The link is below for anyone interested in looking at the City of Hartford Budget for 2022 https://www.hartfordct.gov/files/assets/public/mgmt-budget/mgmt-budget-documents/new-folder/21_4_19-at-0912-fy2022-recommended-budget-book-final-web.pdf
Unfortunately, with recent everts in the Hartford Police Department after a Police Sergeant assaulted a female prisoner, I had to attempt to navigate the law to try to obtain body cam footage of the event. The law is pretty specific, the video was required to be released within 96 hours after request by a member of the public. Despite my written request to Detective Denise Mendoza , who handles requests at HPD, to release the video, it was ignored.
It was obvious that Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody and his minions had no problem in breaking the law in their efforts to keep their dirty laundry from public view. As the clock continued to tick ,the 96 hour requirement came and went by days. I eventually called a State Senator and asked him to get involved as well as e-mails to various State Officials and Media people and community partners.
One State official I spoke with understood my frustration and reluctantly advised me the Police Accountability Bill "has no teeth". So what good is it if Police Chiefs or others feel they can break the law without any repercussions or any mechanism for enforcement..
I received all types of guesses from everyone I called asking where to turn to get enforcement for someone breaking the Police Accountability Law. Besides being told the bill had no teeth, no one could answer me. Maybe the Attorney General, maybe the Chief States Attorney, maybe the Freedom of Information Commission, maybe I had to hire my own attorney and bring a legal action through the courts.
Should a private citizen have to hire an attorney to get Chief Thody to obey the law?
And despite the spin Thody and Mayor Bronin put on this matter that they did the "right thing" and the system worked, it did not.
I had originally asked for ALL video of the event, not what they wanted to release to make themselves look good or lessen the impact. (I am not sure that there is anyway to make yourself look good when one of your Officer's punches a female prisoner in the head on video, no matter how you edit it) The arrest warrant affidavit states there were at least four body cams that captured video as well as permanently mounted security cameras recording.
The system might have worked If Thody had honored the letter of the law and released the video in the time frame required. The system might have worked if Thody released ALL of the video as requested.
But corruption only breeds more corruption when it is allowed to happen. If the Legislature and the Law Enforcement profession are serious about cleaning up their act, changes need to be made. Police Chief's and people like Jason Thody need to be sent a real message that business as usual is no longer acceptable and it is time to clean up their acts.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO: HPD SERGEANT GUZIE ASSAULTING FEMALE PRISONER
Now, Thody is skirting the law again, apparently to avoid having to explain for one of his corrupt officers. On March 15, 2021, it was alleged that HPD Police Sergeant James Guzie had assaulted a female prisoner while she was in custody at the HPD Booking facility. Guzie was the supervisor on duty at the time and the booking facility was supervised by LT. Paul Cicero. Cicero had previously been the Major Crimes supervisor and was reassigned to booking after the "Deadpool" betting scandal had been revealed. As a sidenote, Cicero has now been reassigned to Patrol as the daytime Lieutenant.
Sergeant Guzie was arrested today on a charge of Assault 3rd.
Back to above the law Thody. One aspect of the Police Accountability bill passed last year was a section regulating Police Bodycam use. One section stated that "{Police accountability bill, Public Act 20-1 ( page 33) "not later than ninety-six hours following the recorded incident, whichever House Bill No. 6004 July Sp. Sess., Public Act No. 20-1 33 of 72 is earlier, such recording shall be disclosed, upon request, to the public, subject to the provisions of subsection (g) of this section"}.
Essentially, it states that body cam and other video footage of a Police misconduct assault MUST be released within 96 hours after requested by a member of the public. I requested the video in writing to HPD by e-mail dated April15, 2021 at 3:41 PM. As of today the video has not been released , even though Connecticut State Law requires its release and it is well over the 96 hour limit.
Shouldn't a Police Chief uphold the law rather than be above it? Is this Thody's version of transparency?
