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Friday, November 30, 2012

WE KNEW IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN

After hob nobbing with the likes of Ricky Martin and Shakira, it was bound to happen. Hartford's Mayor Pedro Segarra has gone Hollywood in the latest version of Gangham Style.

Word is that Segarra now needs police protection when he is out in public due to his superstar status.


Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

NOLAN LAWSUIT FILED

On Monday , Hartford Fire Department Deputy Chief of Training Dan Nolan returned to his job with the city as a result of a court order after his wrongful termination. Nolan has also filed a lawsuit against the city for damages as a result of his termination.

The lawsuit filing is below, although it is somewhat short on specifics in the suit, I gues that is the way these things work. It should prove to be an interesting trial as witnesses are put under oath and questioned. Among them will most likely be the Hartford Fire Union President Vincent Fusco as he will have to divulge his involvement in the termination and what he did and when.

Tickets should be sold for the questioning of  Former Fire Chief Charles Teale as he states under oath the tale of Springfield Strip clubs and payments he took from an opthamologist to cover penalties for misusing the Hartford Fire Academy for his personal gain. (These things are already on the record from the Labor board hearings). Luckily for Teale the statute of limitations has expired on the payoff.

Somehow I think the City will be scrambling to settle this one for a large amount rather than have more dirty laundry from a corrupt City hall aired in public..

This is a story that still isn't done yet and promises to get even worse before it is done. Stay tuned.

Nolan (1)

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

THEY TALK THE TALK, NOW THEY NEED TO WALK THE WALK

Change is well underway at HPD. Some of it will be obvious, some will not be that obvious to the general public. One of the most obvious will be the new fleet of police cruisers about to hit Hartford's streets. HPD will be breaking from tradition and starting to take part in a national trend in putting black and white cruisers on Hartford's streets.

The first of the new fleet are arriving and being outfitted now.

Another change will not be quite as obvious. This Friday at 2:00PM at City Hall, Chief Rovella will be promoting 5 individuals to the rank of Deputy Chief. Read more about the promotions here, These promotions will mark the first time in several years that the Command Staff of HPD has actually come close to representing the makeup and diversity of the community they serve.

More encouraging information is also coming out this week that we have a shot, no pun intended, of having the lowest homicide rate in almost thirty years. Although everyone wants to potentially take credit, especially our Mayor and other politicians, the fact of the matter is that the vision of a handful of people are responsible for the crime reductions. Foremost among them is Hartford's new Chief James Rovella and a person who has been instrumental in implementing and carrying out Rovella's vision, Hartford Police Lieutenant Lance Sigersmith, Commander of HPD's Intelligence Division and the Shooting Task Force, Credit needs to go as well to all of the agencies and personnel working hard to clean up our City under "Team Rovella",

Across the board from the beginning of Rovella's tenure, it seems that a new sense of professionalism and motivation  has swept over HPD and I don't mean to belittle any ones efforts by leaving anyone out. Major crimes detectives are clearing more cases through good investigations and taking criminals off the streets, Patrol officers are carrying their weight knowing that there is a new sense of accountability and fairness in discipline when needed.

Things seem to be starting to click as a team and the results seem to be showing, Whether through increased morale or reduced crime stats.the results are obvious. I guess that is what effective leadership does.

What the politicians who are eager to take credit for the results need to keep in mind  is that these results don't happen by chance and without an associated cost. Reduced crime in the Capitol City doesn't come cheap. It involves overtime for staffing, equipment and other supplies and related expenses. In a City that sometimes spends money ridiculously, tough choices are going to be made during the upcoming budget season, one of the areas that should not be cut is Public Safety because under Rovella we are finally getting our money's worth. Compare his results to those of the Board of Education and see where we are getting our money's worth.

The results are obvious.Crime is dropping and people "afraid" of Hartford are sure to take notice if HPD handles the message properly. Both our local leaders and our state leaders need to do their part to make sure their investment is properly protected and properly funded. Chief Rovella's vision isn't cheap, but it is working  and the results are showing

Friday, November 23, 2012

HE IS MAKING A LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE



When I moved back to Hartford years ago. one of the first people I met when I started to get involved in the community was the person in the picture above. Dave Carrier and his wife Val had also moved back to Hartford about the same time to purchase a "perfect six" building that was being renovated into a two family, owner occupied home.

