I received this e-mail today from the wife of a Hartford Police Officer, condemning the ignorant remarks of Hartford's 3rd District State Representative Minnie Gonzalez. Gonzalez made her remarks before the Legislature's General Assembly regarding a Police Accountability bill.
This e-mail lays out the facts quite clearly. Just for the record, the officer's wife did identify herself by name in the e-mail. I chose not to identify her since I haven't spoke with her
I am the proud wife of a Hartford Police Officer and Air Force Veteran. The men and women of the Hartford Police Department are some of the finest people I know, and have more integrity than you could ever wish to have. They serve their communities with pride, dedication, and distinction. These officers put their lives on the line every single day, for little pay, little recognition, and with very little support from elected politicians. These men and women go into their neighborhoods every day truly trying to make a difference, something you know nothing about.
The comments made by you on June 5, 2017 in defense of bill
HB6663 were appalling, ignorant, and unnecessary. while you stated that you
support the HPD and its officers, your statements were a direct contradiction to
that. Let me address them one by one.
You stated that the officers were cowboys with guns, and
bats. I'm not sure I have ever seen them wear cowboy hats or boots to work, I
have seen officers on horseback, however they were not herding cattle. I have
seen my husband come home with blood on his boots and tears in his eyes as he
has faced some of the most horrific acts humans can do to one another. I've
watched him on phone calls with other officers, consoling them as they attempted
to come to terms with the suicide call, or child abuse case, or the senseless
murders that occur all too frequently.
You stated that there are good and bad cops, you are correct.
There are far more good ones than bad, which is more than I can say for
politicians. The vast majority of police officers joined the force to do good,
to make a change, and to be positive influences in their communities.
You stated that HPD officers have good pay, good benefits,
and a good pension. What you fail to mention is that their good pay comes from
countless hours of overtime, or road jobs (which are not paid for by the city,
and the city actually makes money off of,) you fail to mention the missed
birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and special occasions they have missed in
order to protect your ignorance. From my understanding, you get paid a hefty
stipend for being an elected official, receive benefits, and will receive a
pension.
You stated that "you" pay for the officers lunch and dinner.
I'm not sure how you determined that, as I send my husband with his meals daily,
while he works his 16 hour shifts. He frequently comes home with his meals still
in his bag, as they do not get a lunch break, and is often lucky if he can even
get a bite in between calls.
You stated that these "cowboys" are killing young kids in our
community with no consequences, and this abuse needs to stop. Since 2005 there
have been 20 Officer Involved Shootings according to HPD data. That's one
shooting every 219 days by an officer. Considering the amount of public
interaction, and the calls for service this equates to a less than 1% chance of
being shot by a police officer in Hartford. The last time a person
was killed by a police officer in Hartford was in 2013, a whole 4
years ago, and it was entirely justified. Again, your ignorance is glaring, and
your abuse of police officers needs to be stopped.
You stated that you pass laws frequently to protect, and
train police officers. The training is mandated by the State of CT,
and you have done nothing to indemnify, or protect officers of your community.
In fact, based on your history, I am not even sure how you can remain in office.
Your family has been called a "crime syndicate." You have been found guilty of
elections violations, you have the "Minnie Gonzalez Little League", which
receives over $75,000 a year in tax payer money, and is managed by your husband.
In fact it seems as if you have a significant conflict of interest in presenting
or debating any type of law enforcement bill, as taking power away from the
police directly benefits you and your family.
It is very easy to sit in your safe office and make ignorant,
untrue statements towards our officers. They need your support not your
condemnation. You lack integrity, honesty, and decency. You should take a ride
along with a Hartford Police Officer on a Saturday night during the summer, and
see what they are exposed to. Have you ever taken simulation training? I'm sure
you would not make accurate split second decisions that you expect from our
officers. You truly should be ashamed of your statements against HPD and in fact
should issue a very public apology for condemning them in the way you did.
Here is the link to your inaccurate, cowardly statements, to
refresh your memory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKk-_vY5Hbo&feature=youtu.be
well said and factual. And what is up with the bow-tie? Is Gonzalez moonlighting as a Chippendale?
