FROM :Sgt. John Szewczyk
President, Hartford Police Union
June 9, 2017
This statement is a formal response to the negative comments made against members of the Hartford Police Department by State Representative Minnie Gonzalez on the floor of the House Representatives at the State Capitol on June 5, 2017.
I would like to start by recognizing the amazing work done by the hardworking members of the Hartford Police Department. Every day the men and women of the Hartford Police Department serve our capital city with honor and distinction. Despite this fact, Representative Gonzalez made a conscious decision to publicly ridicule, demean, and resort to nasty name calling on the floor of the CT State House of Representatives by referring to Hartford Police Officers as “cowboys who shoot young kids”. She also made totally false and inaccurate statements such as Hartford Police Officers receive paid lunches and dinners.
Members of the Hartford Police Department have positive and meaningful relationships with the community. Representative Gonzalez has attempted to drive a wedge between the members of the Hartford Police Department and the residents of Hartford. However, she cannot and will not break our bond and loyalty to the community we serve. We will continue to build these positive relationships with the residents of Hartford regardless of her actions.
I would also like to recognize the families of the Hartford Police Officers who provide tremendous support to their loved ones. These family members are the true backbone of support for our police officers. They are forced to endure the good and the bad that our officers experience on a daily basis and yet continue to provide the support we need.
Thank you to the many members of the public who have reached out to me and other members of our police department offering their support and praise for our work. This includes numerous state and local elected officials, from both sides of the political aisle, and most importantly numerous residents of Hartford, including those in the 3 rd District that Representative Gonzalez represents. They have all been thoroughly supportive and have either contacted me personally or made public comments through social media denouncing Representative Gonzalez’s unprofessional and undignified actions.
Lastly, I would like to offer Representative Gonzalez the opportunity to spend time with the amazing men and women of the Hartford Police Department. Whether you visit the police station, speak with officers in the community, or participate in a ride-along, spending time with our officers may help you understand and recognize first-hand the positive relationships that our officers have with the community.
she's done come election time.
ReplyDeleteI doubt Minnie would take you up on a ride along , odds are she'll look in the back seat and see her sons,extended relatives,friends or neighbors ALSO taking a "ride along" A hundred years ago there would be pitchforks and torches on the steps of city hall demanding her resignation! Typical Hartford politics ,,,NO PRESSURE! NO PROBLEM! Kevin , please provide us with a direct phone number to Minnies office and let's hope HALF (2500) of your followers on this subject call TWICE and leave a message. This time WE SHOULD'NT LET IT GO!!!
ReplyDeletehere is what I could find online:
ReplyDeleteLegislative Office Building, Room 4031
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
(860) 240-8585 | 1-800-842-8267
Minnie.Gonzalez@cga.ct.gov
Representative Minnie Gonzalez
State government office in Hartford, Connecticut
Address: 97 Amity St, Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 236-9654
Im no fan of bad policing nor will I hesitate to call out anyone in this department when he/she screws up. But her comments were beyond dumb and I think Sgt. Szewczyk should of been a lot stronger than this. Secondly, this woman is a known supporter of thugs and criminals - just look at her family. Im not the type of guy that judges people based on ones kinship but Minnie's statements and the people she has around her tells you what type of politician she is. Its because of fake politicians like her that Hartford is in the situation that its in. Sad.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is time for a march on the Capitol or Legislative Office Building. If everyone else can protest there, why can't we send a message to show support for our Police Officer's across the State.
ReplyDelete6:24PM
ReplyDeleteI wish you were right, but History has shown that Minnie is a very obedient puppet of the system, She runs the Democratic Town Committee in the 3rd District and does exactly what the DiBellas tell her to do to maintain their own power. Minnie and Senator Fonfara are both perfect puppets to the DiBella agenda. Nothing will change until they change, and that won't change until voters wake up and decide they are tired of voting for and being represented by parasites like Minnie and her husband and the DiBella's
I wish the union had taken a stronger stance against this woman. I have called numerous times, along with emails and the only response I have received has been from Mr. Brookman. I'm certain we could get at least a handful of people to protest at the next meeting! I would be there!
ReplyDeleteAny respond to Minnie Mouse Gonzalez is a waste of time. Minnie has an IQ of a kindergarten kid, maybe lower than that.
