It is relatively easy to run for an available television camera to make statements to further your agenda, and no one should doubt that there are specific agendas in play here. It is apparently more difficult to actually show some leadership qualities and work to bring about real change.
Instead of trying to look at the issues facing HPD it is much easier to go along with the "Anti cop" rhetoric which is very popular with the media, and that is a lot easier than actually trying to set policy.
Does anyone really believe that Justin Torneiro was an "isolated incident" as the HPD Union wants us to believe? I can quite confidently say right here right now, absolutely not, it is only a short matter of time before the other shoe drops.. But with that being said, where are the solutions or even an attempt at some solutions.,
It is much easier for Council people to call "Emergency Community Meetings" and expand the divide between Police and Community, and while we are at it, lets thrown the racial exposure in there to split the community even further apart.. That is not leadership, or is probably more a result of inexperience and not sure what a leader actually does.
I received several calls this week , probably half of them from Police Officers, asking why there was no drug testing at HPD or HFD? The answer has nothing to do with HPD and rests squarely with City Hall. Apparently the Mayor and the Council have refused to appropriate the funds and apparently cut the funding from previous budgets,
And after the Torneiro incident, I am told by a source familiar with the HPD budget that they could take the money out of another HPD budget item and apply that to drug testing. I think that is what they call robbing Peter to pay Paul.
If City Hall was serious about this problem, and hopefully preventing future problems, they would get on board and fund random drug testing for all City employees, HPD, HFD, and City Hall including Council employees. DPW already has a random drug testing program from what I am told.
And to show real leadership, every Council member should be at the front of the line to be tested, but we know that won't happen, it is easier to run for the TV cameras.
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Any government employee or elected official must be regularly tested for substance abuse. From the mayor through the janitors. They represent the City and decidedly so they should be of sound mind too. The City may end up with higher quality personnel if City Council mandates strict guidelines for service.
ReplyDeleteDid I read that correctly???? DPW gets randomly drug tested but cops who carry guns and are on the front line of altercations with criminals don’t? This is insanity!
ReplyDeleteI think the DPW testing has more to do with CDL requirements, but it should be standard policy for everyone. Most Police Officers I have asked have no problem with random testing, anyone that is opposed probably know they. Would come up dirty
ReplyDeleteJust a reminder to all ,,,the only time in the past 25 years they “randomly” tested all personel in the Hartford Fire Dept ,they had over 6 months to “cleanup” thanks to the heads up mandated by the union. AND STILL PEOPLE SHOWED UP DIRTY,,,,as Chief Freeman wants to advance and improve training and equipment he has his head buried in the sand when it comes to mental health,drug and alcohol abuse. Kevin, before you defend your boy and say it’s not up to him ,,,he has proven that he can wow the string holders with power points or any other bullshit to get what he wants ,therefore he can fix this,,,if Freeman got the city to pay for a “ situational awareness” training class ( remember this anyone??? Guys got paid OT to cover the ones that signed up ,guys got paid if they came in on their off day,most every soon to be retiree was there AND LUNCH WAS PROVIDED!) IF HE COULD MAKE TAXPAYER MONEY APPEAR FOR THAT NONSENSE THEN HE CAN EASILY PULL MONEY OUT OF A HAT OR HIS ASS ,,,I DONT CARE EITHER WAY,,,JUST GET IT DONE
ReplyDeleteFrom Mayor to Janitor and City Council!
ReplyDeleteImagine some hung over half baked lifeguards sleeping on duty, a strung out teacher who guides your children’s future, even an under the radar junkie pill popping public official who mandates policy for the people and finally some gym juicing cop who wants that edge and is actually trigger happy from the roiding. Does anyone see what can easily happen here?
The FD gets six months to clean up and can’t do it?! OK, somethings wrong here.
Fire trucks aren’t CDL required?
Listen up People, you get what you pay for.
From Mayor thruough janitor, they represent the City.
Condon’s former partner has been double knotting his shoes I heard. Everyone knows he’s protected, just as he was in the warrant
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