ReplyDeleteThis is truly an awful time to be a cop. When we have sitting politicians saying stupid generalizations about cops, you know we lost this battle. Policing will never be the same which is why I encourage the interns to pursue other forms of employment than policing.
ReplyDeleteKudos to the officers wife for telling Minnie the hard facts.
ReplyDeleteGo Minnie we support you about time someone with integrity and class speaks up for the disenfranchised black and Brown people of hartford a hero has risen
ReplyDelete5:54. In what way did Minnie stick up for black and brown people? She just jumped on the antipolice bandwagon nationally. The fact that she gets so much support from PR people of Hartford makes perfect sense to a person who could look at old photos of the South End compared to the PR south End and connect the dots. Do you guys not see how she has exploited your blind support? You get what you vote for and it definately shows, just look at your run down and neglected neighborhoods but hey " You go Minnie , Keep speaking up for us!" WAKE THE F UP!
DeleteThanks for that insight Cynthia Jennings. We know it's you that posted this because you always say black and brown.
DeleteActually, I'm a proud Latino male born in Hartford. I'm just sick of people like Minnie and Cynthia J, let that sink in that those two are in positions of power because they both know how to exploit their people without actually doing anything really productive for their respective communities. 7:59 you shouldn't just blindly support someone because you've been told to or because they share your background. Really listen to both of them talk and look at the ignorant manner which they present themselves and are you shocked Hartford is in the position they are in? Look at what happened with the North End with Luke, he played the right two to three community leaders who were more than happy to sell out their people or hope for change to better themselves financially. I was a nerdy kid from the hood, you think I was afraid of the cops growing up? YEAH RIGHT!!!! When walking home from bus stop in middle of the day you think it was the police I'm worried about? We all need to be honest with ourselves or the same type of politicians and same bullshit will keep plaguing our communities.
DeleteGive em hell Minnie give em hell
ReplyDeleteIt gets pretty old when people who work in the safety net of a desk and an office criticize the work of soldiers, police, and firefighters. Nobody cares about your opinion, you know nothing of "real" job related stress, and the urgency to act in life or death situations. Our pay is commensurate for the life long stress, PTSD, missed family occasions, lack of sleep, and inevitable job related health issues.
ReplyDelete5:54pm
ReplyDeleteIf Minnie Gonzalez is the best you can find in your community to be your hero and savior, you are doomed. Minnie and Ramon have done very well for themselves off the backs of some of the States poorest people in her district. Ask her how a welfare mother who got elected to the Legislature now owns numerous property in both CT and Puerto Rico, definitely not off a legislators pay
There are so many good Puerto Rican leaders in Hartford, it is shocking that we pick this trashy corrupt lady who got wealthy being a legislator to represent us. She was delivering a strong negative message about the police and didn't even have the self respect to not read off the paper and memorize what she had to say. She is a worthless leader and people need to realize how low they set the bar for a Puerto Rican politician by leaving her in power . Do our Puerto Rican people in Hartford feel that she's a good representative of their community? If so that truly is sad and a reflection of a general low sense of self worth in the Puerto Rican community in Hartford. Demand better people!! Break the corrupt groups of power in Hartford. Minnie has done nothing politically except an embarrassing and ignorant attack on community courts and our police force. Cops are not the problem!!! Indifference is mans greatest crime-Voltaire. We need need to hold our cultures and people responsible for tolerating drugs and crime in our communities. Our men responsible for being dead beat fathers, don't accept these men socially, recognize that they are pieces of shit n stop cutting them slack because they're from round the way.
DeleteBecause every election campaign of hers starts a month early. Intimidating groups of spanish males hang out of a pickup with large audible microphones scaring the 200 or so actual voters to vote for her. Also she is great at assisting the elderly fill out an absente balet. She even helps. Her campaign is full of intimidation. That area of the city operates as a third world country. Drive down park street on the weekend in your new car with the doors unlocked.
ReplyDeleteThe disgusting 4 full time shelter plague a once beautiful area. South green park. Is known as junkie park to the local law enforcement. I would rather put up with quads racing through keeney park then ever step foot in south green park.
Minnie gonzalez is a bully. She bullys her people to vote for her. But what has she done ?? Still poverty. Still the area sinks further into berute esk chuck norris movie.