ReplyDeleteIf you think Minnie is bad, you haven't seen Cynthia Jennings in action. Or RJo. Oh-My-God. I'm not on an anti-woman campaign or a kick the minorities campaign. But these along with Gonzalez make the car-hood dancing PCP fella look like a norml thang.
ReplyDeleteWhy the Crusade against the DiBellas?
ReplyDeleteAnd Kevin, I am critical when police members cross the line but overall, I am satisfied that we have a good working force in Hartford. But come on, a protest march in support of police? Are you kidding? If anything, start organizing a grass-roots effort in her district to unseat Gonzalez. First you need a viable hispanic candidate who has good ideas, is articulate and long standing in that community. Oops, there isn't any?. Hence the ghetto trash of Gonzalez.
Is it the same Minnie who supported corrupt mayor caviar Segarra? "We will take it to the street" for Pedro Maria Segarra, according to Minnie.
ReplyDeleteMinnie Gonzalez is the worst kind of politician. She likes to cater to the thugs from Hartford. This women does a lot of shady deals around the city and should be investigated. How dare she talk about the HPD. Saying they are cowboys killing young kids. Is funny how these young kids do drugs and carry guns and treat cops like crap but they get defended by Minnie. Most of her family is mostly shaddy just like her. I am pretty sure when she needs help she calls the police and expects them to help her. But it's funny how she puts them down. Cops in Hartford work hard and it's hard to do their job when everyone is always attacking them. This stupid bill she wants to pass is ridiculous. Police officers are all ready held accountable for their actions. I think she should be held accountable for all the crap she does and take her pension away. I would love to know why if a black man kills another black man no one cares. But if it involves a cop the whole world breaks losse. The world has a chip on their shoulder and they are taking it out against cops. Everyone needs to work together. Police officers are just doing there jobs. We need to stand up for them, like they stand up for us.
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ReplyDeleteThe union statement should have been a lot stronger in regard to Representative Gonzalez and her commentary about the Hartford Police Department and its officers. The thought that anyone could convince Representative Gonzalez to change her stance on the Hartford Police by giving her a chance to "ride along" is pathetic. That outreach comes from a position of bending over backwards for someone who hates police pure and simple. She is also undeserving of such an attempt.
Since the early 1990's Minnie Gonzalez has been a vocal detractor of the Hartford Police Department and its efforts to keep Hartford safe. She would use the same stale talking points about how police are viewed as interlopers in the community and used too much force. When the street gang problem went into full gear and Hartford was in crisis mode instead of backing up the police department and its law abiding citizens she chose to back up the gang members instead. Forever an apologist for the street gangs and their criminal activity. An individual who used her political position and "power" to prop up gang members and support then in criminal court, in the court of public opinion and to the media. A worse example of political hi-jinks and pandering to the criminal element rarely seen and yet she keeps getting elected to office to the detriment of the City of Hartford. Hartford is troubled enough w/o having this stain upon the community in a leadership position.
The gang angle is disturbing. That is one of the most destructive problems that can happen to any city. Minnie should have recognized it because two of her sons were active street gang members who were well known within city law enforcement. Instead of using her influence in a positive manner to get them out of that lifestyle she lost control and knows full well the effect of how gang life can destroy a family. She should have learned but didn't and beats the same anti police drum to this day. A true disgrace.
There must be a candidate who is honest and true that can be run against her and gain the trust of the residents of Parkville. Pray that that happens. And never give her any break because she does not deserve any.
Of course Minnnie Me Gonzalez is critical of the police, just find out how many times they arrested her son. Didn't he die of overdose?
ReplyDeleteThe union response was "measured" I believe, for a good reason. That will become clear to most within the week. Representative Gonzalez' statements were made in an official setting and any concerns should be addressed to her state email address or the State Democrats' office, not her home. A Republican state representative took a snippet of her speech and sent that around for purposes of doing harm to the Democrats -- the same Democrats who hold a very slim margin and continue to vote pro-union in Connecticut year after year.
