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Monday, June 17, 2019

HOW DO YOU LOSE A BOAT? ASK CONNECTICUT DEEP

PROPERTY  OF STATE OF CONNECTICUT, BUT DOES ANYONE KNOW THAT?
ALL REGISTERED AND READY TO GO, FOR THREE YEARS SITTING HERE
I usually don't need to venture outside of Hartford for my blogposts. Hartford is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to blog content.

This posting is a gift from the State Of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP) that I just couldn't pass up.

I recently received a call from a source advising me that a school in Groton, the Marine Science Magnet High School of South Eastern Connecticut at 130 Shennecossett Road in Groton had apparently had a 17 foot Boston Whaler boat in their parking lot for roughly 3 years.  The boat reportedly was registered and belonged to DEEP.

The interesting part is that, according to DEEP e-mails, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, no one at DEEP knew the boat was missing or why it was in Groton for the last three years.

Right about now you are probably shaking your head in disbelief as I was when I got the call. How do you "misplace" a 17 foot boat with engine and sitting on a trailer registered to the State of Connecticut, for over three years? Who is responsible for the asset inventory? With the size of the State of Connecticut government, what else is missing or unaccounted for and whose job is it to keep track?

Luckily this asset was recovered, but imagine if every State agency were as reckless at protecting State property and taxpayers dollars they invest in such equipment. The number is probably staggering.

FROM E-MAILS RECEIVED THROUGH AN FOIA REQUEST:


From: Gangi, Melanie
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 11:08 AM
To: Patterson, Douglas <Douglas.Patterson@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>; Brandon, Robert <Robert.Brandon@ct.gov>; Wagner, Joseph <Joseph.Wagner@ct.gov>; Johnson, Dave <Dave.Johnson@ct.gov>
Subject: RE: DEEP Contact Information
Importance: Low


Hi Doug,


I looked all the items below up and they are active on the Asset system. The boat and trailer are assigned to your Marine HQ unit, the motor is assigned to Hartford Law. The last time the trailer and boat were found was in 2016, the motor was last found in 2015. I am not aware of how these items are at this school as for the why they are there and who authorized it I have no knowledge. We need to remove them and transport them back to DEEP. Can we check with Bill Kohl maybe he was aware of this. Let me know if you need anything else.


Thank you,


Melanie


From: Ramos, Raul
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 4:05 PM
To: Brandon, Robert
Cc: Williams, Keith
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information
Scott,
This boat was located at Groton Magnet School. Can you provide us with more info?
Boat Asset # 08A0040F
or
17’ Boston Whaler Guardian Hull # BWCL7559C888, Asset # 006529
75 HP Mercury outboard engine Asset # 038435
Trailer make unknow. License plate # 50-3148
From: Williams, Keith
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 3:50 PM
To: Ramos, Raul <Raul.Ramos@ct.gov>
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information
From: Delgado, Timothy
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 3:49 PM
To: Williams, Keith <Keith.Williams@ct.gov>
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information
From: Patterson, Douglas
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 9:42 AM
To: Gangi, Melanie <Melanie.Gangi@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information
Good morning Melanie,
Tim Delgado, from the Boating Division, contacted me this morning about a boat that a marine magnet high school has. Tim has included the pictures that were sent to him. If you look at the pictures you will see that the boat trailer has one of our plates on it. I’m not sure how the school wound up with this boat, however, I doubt we would have transferred a boat and left the plate on the trailer.
Could you check and see if the boat, motor or trailer are still on our inventory? Or, if you have a record that these items were in fact surplussed.
17’ Boston Whaler Guardian Hull # BWCL7559C888, Asset # 006529
75 HP Mercury outboard engine Asset # 038435
Trailer make unknow. License plate # 50-3148
Thank you for any assistance you may be able to offer.
Doug
Douglas M. Patterson
Maintenance Supervisor 2
Marine District Headquarters

From: Patterson, Douglas
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 12:33 PM
To: Gangi, Melanie <Melanie.Gangi@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>; Brandon, Robert <Robert.Brandon@ct.gov>; Wagner, Joseph <Joseph.Wagner@ct.gov>; Johnson, Dave <Dave.Johnson@ct.gov>
Subject: RE: DEEP Contact Information
Hi Melanie,
Can you tell me which division or who it is assigned to?
Thank you!!!! Doug
From: Gangi, Melanie
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 11:08 AM
To: Patterson, Douglas <Douglas.Patterson@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>; Brandon, Robert <Robert.Brandon@ct.gov>; Wagner, Joseph <Joseph.Wagner@ct.gov>; Johnson, Dave <Dave.Johnson@ct.gov>
Subject: RE: DEEP Contact Information
Importance: Low
Hi Doug,
I looked all the items below up and they are active on the Asset system. The boat and trailer are assigned to your Marine HQ unit, the motor is assigned to Hartford Law. The last time the trailer and boat were found was in 2016, the motor was last found in 2015. I am not aware of how these items are at this school as for the why they are there and who authorized it I have no knowledge. We need to remove them and transport them back to DEEP. Can we check with Bill Kohl maybe he was aware of this. Let me know if you need anything else.
Thank you,
Melanie






THANK YOU HPD PATROL

I often point out deficiencies with the Hartford Police, so I think it is also important to point out the good work they do .

