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Tuesday, March 1, 2016

DUI CHECKPOINT THURSDAY

(Hartford, CT.) – The Hartford Police Department Traffic Division will conduct a DUI Enforcement Checkpoint on Thursday, March 3, 2016, from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., in the area of 175 New Britain Avenue.

This checkpoint is part of the Hartford Police Department’s ongoing expanded DUI enforcement program supervised by the HPD’s Traffic Division and funded through a grant from the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation DUI Enforcement Program.

For the most up to date traffic information visit the State of Connecticut interactive traffic map including statewide traffic cameras.

The Hartford Police Department encourages you to protect your vehicle and belongings by “putting your junk in your trunk.” Click here to view car break prevention tips from the HPD.
Contact: Lieutenant Robert Allan, Commander, Hartford Police Traffic Division 860-757-4491, email: allar001@hartford.gov or Samaia Hernandez , Director, City of Hartford Office of Communications and News Media 860-757-9731, email: Samaia.Hernandez@hartford.gov
For more

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE TODAY

Today is Super Tuesday around the nation, but in Hartford it is also the day to vote for a couple of Town Committee races. Locally, the Town Committee's are the foundation for the local political process.

Voters will be asked to choose their local representatives for the Town Committee in districts that have a challenge.

The Sixth District, Hartford's South End, is one of the districts that has a challenge today. Democrats for Progress is one of the slates running. They are on row "B" and  I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with many of the candidates on that slate My good friend Hyacinth Yennie is one of them.  Hyacinth is a tireless advocate for the Southend neighborhoods and our City overall

Hyacinth and her fellow candidates and working to make the system and the City better , rather than living off of it. I encourage you to consider and vote for row "B".

You can read more on their facebook page here  https://www.facebook.com/6th-District-Town-Committee-1674549406147066/photos_stream?ref=page_internal

Monday, February 29, 2016

FROM THE OFFICE OF MAYOR BRONIN

FIRE CHIEF, ASSISTANT CHIEFS TO BE SWORN IN AT PROMOTIONAL CEREMONY
 
— MEDIA ADVISORY —

(February 29, 2016) Fire Chief Reginald D. Freeman, who was recently appointed by Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, Assistant Fire Chief of Support Services Frank Costello, and Assistant Chief of Emergency Services Darren Hudson will be sworn in Friday, March 4, 2016 during a ceremony at M.D. Fox Elementary School Auditorium. The ceremony will also honor the accomplishments and hard work of 21 Firefighters promoted to Pump Operator, Ladder Driver, Lieutenant, Captain, and Deputy Chief. The event is open to the public and will begin promptly at 6 p.m. 

WHO: Mayor Luke Bronin, Fire Chief Reginald Freeman
WHAT: Swearing-in and promotional ceremony
WHEN: Friday, March 4; 6 p.m.
WHERE: M.D. Fox School Auditorium, 470 Maple Avenue, Hartford

AN HOUR WITH HARTFORD'S NEW FIRE CHIEF, REGGIE FREEMAN

Today our guest on "We the People" was Hartford's newly appointed Fire Chief. Reggie Freeman. Less than a month on the job as the Chief, we talked about his vision and the leadership he is providing to the HFD, the future and his goals .

One of Chief Freeman's first steps after taking office was to restore some of the tradition to a proud Fire Department. He visited all firehouse and tried to meet and listen to firefighter's as their Chief. I think that was appreciated  as indicated by the text below, that I received after his first day here, from one of his firefighters.
Another move was to highlight the proud history of HFD by taking the pictures of all the past Chief's out of storage so they could be hung on the hallways in Fire Headquarters.

And finally, one of the little things that is very symbolic, was the return of the 1-HFD license plate to the Chief's City vehicle. I could never understand the need for previous Chief's to operate undercover with regular plates. The Chief should be proud of his position and not be ashamed to be identified (unless the vehicle is somewhere it shouldn't be)
Click on the program below to watch our interview with Chief Freeman, feel free to comment.


Sunday, February 28, 2016

POLICE LIVES MATTER ALSO

This is just such a tragic story.

I don't think we appreciate the danger our Police Officers place themselves in every day to protect us.

Many police officers have been gunned down already this year, but this one is a glaring example of the dangers they face. Ashley Guindon was murdered in her first day on the job after completing her service in the United States Marine Corps.

The irony is that she was probably in much more danger during her military deployments , but she came back home to continue her public service and was murdered in an affluent suburb of $500,000 homes during a reported domestic disturbance.

