AT LEAST $35,000 "UNTRACEABLE" FUNDS MISSING FROM HARTFORD SCHOOLS ACTIVITY FUNDS ACCOUNT

A report from October of 2019 details some very poor accounting procedures and questionable behavior in handling of tens of thousands of dollars in student activity funds.

The report has been a well kept secret at the Hartford Schools for over a year. I had requested the report though a Freedom of Information request from the Hartford Schools Executive Director of Finance Maureen  Colman when I was first made aware of the report. The Hartford Schools have been less than transparent  and as of this date, they have not provided a copy of the report. Fortunately, I was able to obtain a copy of the report through "alternative means".

A quick review of the report will answer the question as to why they refused to release it. The report documents one incident after another of shoddy practices  and suspicious behavior in handling student funds from the activities account at Bulkeley High School. Although the report does not identify any one individual, sources have told me that an employee responsible for the mishandling has been terminated.

The report details as much as $35,000 in discrepancies in the listed balance on the account. There is no mention of any attempts to recover the unaccounted for funds or any referral to the Hartford Police Department for an investigation.

For several years, the Hartford Internal Audit Commission has been pushing for these and other Hartford School's Accounts to be entered on MUNIS, the City's accounting program. Apparently the Board has  refused those requests and the funds are still maintained in secrecy with open opportunities for mishandling and criminal intentions.

This report should show why the change is needed to prevent further loss or thefts of funds meant for Hartford's children.

The entire report can be read here: just click on the link  view report here

HPD IMPOUND LOT STOLEN ATV'S LISTING OBTAINED

The Hartford Police Department has been less than transparent on the recent thefts from their impound lot burglary.

 A listing was obtained today from an anonymous HPD source listing 31 of the missing vehicles and the HPD case numbers associated with the thefts. Sources stated that 3 of the vehicles may have already been recovered.

 HPD spokesperson Lt. Paul Cicero still has not provided any information regarding the thefts, despite my requests for details. I guess it is too embarrassing for them to comment when the thefts are the result of their own oversight.

 It is unclear as to the liability of The City of Hartford to the owners since the vehicles were technically in the care and control of HPD, who had a responsibility to secure them until released or disposed of by the Court.

The question most are asking me  is to how an area used for evidence storage was so poorly secured. Hopefully the HPD Property Room is a little more secure, but who knows.

 So much for the chain of custody.

GOVERNOR LAMONT, PLEASE PROTECT OUR INVESTMENT

 

In 2018, the State of Connecticut bailed out the City of Hartford to the apparent amount of $550,000,000 to avoid Hartford falling into Bankruptcy after years of poor management

If Hartford is to stand any chance of rebounding or rebuilding, Hartford needs to get its violent crime problem under control. Shootings and gun violence are running wild in Hartford. Just in the last 24 hours there have been 3 shooting incidents, totaling at least 4 victims . There have been 12 shotspotter activations with over 58 rounds fired.

This violence does not instill confidence in business owners to remain in Hartford or to even consider a move to Hartford. It doesn't sit well with people considering moving to Hartford either to be in such a violent environment. They could move to Chicago if they truly wanted to experience the illegal gun culture

In the meantime, it seems as though Hartford's Mayor Luke Bronin and Police Chief Jason Thody have no plan and are unsure how to deal with the spike. Bronin even went so far as to blame the shootings on Covid-19 this past weekend after he was facing pressure to say something. I doubt very much that he has any evidence or studies at all to back that up, if so, I would love to read them

His comments came Saturday after a hastily called meeting with HPD Commanders.( Sources tell me that Chief Thody was not in attendance at the meeting) Bronin's comments were most likely to make it look like he was doing something  rather than any actual plan to curb the shootings. Most likely because neither Bronin or Thody have a plan. If they did it should have been implemented in early summer, not now after things are already out of control

Governor Lamont, you have the resources at your fingertips to start changing this. Your Public Safety Commissioner Jim Rovella did it once and he has the expertise to do it again. Rovella understands Hartford. Rovella understands the gun culture and violence in Hartford. And the good thing about Rovella he knows how to put egos aside and do what needs to be done. He may not have all the answers , but he is willing to ask others to be part of the effort and get it done.

Rovella did that initially when he was the Chief Inspector for the States Attorneys Office and he was tasked by former Governor Malloy and Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane to "do something about the violence in Hartford". And Rovella did it. He put together a task force comprised of State and Federal Agencies to target Hartford's gun problems several years ago with laser like precision . The results were huge and hundreds of illegal guns as well as criminals were taken off Hartford's streets.

Please give the order again Governor Lamont, do something about the violence in Hartford. People are dying

HPD BURGLARIZED OVERNIGHT

Numerous sources within the Hartford Police Department are confirming that the HPD Impound lot  behind 50 Jennings Road was burglarized over night.

Apparently thieves were able to break into the lot and steal multiple ATV's and Quads that were being held as evidence . These vehicles are typically confiscated by HPD officers when they are being operated illegally on Hartford's streets.

 A request for comment and details from Hartford Police spokesperson LT. Paul Cicero has gone unanswered as of this time.

Chief Jason Thody apparently also began a vacation today so no comment from him either.

Common sense would seem to dictate that an alarm on the fence surrounding the supposed secure area would have been in use, That, according to sources, is not the case. So much for the lot being a secure area for evidence storage.

Cicero also did not respond to the question  as to whether any video captured the burglary.

It just gets better and better, and these are professionals running the place?

WHAT'S THE PLAN ,JASON?

 

                                                           HPD RECENT CRIME STATS

Hartford is in the middle of a violent crime spree. The numbers speak for themselves, at least 16 shooting victims in the last 10 days. HPD's own Crime statistics show a 700% increase in shootings and shooting victims in the week between September 27th and October 3rd, 2020. The  numbers for the last month show a 200% increase.

Although these numbers seem to speak for themselves of the state of violent crime  in Hartford, two people that seem not to be speaking are Hartford's Police Chief Jason Thody and Mayor Luke Bronin.

Why the silence? Neither of them, Bronin or Thody are addressing the issue or laying out any plans to combat the problem.

Under former Chief Jim Rovella, a plan was devised at the direction of former Governor Dan Malloy when Hartford was facing severe gun violence and violent crime issues. The results of Rovella's plan were instantaneous. Large quantities of illegal guns were seized in record numbers, shooters were taken off the streets and gun cases were successfully prosecuted and deadly crime decreased under Rovella's plans.

What happened? Why did Thody dismantle most of Rovella's initiatives and why haven't they been revised to fight this obvious problem or at the very least , can't Thody come up with some fresh ideas.

 Where is HPD's Intelligence Division? Why aren't patrol officers and others being provided information on the shooting trends and suspected shooters . Why aren't more gun arrests being made. Some days it seems like only the Patrol Division know how to track illegal; guns and get them off the street.

Where is Project Longevity, a proven program created  under Rovella to combat consistent offenders and shooters.  It worked, and was replicated across the State and had results dealing with felons.. 

If Chief Thody doesn't have a plan or is unsure how to devise a plan, give me a call Jason and I'll share my contact info for Commissioner Rovella. I'm sure he would once again be willing to share his expertise to help the City he loves.