Last night at  about 8:30PM I heard the car alarm go off on my car parked in my driveway. I immediately looked at my security cameras and saw a Hispanic male in dark clothing getting into my car. I went to my back door and yelled at him and he took off running.

I called the HPD Dispatch Center and was helped right away by a very professional dispatcher. This isn't always the case when calling the Dispatch Center and I was somewhat pleasantly surprised by the dispatcher gathering as much information as possible.

Within minutes , HPD Patrol Officer's were dispatched and Officer Patrick Even arrived and began gathering more information. I provided Officer Even with a picture of the male that I had printed out from my Security Camera.

I thought that would probably be about as far as it would go,

I was surprised when my phone rang a little after 10:00PM last night.and Officer Wesch from HPD asked if I would be willing to come identify a possible suspect in a "show-up". They had located a suspect, Edwin Rolon, of Hartford.

I positively identified him as the individual I saw in my car. Rolon was arrested on Larceny and Trespass charges and was held on a $5,000 bond.

It is believed that Rolon may also be responsible for other recent car breaks in the Asylum Hill area.

A great job by HPD and Officers Even and Wesch and Sergeant Morande.



Thank you.

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

WHO IS MAKING HPD UNSAFE NOW?

A lot has been made recently of the Hartford Police Department "not being a safe" work environment. This was partially due to the uproar over the Officer Kelly Baerga incident and her discrimination and harassment complaints.

Baerga was also the department's liaison to the LGBTQ community. Baerga apparently went out on EAP due to the stress from her incident.

An interim LGBTQ liaison, Officer Jessica Stroud, was put in place to take over building relationships between the LGBTQ community and HPD.

Sadly the person who is supposed to be on the forefront of  combating discrimination and building a sense of acceptance is now caught in the middle of an HPD Internal Affairs investigation questioning her own alleged discriminatory behavior.

HPD Officer Jessica Stroud is accused of publicly calling a new Probationary Police Officer (PPO) a "Retard" in front of his co-workers.

It is sad because Stroud as the LGBTQ liaison should understand the hurt and the harm that words can due and she seems to be incapable of  treating all people with respect. It really makes me wonder how someone that could use the term retard, for whatever reason, to address a co-worker what kind of language she would use on the streets in dealing with residents?

I don't think you can demand respect for yourself  and then not be afraid to engage in hateful, hurtful speech of your own

Civility and courtesy need to be extended to all people and not just specific groups you align yourself with. I think that is an example that needs to be shown to all new officers by the senior officers training them and  Officer Stroud failed miserably in that aspect.
Stroud Complaint on Scribd
UPDATE : THE DOCUMENTS BELOW WERE RECEIVED PURSUANT TO AN FOI REQUEST, AFTER MY ORIGINAL POSTING. THEY SHOW THAT CITY HALL HR PUNTED THIS HOT POTATO BACK TO HPD SO THAT HR WOULDN'T HAVE TO GET INVOLVED FOR WHATEVER REASON

Thursday, May 30, 2019

ENDANGERING STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY AT CLASSICAL MAGNET SCHOOL

Nothing coming out of the Hartford Schools lately surprises me. It would almost be comical if it wasn't so serious.

Last Thursday, Classical magnet School at 85 Woodland Street was put into a "CODE RED" security lock down. A Code Red is usually for the most serious security issues at schools. If nothing else, this Code Red will hopefully identify and correct some serious policy issues within the Hartford Schools.

According to sources, the Principal at Classical Magnet was not in the school building at the time of the lock down. The vice principal was attempting to keep the "senior prank" from happening that day. As a result, she came up with the brilliant idea of calling a "Code Red" lock down to keep the students in their classrooms and under strict control.

Apparently that plan backfired with serious repercussions. The School Administration never notified anyone they were instituting a Code Red. After it backfired there were numerous excuses made. Students were told it was a lock down because someone had climbed onto the roof. Eventually an e-mail was sent to parents that it was a planned "drill" and no one was notified because they wanted it to be as realistic as possible. Good cover story.

