike isn't a deterrent, the risk of doing their jobs is even worse. Police Officers in Hartford are risking losing their homes and livelihoods over civil judgments now that the City Administration has decided not to indemnify officers in the course of their duty.
I am also not sure that people, I hate to say many of them "cop haters", really look at what officers go through. It takes the toll on their families being away working odd shifts on most holiday, birthdays and special occasions, working when they would prefer to attend the sporting events or school concerts for their kids. Someone has to do the job, 24/7. Maybe there is a reason that divorce, alcoholism and unfortunately even suicide are higher among police officers.
Anyone that wants to second guess an officers use of deadly force or why they did what they did should be asked to step inside a shooting simulator and see how it goes. I think they will come out dripping with sweat and remorseful for the innocent people that they shot during the scenarios. Fortunately, they would have the luxury of hitting reset button and starting over again,A luxury which an Officer on the street doesn't have when reacting to a deadly high stress situation
Two Hartford officers recently lost a jury decision. Not because of any willful misconduct, but because they shot and killed a dog charging them when they were inadvertently in the wrong yard looking for a suspect. Tragic that a families aggressive dog got killed, but as I have also said before here previously, the nature of police work and criminal activity isn't always pretty. We don't hire robots with computer chips for brains, we have human beings patrolling our neighborhoods. Human beings that have to make split second decisions based on the information available to them at the time. And hopefully the best decisions being made based upon the best training as well as supervision available to them.
We tend to pack the front page when a Police Officer does something wrong, but the good deeds are hard to find. Not because the good deeds aren't happening, but who wants to read good news about something a cop does. Dozens of drunk drivers are taken off Hartford's streets every month by HPD Traffic Officers and patrol Officers. Even though the officers risk their lives out on the checks points of being struck by a drunk that can't navigate in a stupor, they still do it to keep our streets safe.
Last night a state Trooper rescued a driver from fiery vehicle to save the life of someone he probably didn't even know. He wasn't required to do that, he could have sat on the shoulder and waited for the Fire Department, but that is not what good cops do.
One of the finest police officers I know serving the people of Hartford crawled out onto thin ice on the Connecticut River wearing a dry suit and secured to the shore by only a piece of rope between him and potentially drowning. He rescued the man from the ice, a man who had jumped in an attempt to take his own life, but our officers risked their own lives to save someone else's, but that is what good cops do.
That same Officer and his wife buy numerous bikes every year to give away to children in the South End who might not have a bicycle otherwise, you probably don't hear much about those good efforts
You don't hear a lot about these things , but let a cop be accused of doing something wrong, whether proven or not, and all hell breaks loose.
It is amazing to me that most of the comments on-line regarding the arrest of Sergeant Spell focused on the amount of his pension and retirement benefits. Then today the story was about the amount of money being spent on Trooper overtime.
Can anyone honestly say that if the Union for reporters at the Courant negotiated a contract that allowed reporters to retire after twenty five years with pensions of $130,000 a year that they would say "no thank you"? The pensions for police officers and State Troopers as well as the potential for overtime were negotiated in good faith and no one is doing anything illegal by collecting them.
Maybe we should just say we don't wan the pensions or putting the cops on our streets and we are willing to go without . Maybe we should be asking our Mayor where the 70 new officers he promised us at election time are. A class of 45 new officers was promised for October and another 25 for January. Neither class is even close to happening and looking at my calendar I see we are well past October. I am sure that many applicants have already found jobs in other agencies by now as Hartford talks a big story but quietly drags its feet.
Maybe it is more about jealousy that people didn't choose law enforcement as a career path. But until our so called political "leaders" start paying attention, this is the way it is. As far as the overtime for Hartford Officers like Sergeant Spell and State Troopers, that is what happens when politicians bury their heads in the sand and ignore staffing for years. IF HPD is over 100 Officers short and by accounts CSP is at least a couple hundred troopers under where it should be, overtime happens, wake up.
I think this is enough for this posting, I wanted to get more into the Spell incident, but that will be another posting
20 comments:
Inadvertently went into the wrong yard to face an AGRESSIVE dog as you say huh? Kevin why don't you tell the whole story a CI gave those cops bad information and they went unrivaled the wrong yard where a dog doing its job against unwanted trespassers gets killed in its line of duty and a little girl lost her companion I'm sure you probably won't post this comment !!!
Even you admit they were acting on bad information, so is that the officers's fault? a Dog doing its job? what about controlling their pet? And in the line of duty? I didn't know there was a sense of duty for a dog,. do you have the same compassion for police officers killed or injured in the line of duty as you do an aggressive dog? And if you don't realize by now , I post all comments I recieve no matter the level of ignorance
Pia and O'Hare are probably two of the BEST dam cops in the PD. They have more felony gun arrests than anyone. They were doing what's right.....getting dam guns off the street. It should be noted, but won't, Pia, O'Hare and Spell are three of the most highly decorated officers in HPD. Kevin, why don't you FOI all their accommodations since we know the courant won't. Going after the worst of the worst criminals sometimes comes with consequences. I absolutely commend and thank them. Newell.....your a beast with the criminal element, a young Pia. Watch your six brother......please.
