CHIEF ROSADO-1, MAYOR BRONIN-0

Leadership requires vision. And I mean real vision, not just the vision to see the TV microphones strapped to the podium and finding your way to thump your chest in front of TV cameras and take claim for good things happening, even when others are actually making the good things happen.

No, vision and leadership require identifying problems and coming up with solutions long before they rise to a crisis situation.

It is also kind of sad that a brand new Police Chief coming in from the outside has hit the ground running and is already listening to residents as well as Police personnel and improving the level of service delivered to the people of Hartford. From what several sources within HPD and City Hall have told me, David Rosado is doing a great job, but he is not operating on an island either. Rosado is not afraid to reach out for help. Rosado has put together a great "summer" policing plan by bringing in anyone and everyone willing to help.

Our Federal partners including the US Attorneys Office and Federal agencies will be helping Hartford combat violent crimes and guns on our streets.

I have to ask why did it take the arrival of David Rosado to get the ball rolling. Maybe it is because our Mayor has been too busy with other conquests on his personal political agenda rather than listening to and doing what is best for the people that elected him in the first place.

Did Luke just realize he has a major gun and shootings problem in his City. Why didn't he start last winter putting together a plan and pulling all of the available partners together?

How is it that Chief Rosado realized that cutting cars from Patrol didn't make sense. The number of Patrol Units on Hartford's streets during the day and evening shifts has essentially been doubled in the last couple weeks. The use of the Patrol Vans to pick of people arrested around the City and transport them back to booking is a no brainer and Chief Rosado implemented the plan to make that happen. Rosado apparently is also listening to residents since walk beats have been reinstituted  in key troubled areas in the City and the walk beats are probably one of the top issues brought up at Community meetings.

I was amazed last week when I heard Mayor Luke Bronin  proclaiming to the TV cameras that the Hartford Police Department is in the best condition it has been in in years. Is Bronin that far out of touch with his Police Department?  I think anyone familiar with HPD would admit staffing is the worst it has been in years and as Mayor, you can't run to the Podium with those  microphones and TV cameras when a tragedy strikes HPD without assuming a well deserved role in the blame  for an officer's getting injured in an understaffed Department.  That may be harsh, but it is true

HPD is approaching being almost 150 Officer's short with the potential for another 30 eligible to leave by July 1, 2018, And yes, to be fair, Bronin has been hiring Cops, but his hiring numbers are not even coming close to the numbers leaving.  The attrition far outweighs the new hires.

Until City Hall wakes up, hopefully Chief Rosado will continue pushing forward and fighting for what is in the best interests of the people of Hartford. Lives depend on it

BOUGHT AND PAID FOR, CDBG GRANTS REVEALED

A large amount of money is handed out every year through Hartford City Hall with very little notice or scrutiny.

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are handed out every year. Many of the Grants serve  valid purposes for funding City non-profits that actually provide services, but many more of the dollars amount to very little more than a political slush fund. Many of the dollar amounts are routinely handed out year after year with very little scrutiny or supervision or reporting as to their use.

Much of the money also goes to administrative costs and "Executive Director" positions as opposed to actual programming in the Community.

As an example of the alleged abuses, one Executive Director of a recipient on this years list, Zezzo House, was recently indicted for "misappropriating" thousands of dollars in Grant Money.
Steven F. Harvin, 53, of New Haven, was presented Tuesday to a federal magistrate to face charges of wire fraud and theft from programs receiving federal funds.  The former head of the Hartford nonprofit has been arrested on charges he stole federal money intended to benefit people afflicted with health challenges and HIV,  Federal authorities say.

Here is more on that story from the Hartford Business Journal
http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20180612/NEWS01/180619976/ex-head-of-zezzo-house-indicted-for-fraud


Here is a partial list of this years grants

2018 CDBG Funding by Kevin Brookman on Scribd