The problem was that students inside the school began calling and texting their parents by cell phones that something was wrong in the school and they were in lock down. Concerned parents began calling the school to find out what was going on. For some reason, no one in the school office were answering the phones.

 Concerned parents then began calling the Hartford Police telling them that something was wrong and they couldn't contact the school. Hartford 911 Dispatchers tried calling the school and no one answered. A simple phone call from the school to the Dispatch Center advising them of the drill initially seems like it would have been a wise move first. Actually it seems like that should be a basic policy  before any drill, fire security or otherwise.

In this day and age, the worst was in every one's mind and numerous Hartford Police Officers were immediately dispatched to the school for the unknown reason for the Code Red.. One HPD source told me that at least 8 patrol cars were dispatched to the school and at least 8 to 10 officers.

Anytime you have armed Police Officers being dispatched to a possible active shooter situation and responding at high speeds with lights and sirens going, the potential is there for disaster. All of which could have been avoided with a little common sense planning.

Add to that the fact of armed police officers were then searching the school with weapons drawn thinking they are looking for an armed suspect. This has to be traumatic to students seeing this activity as well as the the danger to someone who might come around a corner quickly and be mistaken for an intruder.

The matter is currently being handled Administratively by both HPD and the Hartford Schools

Maybe the senior prank would have been the better and less dangerous outcome

The e-mail explanation sent to parents is below
SCN_0019  on Scribd
Luckily , HPD trains their officers to respond properly to active shooter situations and the situation was resolved without any accidents or mishaps but it could have potentially been much worse.

The fact that there have been several explanation from the school administration, and none of them being the truth so far, is disheartening. The administration even went so far Monday as blaming the students since it was their fault because they advised their parents of the situation and the parents over-reacted.

Maybe the senior prank would have been the better, less dangerous outcome.

Friday, May 17, 2019

JOSE COLON-RIVAS INVESTIGATION REPORT

Jose Colon-Rivas, Thief or justmisunderstood?


I originally requested this report after Jose Colon-Rivas was terminated by the Hartford Schools on April 24, 2019. After numerous requests and weeks of run around by the Superintendent's Office and City Hall, today I filed an FOI complaint with the FOI Commission for a violation. Minutes later, the report arrived in my e-mail, isn't it funny how that works?

It is some interesting, but if Jose Colon-Rivas is such a thief as the report seems to portray, why would they fight so hard not to release the report?

There were some shady things going on but it obviously seems to point to a much larger problem with incompetence and management  that this behavior goes on in the Hartford Schools.

Sunday, May 12, 2019

HPD INVESTIGATING ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT AT P.A.L. PROGRAM

FROM HPD:

The Hartford Police Department is currently investigating an incident involving two fourteen year-old participants in the Hartford PAL program.
On Tuesday, May 7th, members of the Hartford Police Department responded to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center on a report of a sexual assault.  During the course of the preliminary investigation, it was determined that the location of incident was at the PAL program located at 50 Williams St. Initial investigation revealed that a juvenile male lured a juvenile  female to an unsupervised area of the building.  The victim alleges that the suspect performed a lewd sexual act, at which point they then both returned to the program.  The incident was reported to the police the following day, at which point appropriate action was taken, and an immediate investigation was launched.  The suspect in this incident has been suspended from the program pending the outcome of the investigation.  DCF has been notified, and are conducting a parallel investigation into the matter.
A forensic interview was conducted with the victim by the Klingberg Family Centers in Hartford. These interviews are conducted by independent organizations by qualified personnel. This  is done to preserve the integrity of the investigation and also to provide services to the victim and their family members. Klingberg works with the courts, police and DCF to provide and coordinate services.
The PAL program is operated by a board of directors from various organizations throughout the city and provide services to youth, between the ages of 6 to 18, with alternatives to violence, gang membership, truancy and substance abuse.  The programs instill the importance of integrity, respect, discipline, self-esteem, leadership, teamwork and other valuable life skills that increase individual self-worth and breed success.  The overall PAL program offers a variety of programs which serves 60-90 kids per weeknight as well as weekends when field trips, competitive athletics and other programs are conducted. There are currently over 1,500 youth in the newly formed database.
The PAL program is a not for profit 501 (c)(3) compliant to  the portion of the US Internal Revenue Code that allows for federal tax exemption of nonprofit organizations, specifically those that are considered public charities, private foundations or private operating foundations.
The criminal investigation is being conducted by the Special Investigations Division (SID) of the Hartford Police Department.
Further information regarding the incident will be provided at the conclusion of the investigation.
LT. Paul C. Cicero
Major Crimes Division & Media Relations