ReplyDeleteFor those who live outside of Hartford, the term "cowboy" was one that former union leadership, officers, and members of the public like myself used when referring to the Shooting Task Force or its former leader, Sean Spell. As much good policing as Chief Rovella claimed that unit did -- it also caused tremendous public relations harm to HPD, overtime costs were extraordinary, took personnel resources from other units, some members acted arrogantly or interfered with crime scenes, and problematic arrest warrants relied heavily on alleged confidential informants.
That unit's mostly gone and the word "cowboy" should be retired in relation to HPD.
You definitely have bad information Alyssa. As a former officer then detective in STF, now MCD, never ever did STF ever interfere with a crime scene. STF officers actually were always there to help and assisted MCD solving numerous murders. Arrests were pushed, yes sometimes with CI's, but don't forget, a prosecutor was also assigned and was heavily involved in all cases. Arrests were pursued more vigorously because of the lack of arrests in countless shootings. Well over 300 shooting arrests were made, which dramatically reduced violent crime in 2011 and years after. Your source within the PD is completely inaccurate. It's a shame you attempt to disgrace the good work the many members of STF did.
DeleteFor those who live outside of Hartford, Alyssa is a civilian who can't back some of her accusations with facts. She thinks she may know facts, however she cultivates her own information with a few disgruntled police officers who are her confidential informants. She, like Minnie, made untrue accusations. You yourself know Alyssa made some unwarranted false accusations. She's never been to a crime scene, at least you have Kevin. Regardless of anything, Minnie has always hated police and always will.
DeleteSTF cost tax payers way more momey then thhey were worth period
ReplyDelete7:04pm
ReplyDeleteWhat is the cost of taking a gun off the streets? What is that gun worth if it prevents a shooting or a homicide?
Priceless. Similar to gun buy backs in which the cost seems to clearly out weigh the results. However one gun bought back not stolen and / or used in a crime is priceless.
DeleteMinnie made her idiotic statements in English. Maybe she didn't really want to say what came out of her filthy mouth, after all her command of the English language is miserable at best
ReplyDeleteANY IDEA WHAT MINNIE GONZALEZ IQ IS.
DeleteI BELIEVE IT'S EVEN LOWER THAN A MOUSE IQ.
Alyssa, your comments clearly illustrate your complete ignorance and lack of knowledge. You neglect to have any experience or education in this field to effectively criticize law enforcement management, violent crime reduction strategies, or crime scene management in any form. Yet some how you feel your in a position to second guess Chief Rovella, an individual with thirty six years of law enforcement experience. Successful violent crime reduction involves a complex multi-prong approach to which STF played a pivotal role in. You feel its appropriate to question statements that the Chief has made as to the units past success. Maybe you should take a look at some actual statistics next time before jumping behind your key board, then you can make an intelligent and educated comment for once.
ReplyDeleteYou derogatory comments toward Sean Spell are a complete disgrace, and this format is not the first time I have heard these statements from you. He was one of the most dedicated, and respected supervisors in the history of the department. The positive impact that he had on this city during his twenty year career is immeasurable. He sacrificed more then you will ever know for this city and its citizens. How dare you attempt to publicly degrade, and tarnish the work that he accomplished to further your own agenda. Quite frankly you should be ashamed of yourself, maybe if you channeled your energy towards something positive for once you could actually be part of the solution instead of contributing to the problem.
Does that also include 15 citizen complaints one of which he was caught on film twice tuning people up in his illustrious career and internal affairs purposely and shamelessly wrote a bad warrant so GA 14 wouldn't sign off on it? I don't know why you cops think you are holier than though and above everyone else where no one can critique or judge you and if you think for one second second its Minnie Gonzalez thats forming a wedge between citizems and police I suggest you watch the news or better yet log onto to social media and see how the public overall feels about law enforcement
DeleteHe was also one of the most highly decorated officers in HPD history who worked hard his entire career in pro-active units fighting crime. Going up against Hartford's most dangerous felons doesn't come without a cost, 15 complaints, most of what were BS because he showed me his file, is minuscule.
DeleteWatch the biased news??? That's a funny one. I log onto social media all the time, especially Foley's. It's only thiefs and criminals like you who was forced to leave the PD who feels like you do.
