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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

SHOW ME THE MONEY

This is just the start , but here is the beginning of the filings for Hartford's Mayoral candidates, starting off with Pedro Segarra

Monday, April 27, 2015

ANOTHER BLACK EYE FOR HPD? NOT...

 
Some things on their face value look bad. Such is the case of the Internal Audit Report below if you didn't know the back story .

The Audit report was actually requested by Hartford Police Chief James Rovella after officers went to him with their concerns regarding the operation of the Hartford Police Firing range.  Rovella immediately requested the City Auditors begin an internal review and eventually an HPD Internal Affairs Investigation was launched. The results of that IAD have not been released yet but , it will probably be far worse than the details outlined below.

There are more questions raised than answered as you read this, but also keep in mind that this has gone on for years at the range. Chief Rovella has implemented recent changes to add additional oversight and controls to the range. The "range Officer" who was not identified in the audit is reportedly Lou Crabtree who basically ran the firing range unsupervised for years. He abruptly retired once the audit and IAD investigation began. Although the audit doesn't mention criminal charges, after reading the report it would seem hard not to be some.

If the numbers are accurate, there seems to be over $400,000 in ammunition unaccounted for. It also seems like there would probably be some federal violations , especially for an ammo dealer transporting such large quantities of bullets over state lines with no paper trail or record to review.

 One high ranking HPD source recently told me "if we had a Ferguson type incident, we have no extra ammunition on the building to give out to officers" Even though by the invoices it would seem there is plenty, especially since HPD normally spend on average $115,000 a year for ammo, and last year according to the books spent over $400,000.

Crabtree  apparently told auditors that he bartered much of the ammo to other agencies, including Windsor Locks PD, the Connecticut State Police and East Hartford PD. I am waiting for the IAD report to be released before I start FOI'ing documents from those agencies to verify Crabtree's claims. I can't imagine the Connecticut State Police "bartering " for ammo, or that "bartering" ammo is even legal.

 This might actually be the type of thing that needs to go before a Grand Jury to get to the truth or even the Federal Corruption team. The large amounts of ammunition unaacounted for is disheartening . HPD has anobligation to account for that ammo and to make sure it has not fallen into the wrong hands. With that much ammo missing, HPD could potentially be supplying evrry gang member in the Greater Hartford area with 9mm and 40cal shells for the next several years.

Officer Crabtree, you have some explaining to do and your retirement to save your pension doesn't cut it.


Friday, April 24, 2015

THEY JUST CAN'T CATCH A BREAK

Word out of HPD this afternoon is that an off duty Hartford Firefighter is under investigation for shooting a home improvement contractor on Hebron Street. Firefighter Donald Brown apparently called 911 this afternoon to report he just shot the contractor in the Blue Hills neighborhood.

There has been no comment from HPD and HFD Captain Helene Lynch seemed stunned when I initially called asking for a comment on the firefighter shooting, She stated she would have to call me back, no response yet.


The case remains under investigation by HPD Major Crimes.


BROWN WORKED AT ENGINE 10 ON FRANKLIN AVENUE UNTIL RECENTLY 

HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ENGINE 14 AT BLUE HILLS/ALBANY AVENUE, BUT HAD NOT REPORTED THERE YET BECAUSE HE IS ON WORKMAN’S COMP

Thursday, April 23, 2015

CHARLIE: THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE

 
Several people have commented lately after the Nolan Administrative Suspension to "wait until the truth comes out". Well , the truth is coming out and it is not Dan Nolan that needs to be worried. 
 
 HFD is not great with FOI. It took me almost two months to get an FOI request I submitted on March 1, 2015, but it was well worth the wait.
 
I had originally requested repair documents for HFD Ladder 6. Ladder 6 is a brand new piece of apparatus purchased about a year ago for close to 3/4 of a million dollars. It had been at City Yard, the HFD repair garage for months. I was wondering why a  3/4 of a million dollar piece of equipment that was almost brand new would be out of service for so long.
 
I went about submitting an FOI request for documents related to Ladder 6, including maintenance and repair records.
 
Well FOI is a wonderful thing. Sometimes you get what you are looking for and sometimes you get things you never expected. The two months turned out to be well worth the wait (although probably illegal also on the part of HFD for the delay)
 
It turns out that the reason for Ladder 6 being off the line for so long is due to mismanagement of the HFD and possibly Hartford City Hall also.
 
Ladder 6 was brought to City Yard for repair work on the rear bucket that raises and lowers firefighters possibly hundreds of feet in the air. Because of the heights and weigh involve, the yoke and attachments must be tested each time the bucket is worked on. The testing is apparently conducted by American Test Center of  River Falls, Wisconsin. Apparently  American Test Center is a "for profit" business and frowns upon providing services when there bills aren't paid.
 
After planning work was performed on Ladder 6, American Test Center did not wish to perform the required testing until their past due bills were paid by HFD. According to invoices obtained under the FOI request, it appears that American Test Center charged HFD in the range of $450.00 per test, so we aren't talking huge dollar amounts. But none the less, the apparatus was kept off of Hartford's streets because of the unpaid bill. A couple servings of Segarra caviar  would have gotten Ladder 6 back on the street much quicker.
 