Please keep our first responders in your thoughts and prayers and also remember those officers in Virginia and across the country that have been wounded and are recovering from shootings

. There is also a local aspect to this killing. The West Springfield Massachusetts Police are with heavy hearts today after learning of the fatal shooting of Police Officer Ashley Guindon on her first night of duty. Ashley is the niece of West Springfield Police Detective Thomas Guindon.

..WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) — A Virginia police officer was shot and killed Saturday on her first day back with her department after being sworn in, and two of her colleagues were wounded in a confrontation stemming from a call about an argument.
A county leader said a civilian woman was also killed in the domestic dispute.
Officers received a call around 5:30 Saturday evening in Woodbridge, about 30 miles southwest of the nation's capital, about a "verbal argument," Sgt. Jonathan Perok, spokesman of the Prince William County Police Department, said. It's not clear how the altercation between the suspect and police began but the suspect, a military serviceman, is in custody and was not injured, he said. The condition of the other two officers is not known.
The department announced on its Facebook page that Officer Ashley Guindon had died from the injuries she sustained in the shooting.
A picture of Guindon was posted to the department's Twitter page on Friday with a tweet that read, "Welcome Officers Steven Kendall & Ashley Guindon who were sworn in today & begin their shifts this weekend. Be Safe!" It is not known if the other officer in the tweet was involved in the shooting incident.
Guindon had been a county police officer a few years ago and had left and returned to the force, Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press Saturday night. He did not know the exact dates of when she started and left, he said.
Another woman was killed in the domestic call and was dead before police arrived, Stewart said, but police declined to confirm that information. Stewart also said there was a child in the house during the incident who was not harmed.
Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert told The Associated Press Saturday night that he has authorized a capital murder charge, along with other counts, against the suspect, who has not been identified.
At Inova Fairfax Hospital, where the three officers were flown by helicopter after the shooting, more than 100 patrol cars lined the roads outside early Sunday morning to stand vigil and escort Guindon's body to the medical examiner.
The shooting occurred in the Lake Ridge neighborhood, on a curving street with $500,000 suburban houses with brick and siding exteriors, manicured lawns and two-car garages about a five-minute drive from the county office building.
Until Saturday evening, the big news in the police department was the planned retirement of Chief Steve Hudson, who announced two weeks ago that he will step down at the end of March, and officers' plans to do a "polar bear" plunge on Saturday morning to raise money for Special Olympics.
Police said the incident is still being investigated.

The West Springfield Police are with heavy hearts today after learning of the fatal shooting of Ashley Guindon on her first night of duty. Ashley is the niece of West Springfield Police Detective Thomas Guindon.

THIS COULD HAVE ENDED BADLY, THANK YOU HPD

On Saturday, February 27th, 2016, at 2359 hours, Patrol Units were dispatched to the area of 50 Vine Street for a Shot Spotter activation (#76253) indicating three shots fired. HPD Dispatch also received citizen callers reporting shots fired in the same area.

As units arrived in the area, Traffic Officer Taylor observed a group of males in an alleyway, within close proximity of the Shot Spotter alert. When the group observed Officer Taylor, they immediately fled west towards Vine Street, at which point Officer Taylor pursued the group on foot. Several individuals were apprehended.

One in particular, Accused Jonathan Frater, was observed clenching his waistband, exhibiting signs of a person armed with a firearm . Officer Fogg began to pursue Frater south on Vine Street as other officers had stopped other individuals in the group. Officer Herrmann joined the foot chase with Officer Fogg at Albany Avenue at Burton Street.

Officer Herrmann was able to pursue Frater westbound over a fence, through rear yards, towards Sigourney Street. Frater fell then continued west from the rear of 398 Sigourney Street, where he was met by Officer Steinmetz. Officer Steinmetz ordered Frater to get on the ground which he did, and was taken into custody by Officers Herrmann, Steinmetz and Fogg.

Officer Herrmann went back to the area where he observed Frater fall on the ground after scaling a fence, and in the mud located a Smith & Wesson .32 caliber revolver.

Frater was transported to HPD Detention for booking and processing procedures. Frater was held on a $500,000.00 bond.

Accused; Frater, Jonathan, M/B/18 (08/21/1997), of 66 Deerfield Avenue, Hartford, CT.
Charges; Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm, Carrying a Pistol w/o a Permit, Reckless Endangerment 1st
Degree and Interfering w/ Police.
Firearm Seized; Smith & Wesson .32 caliber Revolver, s/n AT48038.

Great effort by all involved to take more illegal gun off of our streets