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Saturday, August 15, 2015

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE

 
 
I am probably going to shock many people by saying this , but if Pedro Segarra had started acting like a Mayor almost six years ago, he probably wouldn't have been a half bad Mayor. To start doing the job now, just weeks before a difficult primary is obnoxious and disgraceful.

Did it take a tough primary fight for Segarra to realize that many of our neighborhoods are filthy and needed attention? He launched a program this week to focus on the filth. Did his City Hall brain trust just realize they could put together a program to address our dirty streets. Why now and not five years ago?

For years our police staffing has been steadily dropping. A good manager would have realized that the result of hirng new recruits 25 years ago would  mean that they would be applying for retirement 225 years later. That means now Mr. Mayor, resulting in a large amount of vacancies caused by the attrition. It has decimated the ranks of HPD and only now because it has become a campaign issue, Segarra has begun addressing it. Why now Pedro and not five years ago?

Throughout the community, people are telling me that they are seeing Segarra attending functions that he hasn't attended in years  or paid attention to at all. Now he is attending everything possible with his campaign entourage, trolling for votes. Why now Pedro and not five years go?

Even the Hartford Fire Department , which has been exhibiting its dysfunctional leadership for years is now getting election year attention. when it was pointed out both here and on local television that HFD was ignoring mandatory state statutes for  Life Safety Inspections of Hartford structures, Segarra has suddenly found the money to supplement funding for additional fire inspectors. I am not sure how we are allowed to ignore state laws, especially when we have experienced loss of lives that could be attributed to lax inspections. Why now Pedro and not five years ago?

Every press release coming out of Segarra's office lately seems to be for another election year stunt , orchestrated to gain free media attention to make it look like Segarra is actually ding something. The only problem though is that every stunt is for something that has been well under his control for several years. If he is only going to do the work of Mayor for six months of his term before the election, we should be asking him for  refund of the other 3 and a half years of the salary we paid him.

Luke Bronin talks a lot about accountability. We need to make it clear to Luke that when elected Mayor, we expect to get our moneys worth from him everyday, not just a couple months before the next election. Somehow I think we will get our salarys worth from Bronin and his Team  from day one.

FROM HPD: MISSING PERSON

 
 
The Hartford Police Department Special Investigations Division and the Major Crimes Division are conducting a missing person investigation for a Tashauna Jackson 23 from Hartford. She was last seen on 8/11/2015,  at approximately 11pm where she reportedly was in the company of male, and was seen entering his vehicle of her own free will. On 8/12/15 she was reported missing. Since then, the male and his vehicle have been located. The vehicle has been seized by HPD. The male has been interviewed by Detectives. Ms Jackson has not been located. Ms Jackson has never gone missing in the past. Ground searches in secluded areas of the region have been conducted. The investigation is ongoing.

While the circumstances surrounding this disappearance do not fall under the criteria of a Silver or Amber Alert, investigators are extremely concerned with Ms Jackson's safety. We are asking anyone with any knowledge of Ms Jackson's whereabouts to contact HPD as soon as possible- Sgt Andrew Weaver 860-757-4214. Anonymous tips can be left at the HPD Website.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

MAPLE AVENUE NRZ COMMUNITY DAY THIS SUNDAY

The Maple Avenue/Barry Square NRZ will hold its annual community day this Sunday behind the Webster Theater on Webster Street in the Barry Square neighborhood. The event will be held from 11:00am to 4:00PM rain or shine.

The event is free of charge and open to the public. Free refreshments will be served. A raffle will be held for bicycles to be given away. The Hartford Police Department  the Hartford Public Library and many other groups will be represented at the event.

For more information , contact Hyacinth Yennie at 860-883-0383

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

ARE THEY LEAVING THE SINKING SHIP?

 
The screen shot above is from the Facebook page of Segarra Campaign spokesperson Shelly Sindland,it makes me  wonder how you take a roadtrip to Arkansas for a few weeks right before a hotly contested primary, unless things aren't really going that well with  the campaign. Maybe Pedro forgot to pay her also like he did all the debtors listed in his Bankruptcy filing posted here last week. 
 
For anyone that has been paying attention, Segarra's Office spokesperson Maribel LaLuz also seems to be Missing in Action lately also. Maybe controlling a phony message becomes more difficult when you are unable to control the people delivering the message.
 