Minnie gonzalez is a joke to eveyone on the capitol property. Maybe she should run for mayor. That would be entertaining. Her husband is a convicted sex offender. Her kids are thug gun felons.
I'm a Hispanic male (born and raised in HTFD) and I live in Minnie's area and I think she's a F---joke !!! Where's the commen sense ? Now I can't say that everything she's done in Htfd has been a waste of time but she sure has benefited from htfd and that casts a shadow in everything she has accomplished. I think she's very ignorant and very money hungry with no shame. I lost a lot of respect when she let the kids down with the little league scam. Damn Minnie at least give back to the kids if your going to do funny business !!! How can you walk in public with your head high like we should be grateful for your service. Yes there are bad cops but there are more good cops !!! You be cool with the cops and they'll be cool with you. Not all of them want to be robo cop most of them want the pay and benefits and that's it !!! You respect them and they respect you !!! And yes I've had my run in with the jerk cops but I also have been given chances as well !!! Minnie it's cool to back your people's but are you stupid to call the entire HPD Cowboys ? So God forbid if something happens that requires police presence, will you call the Cowboys or resolve it yourself ? Don't say stuff today that you'll have to eat tomorrow !!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's up with the revolving door of incompetent Latino politicians? Eddie Perez,Pedro Segarra,Minnie Gonzalez etc. Recently I met a knucklehead Jimmy Sanchez who who wholeheartedly condoned the lay off of a 18 yr veteran of the police departments animal control division. This payed off individual founded a no kill shelter at age 18 in the 80s that exclusively saved thousands of dogs in Hartford,this payed off individual was hired a dozen years later by Hartford and spent many off duty hours finding suitable homes for these dogs/cats neglected/abused by some of the dregs of Hartford. I've said it before and I'll say it again,,,,,,someone please resurrect those politicians from the 60s and 70s and reanimate them. Almost forgot , Jimmy Sanchez said she stacked city hall with suburbanite supporters when she pleaded to keep her job,,here's a question Kevin , where do you think the majority of the people live who either adopted these abandoned innocent creatures or donated money to the cause ??????? Yea your right ,,,,,not Hartford .
ReplyDeleteWith this attitude toward police by local politicians, no wonder Hartfoed is slipping into the abyss. Criminals do not like the police, and especially criminal politicians and those who harbor criminals. Look into these politicians backgrounds and uncover why they dislike the police so much. Decent people and businesses are leaving Hartford and the politicians bash the peace keepers. What a sad and dysfunctional slice of hell Hartford is becoming while local leaders ignore the true reasons why Hartford is in decline.
ReplyDeleteWith this attitude toward police by local politicians, no wonder Hartfoed is slipping into the abyss. Criminals do not like the police, and especially criminal politicians and those who harbor criminals. Look into these politicians backgrounds and uncover why they dislike the police so much. Decent people and businesses are leaving Hartford and the politicians bash the peace keepers. What a sad and dysfunctional slice of hell Hartford is becoming while local leaders ignore the true reasons why Hartford is in decline.
ReplyDeleteI live in Minnie's area and I think she's a F---joke !!!
ReplyDelete++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
But, we elect her time and again.
She may be an incompetent Lefty air-head, but she's the best the Dems can find in our district. No se puede.
The co-sponsors of Bill 6663 should be ashamed of themselves and have been defeated. That is good news for all law enforcement. The two Hartford State Reps who supported this effort should be taken to task for supporting such a bill.
ReplyDeleteExpect no less from Representative Gonzalez. She has been a police/law enforcement basher for many years with special venom directed at the Hartford Police Department. She used her political clout to help gang members in court and she ran interference for them all throughout the 1990's. I won't mention the names of the gangs because that gives them an identity and a belief by them that they are legitimate.
Instead of using her considerable political influence to help Hartford youth change and stay away from street gang life she took her anger out on police officers who actively worked gang investigations. She had 2 sons involved in street gang activity and a stepson murdered by other gang members in the 1990's. All in the same street gang. That alone should put her on the path to becoming a supporter of police but she chooses to be critical of law enforcement efforts.