DeleteAnyone who has worked in a proactive element in law endowment is going to generate complaints. It is what it is!! Let's talk about how violent the city has become. Aside from the shootings, the robberies, burglaries, and people overdosing on drugs. The place is a ticking time bomb. I'll never bring my family to that horrible city.
DeleteThere's two types of city cops. Those who sleep and hide all shift and answer calls, some barely even that. Some choose to stay inside their entire career, and of course never have a complaint. Then theirs the ones that answer calls, stop cars, even chase cars when they don't stop, clear corners (for those who don't understand that, disperse large groups of loiterers) chase drug dealers and look for armed criminals. Those cops generate complaints and often have to fight with hardened felons not willing to simply put their hands behind their backs. Those are the cops that get complaints. Those are the cops that keep you safe. Even Newell and Logan have slowed down, along with the entire PD, barely any proactive policing is taking place. Cops don't want to risk their jobs and being called cowboys because they are proactive. This is exactly what criminals want, so they can carry a gun without fear and blatantly kill a man on a crowded Enfield St like this morning. Cities need proactive officers such as conditions, street crime, STF, those elements are gone. At this rate the violent crime rate and homicides are going to continue to skyrocket in Hartford.
DeleteMaybe if STF was in full force like it was a few years ago Hartford wouldn't be at homicide #14 and that gun that killed a person early this morning would be off the streets.
ReplyDelete11:28am
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment, but I think you lost a body.this is actually number15 I think. The young man on Park street starved by his mother was eventually ruled a homicide
To 5:23, 7:37 and 10:25:
ReplyDeleteYou must be Sean Spell or Friends of Sean (FOS). Which probably means you’re retired with NO fear of current job retaliation and should sign your name on this blog. The Shooting Task Force (STF) was another great strategic idea from Chief Rovella. Sadly, many of his expectations and their budgets have been betrayed/blown by the personnel he chose. It has happened to him time and time again and then ends up in the media. Look at Mertes last week and another top cop very soon. And now Spell and HPD are forever-linked to the video of him stomping on a handcuffed person’s head, as are the growing legal costs.
My prior post tried to address how the word “cowboy” has been used in the last several years relative to HPD and why. I said it was time to retire that word. Perhaps you can’t read. But hey, thanks for the reproach and the reminder. I do need to put in some FOI requests to the State’s Attorney’s Office and the City for further facts. Not only were there 15 complaints or more, but what about all of those “special details” where Spell accompanied former Mayor Segarra. Hmmmm . . . .
Alyssa, are you one of Foley's flunkies? Is Zweibelson still feeding you false information? I try to decipher your BS but it just doesn't make any sense at all. Maybe you should hatch yourself from your cocoon in the West End. Talk to some real cops. Not Foley, Zweibelson or anyone else that has an axe to grind. Remember, Hartford is only 18 square miles. It's hard to keep secrets. Especially at HPD!!!
DeleteAlyssa,
ReplyDeleteYou know I have no problem speaking my mind and telling people when I think they are wrong, even my friends. And you my friend are wrong. For whatever reason, for whoever planted the seed in your mind that Narcotics units and Conditions Units were more beneficial than STF, probably had an agenda or personality conflict you weren't aware of. They all serve a purpose, but I don't think anyone can undermine the others to increase their benefit. The Shooting Task Force has made a huge difference in getting guns off our streets, and it wasn't just HPD that made a difference. The unique aspect was pulling numerous resources together, including HPD, CSP, Corrections, Probation and Parole, our Federal partners including DEA, ATF, FBI as well as local municipalities.
The STF vision of Chief Rovella produced such good results in Hartford, it was modeled in other Cities dealing with illegal gun problems.
You continue to base their success on one individual and single him out for one incident that has been investigated (somewhat poorly) and Sean has paid the price for that. I don't think you really appreciate what these men and women face everyday. And what they face everyday gets worse everyday also. I don't think you realize the number of guns on our streets , carried by people who aren't afraid to use them, many of these people already high on drugs and probably not making the best choices.
As I type this, HPD just recovered a gun from a dirt bike that was dumped at Pope Park. Do you think this kid was carrying a gun, properly licensed under his permit?
While you are sitting in your family's dining room enjoying and celebrating birthdays and Holidays these officers are out there tracking down some of the worst and most violent people in our City, stopping cars and serving search warrants and facing a potentially violent result.