Many of you might recognize Dave who is quite often out in the community a various events without the red hat and coat. The white beard is real though and I am sure it turns the heads of many young children year round as they see "Santa Dave" out in public accompanied by his wife Val, no reindeer though , he usually  saves them for one night a year.

If you are organizing a Christmas event, Dave just might be the perfect addition to set the right spirit.

Santa Dave will be visiting all those in attendance at the Maple Avenue NRZ Holiday meet and greet on December 13, 2012, at 7:00PM. The event starts at 6:00PM at St. Augustine's Church and is open to the public, Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the St. Augustine Food Bank or a health care item to be donated to the South Park Inn's homeless shelter.

If you would like to inquire about Santa Dave's services, check out hartfordsanta.com or http://www.facebook.com/SantaDaveCarrier

NOLAN RETURNS MONDAY

 
 
Hartford Fire Department Deputy Chief of Training Dan Nolan, who was wrongfully terminated by a corrupt mayor, will once again be wearing a Hartford Fire department uniform and badge as of Monday. The City of Hartford is under a court order to return Nolan to his previous rank and status as a result of extensive hearings into his wrongful termination.

Nolan was terminated in 2008 by our felonious Mayor at the time Eddie A. Perez, a move that was carried out by former Fire Chief Charles Teale. Evidence testified to under oath at Nolan's hearing portrayed a less than stellar picture of the former Chief, including his own testimony that he took payoffs from a local opthamologist during a period of controversy when Teale was renting out Hartford Fire Department Training Facilities and collecting the payments personally also..

You can read more about that here

Nolan has now also filed a lawsuit against the City of Hartford for his wrongful termination. In a somewhat unusual move, Nolan is also filing personally against retired Chief Teale for his alleged
"malicious actions". It might just be about time that these Department heads that make these sometimes vindictive or malicious decisions  decisions start to feel it in their own checkbooks, not just at the taxpayers expense.

Numerous decisions involving terminations that have been overturned by the Courts might have started out differently if the powers to be knew that heir own homes or bankbooks could be tapped in these lawsuits. How much did Secore, Murtha and now Nolan cost the taxpayers of Hartford in legal fees , only to be reversed by Judges?

To read transcripts and other documents as to how the Nolan case evolved,just type Nolan in the search box above and you will find numerous stories. It is definitely an interesting story as to how the Union played both sides of the fence initially in complaining to former COO Lee Erdman based upon  an "anonymous" complaint from a non-union member recruit and then claiming that they were supportive of "Brother Nolan".

I guess that is what they call Karma, and in the end, good usually wins out over evil.

Welcome Back Chief Nolan.

I will post the full content of the lawsuit and complaint here Monday

CHIEF ROVELLA ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONS

Hartford's Police Chief James Rovella today announced the promotion of two HPD Captains and three Lieutenants to the rank of Deputy Chief. Rovella will be promoting Captains Joseph Buyak and William Long and Lieutenants Neville Brooks, Luis Rodriguez and Emory Hightower to Deputy Chief. The promotions will take place Friday , November 30, 2012 in a ceremony at 2:00PM at City Hall,

Although the assignments for the new Chiefs have not been announced, unofficially sources are telling me that Captain Buyak will be assigned as  Chief of Patrol,Captain  Long will be Chief of Detectives and Support Services, Lieutenant Rodriguez will be Chief of the South Police Services Area(PSA), Lieutenant Hightower will be Chief of the North PSA and Lieutenant Brooks will be assigned as Chief of the new Central PSA which will cover the downtown area. The Central PSA was eliminated under the neighborhood policing plan implemented under former Chief Harnett.

These promotions also mark the first time in several years that minority members of HPD have been promoted into Command Staff positions

Four police officers will also be promoted to the rank of sergeant during the ceremony.