ANOTHER "DUSTED" FELON FIRING A GUN , HPD AND SHOTSPOTTER SAY "NOT TODAY"

On March 31, 2016, at approximately 4:55pm, a ShotSpotter activation alerted HPD Officers to multiple shots fired in the area of 90 Heath Street. As HPD officers responded to the area, dispatch relayed information that a male had been discharging his firearm in the area. Officers entered the rear yards near 90 Heath Street, encountering a male who appeared to be under the influence and disorientated. Officers observed a black semi-automatic handgun on the ground. As both the suspect and handgun were secured, a witness informed the officers that her brother had fired the handgun and was on "PCP." Investigation revealed that the suspect was a convicted felon. The suspect was arrested and charged accordingly.

Heath St. was previously not covered under the ShotSpotter system. However, the ShotSpotter expansion in the city of Hartford went live on Wednesday. Almost immediately this expansion has had an impact,  taking an illegal firearm out of the hands of a convicted felon alleged to be on PCP,  and off our city streets.

Recovered Evidence:

One (1) Glock Model 30 - .45 caliber handgun, Nine(9) .45 caliber shell casings,

One (1) knotted plastic bag containing crack cocaine

Arrested: Neville Clarke 33, or Hartford CT (Convicted Felon, Currently on Parole, 6 Previous Hartford Arrests)

Charges: Unlawful Discharged of a Firearm, Criminal Possession of Firearm, Carrying a Pistol w/o Permit,

Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree, Possession of Narcotics

HPD OFFICER RECOGNIZED FOR LIFESAVING EFFORTS

On December 13th, 2015 at approximately 3:09pm, HPD Officer Jill Kidik responded to a home on Mary Shepard Place regarding the report of a one year old child not breathing and unresponsive.  On arrival, Officer Kidik was immediately approached by a frantic woman who carried the one year old toward her. Officer Kidik quickly determined that the child was not breathing and observed that he was cyanotic and that his eyes “rolled” toward the back of his head.  The child was not moving and by all accounts, was fully unconscious and entirely unresponsive.  The officer managed to ascertain that the child had been eating cereal, proceeded to choke and lapsed into unconsciousness.  Efforts to administer CPR and other lifesaving measures by family members of the young boy proved futile.

Without hesitation and fully realizing that time was of the essence, Officer Kidik, alone and without assistance of any emergency personnel, took hold of the youngster and proceeded to employ emergency first aid measures.  After first attempting to clear the child’s mouth of potential obstructions and then administering CPR, Officer Kidik was met without success.  Shortly thereafter, she sat the child up and proceeded with “Heimlich” type maneuvers in the hope that whatever created the breathing obstruction could be dislodged. Officer Kidik did this for approximately one minute.  Then, suddenly, the child began to scream, cough and slowly start to breathe on his own. 

Ambulance and Hartford Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene and transported the child to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for evaluation and further treatment.  The child was ultimately admitted to the hospital but is expected to fully recover.

Without a doubt, had Officer Kidik not taken the action that she did, the young child would have certainly not survived.

Officer Kidik’s actions are a to the Hartford Police Department and an example of some of the truly heroic things so many of Hartford’s finest do on a regular basis. Officer Kidik has been presented with the Hartford Police Department’s Lifesaving Award.

HARTFORD'S BUDGET CRISIS: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Everyone you talk to these days has an idea or a solution for Hartford's budget mess. Where have they been for the last 15 or 20 years?

It just seems sad that we finally have a Mayor ( and maybe a City Council) with the ability to lead , only to see them being sucked into the City Hall quicksand pit. It must seem like an almost impossible task for Mayor Luke Bronin to grab that branch at the edge of the pit to pull himself out.

The unions won't throw him a lifeline, the Connecticut legislature is counting the minutes until he goes under, even Bronin's former boss and mentor Governor Dannel Malloy is grasping for a branch at the edge of a much larger quicksand pit of his own.

So if Mayor Bronin is lucky enough to grab that branch and pull himself out, where do we go? Back to the beginning is probably a good start. The legislative solution should be the last resort. We all know that politicians, especially on the State level , get elected through Union support. They provide donors and money. They provide free labor in the form of volunteers for phone banking, door knocking and getting out the election day vote. No politician in their right mind will take on a bill to chop the Unions off at the knees.

I think that was more hype and propaganda , rather than reality, but the Union's stormed the Capitol I'm force this week and sent a clear message to legislators. "If you like your jobs, then don't mess with ours". Misinformation can do wonders when you have an agenda to move forward..

But on the flip side of that coin, Hartford's Unions can not and should not be made out to be the bad guys. Hartford's Unions , whether it be Police, Fire or City Hall workers through HMEA ,or DPW through 1716 can not set their own collective bargaining agreements. They are negotiated by the both the Unions and the City and ultimately approved by a vote of the City Council.

The benefits and pensions being paid out now were approved  by those same politicians that now seem to have been caught off guard by the liabilities and wonder how this ever happened.