 Shortly after I made my FOI request, the bills  to American Test Center that had been unpaid for months , were suddenly paid and Ladder 6 is back on the line today.
 
 But even more important are statements made in an e-mail that was also part of  the FOI request and should be raising serious questions related to the death of Firefighter Kevin Bell and the mismanagement of the Hartford Fire Department.
 
Questions were raised about the condition of the "FIT" testing machine. FIT testing apparently is the process named for checking the air mask used by firefighters and the masks suitability for use. According to the email HFD's  "FIT" testing machine is broken. Parts are no longer available for the machine. (FIT testing is required by OSHA and was also an issue in the Bell investigation.)
 
When asked why HFD wasn't doing "FIT" testing , according to the e-mail, technicians were told that HFD was planning on buying all new masks, the AV3000, and everyone would need to be refitted at that time so hold off. According to HFD sources, those new masks have never been purchased and the FIT tests are still an issue. 
 
The e-mail obtained through the FOI request was addressed to FIER R001@ Hartford. gov.  FIERR 001 is Rocco Fierevante, the Hartford Firefighters Union Vice President. Why are Hartford Firefighters paying Union dues if their Vice President doesn't raise issues when their lives are possibly being endangered by  dangerous conditions?
 
One of the common themes addressed by Chief Nolan prior to his "insubordination" is also highlighted in the e-mail "There has been a total lack of Communication" The issue of expired "air bottles" is mentioned and nothing being done to correct the problem. "We currently have an unacceptable number that need to be removed from service". Then why aren't they? Does Chief Huertas  feel as though it is acceptable to send firefighters into burning buildings with less than desirable equipment? The author mentions trying to work within the requirements of "political budget cuts". Politics has no place in determining the safety of out firefighters. Unless of course our politicians like being on TV at firefighters funerals giving their kind words to the families of deceased firefighters.
 
The e-mail also mentions that the Hartford Fire Department "has an epidemic amount of vendors that have been calling us on past due invoices". Many of those vendors have also now put the Hartford Fire Department on a COD basis. The email states that many vendors including NAPA, Fleetpride, FirestoneTire all now require cash up front before supplying parts to the Hartford Fire Department. At least two vendors , Chips Auto Electric and International Radiator only allow HFD to pick up parts after they are repaired only if they are paid for .
 
The e-mail also mentions "the  matter of ladder 6 aerial test that sat out of service for 3plus months... due to past due invoices. I detailed that issue above.
 
It seems as though Chief Huertas has no problem putting the residents of Hartford and more importantly his own firefighters in harms way though his lack of management and accountability The sad part is that many of these issues seem very easy to change with just a small amount of leadership or even management., which Huertas clearly lacks.
 

THIS IS WRONG



I think it is pretty clear to readers that I am pro-police, but I also think I am fair and definitely not blind.

A police officer who shoots someone in the back for no justifiable reason deserves a life in prison, just like anyone else that does it.

But I also watch many of these videos and wonder what would have been different if the "victims" just obeyed the lawful order of a Police Officer. The video above is a perfect example. The officer was apparently dispatched to the Burger King at Main and Asylum. Upon arriving he apparently had someone that was pointed out to him or who he wanted to speak with.

Watch the swagger on the individual as he approaches the officer. Now be fair as you watch the video. If you were in the officer's position, how do you think this encounter is going to go? What doo you think his body language is saying. Do you think the individual is all set to initiate an encounter? The officer then pulls the individual outside and all of a sudden we are off to the races. Even once the officer is on the ground in a choke hold being choked out by the suspect, I think he shows great restraint.

 If the Officer was in fear for his life, I think the use of deadly force would have been justified. We could second guess that decision later, but luckily the officer broke free and appears somewhat dazed as the sound of sirens coming to his aid are heard in the background. The troubling part is the number of bystanders that were more focused in grabbing their video than in helping the Officer being assaulted and choked.

We can not tolerate the open season on Police Officers that seems to have become fashionable this spring, no more than we can tolerate disrespect and abuse of any citizen. Respect is a two way street and this video clearly shows a total lack of respect by this group of punks.

Last year I had a run in with a Hartford Police Officer that felt I knew too much information about HPD. Much of it that was negative to his fellow Union members. He began spreading the rumor at Union meetings and at daily roll calls that I had a Department issued HPD radio and that is how I got the information. He instructed his membership that if they saw me with a radio they were to take it from me and immediately bring it to the Union Office. Any one taking anything from any individual without claiming a crime was committed or without a warrant is clearly an abuse of power and most likely a violation of a person's civil rights.

I spoke to Chief Rovella about this and he gave me wise advice that would be excellent advice for anyone confronted by a Police Officer. Don't fight back, do what the Officer instructs you and then call him to begin the investigation.

No one likes being challenged by a Police Officer, but you aren't going to win by fighting back. It may not be pleasant, but the law of averages are against you. You may not believe in the system, but when used , the system works. Don't fight the officer, take the proper channels and let the system work for you.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

THURSDAY ON THE BLOG, A PREVIEW



Is the leadership at the Hartford Fire Department as bad as we have been hearing? According to e-mails obtained by "We the People" the answer is probably yes, and quite possibly worse.

Read it here tomorrow and draw your own conclusions.