You can't discount all of those efforts based on one unfortunate incident. We are all human and make mistakes. Would you want all the good you have done in your life to be erased by one mistake.
Sean can still hold his head high based upon all the good he did here during his career, and I don't think anyone can measure the good results he did and the violence he and his fellow officers did by getting countless guns off our streets. How many shootings, homicides or even robberies did they prevent by getting illegal guns out of the wrong hands For the people that are talking to you and want to discount those efforts, please ask them when was the last time they got an illegal gun off our streets and how many guns have they recovered during their careers.
I bet it won't come close to Sean and STF
Asleep at the Union Office,
ReplyDeleteI think you are wrong on both names you mentioned, and Alyssa is not from the Westend, she lives in the Southend. She would be focusing on much different issues if she lived in the Westend
Well they were at least spot on regarding car 13 asleep at the union office. He should've been arrested long longago for larceny- theft of service, everyone was aware of it but overlooked it. He's definitely one that should not be throwing stones.
DeleteAlyssa ,Thanks for the belly laugh, you stated above earlier that a state rep provided a "snippet " of Minnie's speech to harm the Democratic Party. A snippet would translate into a few words and/or seconds of her diatribe, but what I observered was her having diarrhea of the mouth for minutes on end while exposing her hatred towards cops. Minnie is more destructive to the Democratic Party than all the State Reps combined . Minnie ,keep up the good work ,this blue state is turning to red with each "snippet" you and others like Blumenthal,Murphy,Larson etc.provide us voters.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering,I called Minnie's office twice ,,,,DID ANYONE ELSE????
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with being proactive. Just work within the policies and laws set forth and you will never have an issue. Complaints are part of our job they're unavoidable.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kevin, for your candor. I am glad we can continue to agree to disagree after all of these years, whenever necessary. The same goes for anyone else on this blog. I accept the earlier criticisms and will wait and see what my FOI requests turn up.
ReplyDeleteIcalls are still available of Fig calling officers on the icall like he called me after being dispatched to a call and not showing up as a back up, saying call me if you need me. This was common because he was sleeping at the union office. I have the date and time still recorded. Past union leadership, as described earlier by Alyssa, should really be careful, felonies have a 5 year statute of limitations.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa keep up the good work my dear you womt allow these cowboys with badges who hide behind anonymous and are keyboard warriors intimidate you
ReplyDeleteHi Mr. Brookman. Ten3hfd here. I worked with Ms Gonzales at the GA-14 Hartford lock up many years ago when we were Special Deputies, before Judicial Marshalls. All of our supervisors were retired HPD; Billy Tremont, Frank Lucca, Joe Schatz, Bobby Lajoie. Minnie had no problem schmoozing and sucking up to them in order to cut out from work an hour into the 8 hour shift she was getting paid for. She would bring them dinner from Franklin Giant Grinder and suddenly disappear, leaving us men to walk the woman's block. Sure, this doesn't reflect well on the supervisors, who were pretty decent men. But it speaks volumes to Minnie's hypocrisy and willingness to use anyone to further her own agenda. Which is, has been, and always will be only Minnie Gonzales.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sideways swipe at retired HPD officers who worked the GA-14 lockup after retirement.
ReplyDeleteThat job was a thankless one as well and each of the men mentioned have been retired for possibly at least 15 years.
Guess what. Each of the retired police officers mentioned, Lajoie, Lucca, Schatz and Tremont were pretty good officers and detectives. They worked during tough times in Hartford and during the riots of the late 1960's when I was in 5th grade. When I got to HPD these men were all established in their careers and I was able to work with most of them to my benefit before they retired. They taught new officers a lot and shared their law enforcement experience to help new officers do the job in an efficient manner.
For some anonymous character to smear them with a bunch of BS is sad and wrong.
No swipe intended. These were all good men who served the city honorably. My point was that Gonzales will manipulate and slander on her own terms for her own gain. I apologize if my wording led you to think I was saying otherwise.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I have great respect for you also, Mr. Lyons. Our paths crossed on occasion. Don't remember if it was Morgan St. or Jennings, but was always impressed by your professionalism and dedication to justice, especially during that hot summer of heavy gang activity.
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