My comment is ignorant ? Because I'm speaking the truth people don't have guard dogs Kevin? So let me get this straight it's the owner fault for having his dog in a fenced yard that's the officers entered on bad information and your mad they lost the lawsuit? I'm trying to figure out your logic Kevin so if a CI told cops you were selling drugs out your home and they raised your home and killed your dog in the process you wouldn't want restitution?? I was always on the fence with you but your bias is really starting to show
People don't realize or don't want to realize what a violent City this is. I shutter to think where this city would be without the efforts of Pia, o'hare , Spell and others out there to control violent crime. And let's not forget Detective reeder who was also vilified recently for his stellar efforts to get a murderer of the streets. Thank you all
Several hundred thousand for a dog? Get real , there was blame on both sides and no malicious intent on the part of the police
Exactly, NO malicious intent. Only trying to get what Bronin said he wanted, get illegal guns off the street. Guns used in the yearly homicides in Hartford that destroy families. I also support Pia and O'Hare. Thank you for your service.
So where is Bronin now. That was his campaign slogan- "to get ILLEGAL guns off the street". Another politician not keeping his word. Bronin should be supporting them, where is he. Let's go Trump!!!
Any police officer supporting Trump is an enemy of the people I'm glad you posting these comments Kevin so people know how racist the cops are that you support let's not forget the public reaction when your cop buddy had the audacity to drive around the city with a trump sticker on his MDT the people have spoken we will no longer tolerate crooked cops in our beloved city
And supporting our duly elected next President is racist? I think you need a better argument than that. Your candidate lost, get over it.
That cop with the trump sticker actually got to meet the next prez. So how do those sour grapes taste mr tough guy behind a keyboard.
Now he's crooked cause he supported Trump, the only politician to support police. Well he won for a reason. And Johnny Z does his job. Your the zero.
Extremely tough I am check my resume
Trump.... Likes guns, caterpillar machinery, the police and railroads!!! I would have voted for him 10 times if I could of!!! When I realized he was actually going to win I felt like the grinch when his heart grew 5 times its size!! God bless the police and this great nation for doing the right thing!
Any cop that supports trump is an enemy of the people? I can't say what I want to because Kevin simply couldn't post it. What I will say however is that when all of you trump hating, cop hating, 2nd amendment hating, liberals feel like doing something about it instead of just being uneducated key board warriors that defend your thug family members while they lead a life of crime I encourage you to do so.
They way I look at it once that engagement is over the only folks left will be hard working non lazy people.
There should be a law passed that clearly states that if you are receiving state aid you forfeit your right to vote. We don't allow the fox to guard the hen house in order to keep the chickens alive. Why should we let the people that abuse the system continue to do so by voting in the individuals that encourage and allow it to happen.
I hope the fact that trump is elected keeps you up at night and every time you drive to the state building to collect the check that I paid for by working hard your forehead breaks out in sweat.
The days of this nations lazy trailer trash, curb dwellers and zombies walking around with our hard earned money in their pockets is over!! Pick up a shovel because it's time to go back to work and make America great again!
Does that toilet paper Courant realize that when HPD officers retire there's NO free medical? They pay their own medical at a cost of about $1,500+ a month. They also never ever get a cost of living increase, unlike other local and state agencies, which I don't care to unnecessarily through other specific agencies out there. Just seems lately that failing courant can't get over it. HPD also now has no more 20 and out pension plan, very few are left under that plan. Now these guys have to work 25 years in one of the top 10 most violent cities in the country and get a percentage of the 25 years worked. Why would anyone apply or stay at HPD when they can go work in a nice suburb where citizens waive hi to the police, have a higher life expectancy and a secure pension after 20 years. Cops used to want to work in Hartford to do real police work and fight crime. That's not what is wanted anymore by politicians such as Malloy and Bronin. They want cops to hug a thug and give second chances. Well maybe cops should get the same second chances and charges constantly nollied and dismissed like they do with repeat criminals that normally have 30+ arrests. Selders, BLM and the courant is ok with that but wants all cops hung.
You do realize the majority of people on state aid and welfare are single white mothers right your ignorance is beyond belief
Amen ����
Dear 2:43 pm, please educate yourself. You stated the majority of welfare is given to single white females. A very simple check of the federal governments statistics on welfare prove that you are incompetent. The fact that you just make up statistics in your brain is laughable. Here are the 2014 statistics on where our money that goes to welfare (not sure if you pay taxes) is distributed.
White=====16.8%
Black=====39.6%
Hispanic===21.2%
Asian=====18%
Mixed race=4.4%
If I was on stage this is the point I drop the mike and walk off. (Hopefully to hand out shovels to all of the out of work white females) that you claimed are the majority. At 39.6 % I'm sure even someone at your intellectual level can figure out your statement was false.
I love the anonymous commentary by the sanctimonious that voting for the President-elect was done by racists.
That's an easy word to throw around when the "author" is anonymous. How about
that he beat a lousy candidate offered up by the Democrats? As for the enemy of the people comment
it is the Hartford Police that protect the citizens of the Capitol city, even the cross when they need help.
By the way of the 19 comments on this topic all were anonymous except for responses by
Kevin. Not too courageous.
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