Keep trying though Pedro, someone must be naïve enough to believe you.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

HPD TASER DEATH

FROM THE CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE:

On August 7, 2015 at approximately 8:30 p.m. police officers from the Hartford Police Department responded to 38 Kelsey Street, Hartford to assist the Hartford Mobile Crisis Team with a medical-related disturbance.
Upon arrival Matthew Russo became combative with police, Mobile Crisis Team personnel and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel.  A Hartford Police Officer deployed their assigned Taser on Russo as he continued to be combative.  After the Taser was deployed, EMS personnel administered a sedative to Russo.  Russo began experiencing difficulty breathing, and medical aid was immediately administered.  Russo was transported to Hartford Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
On August 8, 2015 at approximately 12:30 a.m. State Police detectives from Western District Major Crime responded, and assumed the investigation.

No release has been provided from the City of Hartford or HPD

UPDATE FROM HPD AT 4:00PM:

In an effort to keep our continued lines of communication open, I am writing you to detail an incident that occurred in the city last night. Please see preliminary details below:

 

On Friday, August 8, 2015, at 8:28pm,  Hartford Police Department Patrol Officers responded to 38 Kelsey Street at the request of Capital Region Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services as they conducted a medical/psych committal evaluation of a patient, Matthew Russo, 26 of Hartford. Capital Region responders requested HPD Officers to assist as the patient was very large and had a history of violent behavior. Officers specifically trained in Crisis Intervention Training (C.I.T.) responded. During the course of the evaluation, the patient became combative with Officers and EMS personnel on scene. A “Dry Stun” pain compliance measure was applied to the patient (This is a less painful and less intrusive use of force than a standard Taser deployment). This technique was not affective. EMS personnel then administered a dose of a sedative. EMS Personnel noticed the patient began to have difficulty breathing and appeared in distress. The patient was subsequently transported by Ambulance personnel to Hartford Hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 10:38pm.

 

Two Hartford Police Officers were also transported to Hartford Hospital for injuries. One of the officers sustained significant back injury. The other officer had injuries to his arm and shoulder. Both officers are currently off-line due to their injuries.

 

In an effort to maintain community trust, and avoid the appearance of bias, the incident is currently being investigated by Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crimes with the assistance of the Chief State's Attorney's Office. Hartford Police Department Internal Affairs Investigators also responded and will monitor to ensure all administrative policies and procedures were adhered to. An Autopsy will be performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where a cause of death will likely be determined.

 

Deceased:

Matthew Russo (DOB 01/25/89)

38 Kelsey St.

Hartford, CT

 

We provide this information to you as this is the best information we currently have available. We will look to keep you updated.

 

Thursday, August 6, 2015

WHY ALL THE FIRES, ARE THEY PREVENTABLE?

 
 
It seems as though we are seeing many fires in Hartford this year, much larger and more severe than normal.

 I wonder if budget cuts over the last several years are contributing to these fires. I think we have all seen the increase in crime due to reduction in police staffing and a lack of hiring. Can the same correlation be made in relation to a lack of fire safety inspections? I have spoke to several Hartford property owners, and most of them can not remember the last time they were inspected by the Hartford Fire Marshall's Office.

Hartford needs to come into inspection compliance to prevent more loss of lives and property through what may be preventable fires. Here are the requirements below , according to Connecticut Law for the frequency of fire inspections

I think this is more an issue with the City Council and Mayor than it is with HFD. Budget cuts have consequences. Maybe we could do with less spokespeople and schedulers in the Mayor's Office and a couple more Fire Inspectors in the Fire Marshall's Office

The entire fire code can be viewed at: http://www.ct.gov/dcs/lib/dcs/office_of_state_building_inspector_files/csfsc_2009_amendment_5-5-09.pdf


The minimum requirements for the frequency of inspections as prescribed in section 29-305 of the Connecticut General Statutes shall be as follows:
(1) Annual inspections for the occupancy classifications, all R Residential, A-1, A-2, E, H-1, I-1.
(2) Inspections every two years for the occupancy classifications, A-3, H-2, I-2, I-3, I-4, B-Medical, B-College.
(3) Inspections every three years for occupancy classifications B, H-3, M, S-1, A-4, A-5.
(4) Inspections every four years for the occupancy classifications, F-1, F-2, H-4, H-5, S-2, U.