Hartford's Unions definitely need to be part of the potential solution, but can not be the entire solution. Do we need to look at benefits and bring them into line with both the City's sustainable future budget requirements. Absolutely. But there is so much more that we need to look at. Bringing fiscal responsibility back to Hartford Government is a necessity for our survival . I think Luke Bronin has the capacity to make that happen, along with the team he is surrounding himself with, but I think he needs to invite a few more players to the table.

Say what you want about our City Treasurer , but I think he has a vital role to play in getting us back on a sustainable foundation. Some of the suggestions on behalf of Hartford's Pension Commission can really mean the difference between turning this ship around or continuing toward the iceberg, full steam ahead.

As an example, Hartford's Batterson Park, located in Farmington, is a non-producing asset which could be developed into a constant revenue generator with potential money returned to both the Pension fund and the General Fund. Apparently there are no deed restrictions that prohibit a development use for the parcel.

No one solution is going to be the magic bullet for Hartford's problem,  but by keeping an open mind and listening to all ideas, the fiscal fix might just be in reach and not require the Legislatures help or approval.

But all ideas need to be treated with respect and the attention to run them down and find options that just might work. Time is critical, but we shouldn't rush into options that just bog us down in more criticism and unproductive rhetoric.  Sit Hartford's Unions down and close the door and hammer out productive  arrangements. We don't need the legislature to mandate that..Put out an RFP for developers for Batterson Park and start moving on that. The list could go on and on, but we need to start and be willing to trust ourselves to get it done

The voters trusted in Hartford's elected officials  when they filled in the bubbles on their ballots on Election Day and now Hartford's elected officials need to show that they are worthy of that trust by rising to the occasion and making the difficult decisions we know they can make to return Hartford to a solid footing.

Educate the public as to what is going on and what the desired results are that we hope for. Put an end to the misinformation and rumors. Reassure retirees that served the City of Hartford faithfully over the years that their pensions are safe. We must  reassure current employees that the steps that are being taken now are to ensure that their pensions will still be viable after they complete their service to our City.

If  Hartford's Union's are treated with respect and are valued as part of the solution , the thoughts of "Union busting" should be laid to rest. History has shown that level of respect has not always been there. Remember a few short years ago when all of the bargaining units were called in to be part of a budget solution. They gave back with furlough days and concessions, only to see a $20,000 raise given to Mayor Segarra's Chief of Staff at the time. That hardly built any confidence in City Hall and that is still remembered by many at this time.

But first and foremost, we need to appreciate the efforts of our Mayor and his team he has assembled and the impossible task they accepted. If nothing else, they have had the courage to tackle the issues that previous administrations have ignored for years. We may not agree , or even support everything they are doing, but at least they are doing it. This needs to be a total team effort, and we need to have confidence that good will prevail and the egos will be set aside for the betterment of our City.

There is also quite a bit of useful information at Hartford.gov on the Treasurer's page that I just found tonight, scroll down to the bottom of the page to  "Our latest News" there are some interesting documents and information there  http://treasurer.hartford.gov/

To read Treasurer's Cloud testimony before the Legislature's Finance Committee , click here:

Adam M Cloud Treasurer Finance Committee Testimony 3-28-2016

STILL BLEEDING CITY MONEY FOR DILLON

Apparently former Council President Shawn Wooden and Councilman Kenneth Kennedy's legacy is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to the Dillon Stadium deal and the related Federal Grand Jury into corrupt practices surrounding the project.

Through an FOI request to the City of Hartford Corporation Counsel's Office filed over a month ago, I am just starting to get documents back now. Those document s detail billing and payment records for legal fees associated with at least two City of Hartford employees called before the Grand Jury to testify as to their involvement in the project.

 Elda Sinani and Stephen Cole have both apparently spent numerous hours before the Grand Jury, racking up tens of thousands of dollars in outside legal fees . Stephen Cole's bill alone adds up to over $17,000. That is $17,000 in expenses for a cash strapped City  that has already wasted millions on a project going no where.

I am not sure why there are no lawyers on the City payroll that could handle representing a City employee before a Federal Grand Jury. Why do we need a staff full of attorney's in the Corporation Counsel's Office if we are going to spend this kind of money? Or is that just the way the "legal game" is played?

For more on the Dillon Stadium debacle, click here

Dillon Billing Cole Legal

Dillon Billing Sinani Georgetti

Dillon Grand Jury Subpoena

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: SHARED SACRIFICE STARTS WITH SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE

According to sources, Hartford's Superintendent of Schools has stated that she is not willing to ask other employees to do something she is not willing to do herself.

Again, according to sources ,Dr. Beth Schaivino-Narvaez  , Hartford's Superintendent of Schools is cutting several key staff positions in her office in preparation for the upcoming budget crisis. At least four positions are on the chopping block, including Kelvin Roldan, Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer, Jennifer Allen, Chief Talent Officer, Don Slater, Chief Operations Officer, and Jeron Campbell , Chief Data and Accountability Officer. The first three positions are being eliminated. Campbell is leaving his position.