As for Angel Arce I am more disappointed at his support of the bill. His family suffered an unspeakable crime in which his father was run over by reckless, violent person in a vehicle on Park Street who fled the scene of the crime. That terrible, shocking crime led to the early death of his father which we all mourned. In that investigation Hartford Police stepped up in a big way to solve the crime and after a long investigation someone in the community finally stepped up to identify the person responsible and an arrest was made. He is currently in prison where he belongs.
99% of all law enforcement officers do a fine job. Its a thankless job sometimes but there are a lot of times when officers are rewarded by their fine efforts with community gratitude. The sense of helping someone and having those efforts work.
Bill 6663 stinks and each of the legislative supporters should be ashamed of themselves.
I just want to thank you Kevin for publishing this. My name is Marissa Cullen. I am the author of this letter. I do not believe in hiding in anonymity. I am very, very proud of the HPD, its officers, and what they represent. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this with anyone, anytime.
ReplyDeleteWell, I had to respond to this one. First, I wanted to stay thank you to whoever's wife wrote this well written and factual letter/email that points out the facts. Second, I am the Officer who had to take a persons life four years ago in the performance of my duty as noted above. It was the worst day of my life. Mrs. Gonzalez makes it seem like we as Officers go out there to beat, harass, and kill the very people we've sworn to protect and get some sort of enjoyment when we need to use force. That's far from the truth the day I had to take a life in the performance of my duty forever changed my life as well as my families. I live with the constant reminder and scars of my actions. So if you think I get some type of joy or power trip off of what I had to do that day, you and your constituents Mrs. Gonzalez are sadly mistaken. None of what I just said was for anyone's pity or sympathy, I know what I signed up for the day I took the oath. I'm responding to this open letter/email and Mrs. Gonzalez's comments because I'm tired of politicians and the media making it seem like were all a bunch of literal cowboys who go out there to kill and harm those we've sworn to protect. Before anyone responds back to this post with a smart comment, I R.Cotto am a life long resident of Hartford born and raised.
ReplyDeleteThank you Officer Cotto! I can not even begin to imagine what you went through! Please know that we are here to support you in anyway we can! Be safe!
DeleteThank you..
DeleteShame on you Minnie Gonzalez!! Who do you think you are disrespecting Police Officers and their families? You call them "Cowboys", shame on you!! What about those times when you ask a Police Officer for a favor, to rid of a ticket or give you "special help". Do you remember that, but now they are "Cowboys". Did you forget? Those officer friends that you say you respect? Did you watch your video, did you realized how horrible you sound. You are an embarrassment, in order to represent the City of Hartford you have a lot to learn. You are NOT A LEADER, a leader has self-confident who takes control of a situation with efficiency, diplomacy and tact, and earns respect of the people by speaking on their behalf but with great respect no matter what the situation is about. There are ways to speak out in supporting anything you believe needs improvement but with RESPECT. People with passion can change the world for the better that is something YOU DONT and will NEVER have. Our officers are not "Cowboys", they are the central role in the law enforcement system, take part in community patrols and respond to all calls. Even those retired officers are still out there doing good and giving back to the community. Next time you face a Police Officer think about how you put them down. What are you doing? You are a follower and a brown nose. What was the deal with your son and his drug problem? You want to talk about people let talks about your felony self, your husbands and your son. Are you kidding me? After so many years of you holding a seat (by luck) you still not learned a thing. Next time you open that uneducated mouth, stop and think about your strategic plan. Put yourself through education and learn to speak. In your role, you should have good speaking skills which you lack. You are horrible and the worst I've heard.
ReplyDeleteYou are not educated, and you are a liar and a felon. You cheat, you lie, you pushed and help people vote for you, remember back in 2013. I remember you in a few conversations talking about the "white", you called them "esos blancos" but when you are around them you kissing their ass. You talked about your own friends at the LOB even those that supported your "bills". You are a disgrace and I can't wait until you are out of office. You gave yourself a bad name- you earned it well. You are a waste, that's how I see you.
Thank you Marissa for helping to start this conversation. As I mentioned last night, I removed your name from the original email since we didn't talk before I posted it.
ReplyDeleteAgain, to you and all of the spouses and family members of our Hartford Police Officers an Law Enforcement Officers everywhere, THANK YOU for being so supportive of the people who make it possible for us to live safely while they risk their own lives everyday for us.
And thank you Officer Cotto for your enlightening first hand perspective.
Shame also goes to our local media for not exposing this destructive idiot and her very public hatred towards cops. Where's the Courant,WFSB,WVIT,WTNH ????? I wish she would go back to the soil she was born on and shit on that instead!
ReplyDeleteYou obviously don't see how the failing courant hates police also. They use foley and foley does his best with them yet they still publish fake news. As for the other outlets, not as bad, but still have no love for the police.
DeleteIlliterate and ignorant. The community in which she lives should be able to come up with someone better than that.
ReplyDelete1:22PM
ReplyDeleteThat is why media is dying and social media and bloggers are moving up. Also, that is why I don't have any advertisers on my blog. Do you really think I would be able to expose bad politicians if I was waiting for their money for political ads every couple years?
I may not be the best, but I at least try to be thorough and fair.
And look at the number of comments just on this post, almost all of them well thought out and articulate. Since this letter was posted yesterday, less than 24 hours ago, over 5,000 people have read it here on the blog, pretty good numbers for an amateur.
Thank you again for everyone that reads my blog regularly. And thank you to those people who share their information with me , like Marissa Cullen and others,who make this all possible.
You are completely correct Kevin. Thank you for reporting fair and impartial news. Vinny Vella and Jenna Carleso, the epitome of journalists, do not know what fair and impartial is. They constantly write stories regarding HPD, lucrative pay, benefits and pansions, without reporting all the facts. It's because of them and their false reporting that HPD and Hartford have such a bad reputation. Fact is, all their "hot tips" come from your blog. Thanks to reporters like them, the courant isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
DeleteJust an FYI I did send it to all the local news outlets, and newspapers as well. 5,000 people have read this is 24 hours is simply amazing! Hopefully, the majority of them will speak out in support of our officers, they need all the encouragement they can get!
ReplyDeleteMarissa,
ReplyDelete6,983 as of 6:00PM, and that is just on the blog, numerous comments have also been made on my Facebook link. The Hartford Police Union also just issued a press release condemning Representative Gonzalez's remarks, which I have posted on the blog. Thank you again for your words , sadly though I doubt very much this will be the last time we hear hateful speech directed at our Law Enforcement Officer's from Representative Gonzalez, but I think you can probably see from the comments where that hate comes from.
Also, I don't think I have ever met your husband , but please give him my thanks and the thanks from a grateful community that appreciate what he and all of our Police Officer's (and firefighters) do everyday.
God bless you and your efforts and may God bless and keep our Police Officer's safe
Thanks for the update! I'm glad people are at least reading this!
ReplyDeleteI have to say I am not surprised by Minnie Gonzalez' statements about the police considering her family's background. With that said she is a waste of a seat at the Capitol. I am surprised, however by Angel Arce's backing of Bill 6663. One poster stated correctly that he of all people should know how dedicated and determined Hartford Police are after the tragedy with his father. My partner and I stood with him at benefits for his father showing that we were committed to finding the person responsible for this horrible crime....and we eventually did. I consider him a friend but becoming a politician has sadly changed him.
ReplyDeleteAs for Cotto, I know the sh*t you have been through brother, you have always hung in there. Continue to do so. No one I know or have known in this police department ever woke up wanting to harm the people we serve and protect. Absurd.
As for Marissa Cullen, you ma'aam are spot on! Props to you for the letter and I might even move back to H-Town if you ran for Mayor!!!
Mr.Brookman,
ReplyDeleteShouldn't there be a cite to your Blog in this article?
https://bearingarms.com/jenn-j/2017/06/13/wife-of-hartford-ct-police-officer-destroys-anti-gun-politician-in-scathing-letter/
(No need to publish this, I'm just curious)
I've gotten used to being first with information only to see lazy reporters. It is kind of comical when reporters getting paid to do a job end up calling my sources to get information, usually with the question " is that true what is on Brookman's blog?" At least they know which blog to follow for accurate info.
ReplyDelete