The media spin for the Board is that Roldan is leaving to go back to College, but apparently the position has been eliminated and no replacement is planned for Roldan's position. Roldan was a holdover from the Eddie Perez Administration, Roldan transitioned to the Board Offices prior to Mayor Perez's indictment on corruption charges

Eliminating and consolidating these positions alone is projected to save up to $1Million dollars in salaries and related benefits

Several Executive Director positions are also being eliminated according to those same sources familiar with the Board's operations. Those position vacancies are mainly due to retirement or elimination of departments. Several other  Director's positions are being scrutinized as for their need.

Much more on this as streamlining a top heavy Board of Education continues, but this is a good start to show the real meaning to all employees of "Shared Sacrifice". No one is exempt and cuts can not only be made to the lowest paid employees. The Board does allow "bumping" of positions eliminated which allows higher priced employees to transition into a lower paying position to continue their employment.

According to those sources, upwards of 200 positions may be eliminated or reconfigured to conform with budget  realities.

 Just to recap, more than 200 job cuts are anticipated for the upcoming school year, that includes five of the most senior people in the school district, as detailed above.

·         The more widespread cuts will impact all job classes...teachers, administrators, and other staff, and w may likely mean the consolidation of schools.

·         The anticipated  budget gap the district will be dealing with is an estimated $20 million.

MA, YOU BEAT HER ASS

"Ma , you beat her ass".Those are words that must make this Hartford mother proud. Just knowing that she has been such a role model in her daughter's life to teach her the important things in life to make her a good person.

This video capture is from a Hartford girls Facebook page posted last week after an assault that took place in the cargo area of a Greyhound bus at Hartford's Union Station. I figured that as soon as the video is posted it will disappear from Facebook, so I shot the screen capture of it.

This is a case where DCF should be looking into how this wonderful mother is raising her daughter and the values she is instilling upon her. What is next weeks lesson? How to reload a weapon after a shooting when the fists just don't have the desired effect?

And we wonder why our neighborhoods are a mess? And what does it say that people are more interested in getting a video for social media than in breaking up a beating?

FROM HPD- FLATBUSH AVENUE HOMICIDE

On Monday, March 28, 2016, at approximately 4:11pm an HPD Officer assigned to the Private Duty Job at the Walmart Shopping Center (495 Flatbush Ave) was alerted by Walmart employees that someone was shooting in the parking lot. The HPD Officer immediately responded to the parking lot where she located the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his lower torso. EMS was immediately notified. EMS responded and transported the victim to Hartford Hospital where he was listed in critical condition. A crime scene was established and secured by HPD patrol officers. HPD Major Crimes Detectives and HPD Crime Scene detectives arrived and assumed control of the investigation.

On Tuesday morning, March 29, 2016 at approximately 4:00am, the victim, Larry Williams, 34 from New Britain CT, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased by Dr. Wolffing at Hartford Hospital.

At approximately 7:33pm, the Hartford Police Department was contacted by an individual, later identified as Kenneth Reid 26, of Windsor, who stated that he was involved in the shooting in the Walmart parking lot and that he shot Williams in self-defense during a drug transaction. HPD Patrol officers made contact with Reid in the area of 367 Farmington Avenue in Hartford. HPD Officers located Reid's White Saturn View SUV. Reid alleged to HPD investigators that there was a shotgun inside his Saturn that was used against him by the victim. HPD Officers secured that shotgun.  Reid also directed HPD Officers to the handgun used in the shooting (a 9mm), within his cousin’s apartment at 367 Farmington Avenue. That weapon has also been secured. Reid was also in possession of a have a valid CT firearms permit.

MCD detectives have been working through the night interviewing several witnesses and additional persons of interest that were reportedly involved in the incident. There were numerous pieces of physical evidence located and secured, along with video surveillance of the Walmart parking lot at the time of the shooting.

As a result of the investigation, MCD detectives were able to develop probable cause to arrest and charge Kenneth L. Reid 26 of Windsor CT with one count of Murder 53a-54a. Reid was escorted from Major Crimes to the HPD Booking Facility to be processed for his charges. Reid's bond was set at 1.5 million dollars and he is scheduled to be arraigned in GA14 Hartford Superior Court at 9:30am today.

This investigation is still ongoing. Additional charges and/or arrests are anticipated. If anyone has any information that will assist detectives regarding this case, please call the Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Div: Sgt Reggie Early at (860) 757-4248.

Victim: Larry Williams, 34 y/o, of New Britain, CT. Injury: Gunshot wounds to abdomen

Arrested: Kenneth L. Reid, 26 of 70 Grande Avenue Windsor, CT. Charges: Murder 53a-54a  $1.5 Million Bond

Neither suspect nor the victim resides in Hartford, nor do they have any criminal history with HPD. Based on video, all those involved in this incident were not customers nor employees at any of the many businesses located at 495 Flatbush Ave.

HOW THEY VOTED - HARTFORD CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS FOR 3/28/16

Council  Actions Meeting March 28, 2016 (1)