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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

ONE YEAR LATER, WHAT HAS CHANGED?



Well, the first year of the Bronin Administration has passed, and it is time to evaluate what has changed. Sadly, I think very little. We still have a city government that is broke and I don't see any plan to restore sustainability. Some of Bronin's attempts have failed miserably. (remember the Senate Bill 464 mess)  

I am not sure if those failures are because of inexperience or attitude, or a combination of both. The "sky is falling" mantra by Bronin worked in the beginning in drawing attention to our problems as a City, but you can only play Chicken Little for so long before it becomes tiring as well as ineffective.

Although Bronin's first move was to slash City jobs through lay-offs, many of those laid off were some of the lowest paid employees, and the ranks of high priced management positions, some of them actually residing  in the Mayor's Office and throughout City Hall, have continued to grow.

Claims of inviting the Union's to the table to be part of the solution seemed as though those invitations got lost in the mail, and aside from a new Fire contract, nothing much else has changed. It doesn't appear as though Hartford has made any moves to restructure cost associated with employee benefits such as moving to HSA's  as the City of New Britain recently did.

Although Bronin did promise hiring of Police and Fire personnel to reduce overtime costs, none of that has happened . The October Police Academy class that was promised has never happened and the January recruit class that was promised isn't even any where near close to happening, and the attrition draws the numbers at HPD lower everyday.

Luckily, even with a thinly stretched Police Department, it is still functioning and Hartford saw one of its best years in lowering Homicide numbers in a few decades. Hartford finished the year with 14 total Homicides for 2016 compared to 31 for 2015. Those reduced numbers though had very little to do with the current Administration and more with the creative efforts of HPD and its leadership under Chief Rovella, although I am confident a press release will be out any day by the Bronin Administration taking credit for reduced crime.

Those efforts still include the results of the Shooting Task Force and the creation of C4 under Rovella's creativity. C4 is the acronym for the Capitol City Crime Center, which has blanketed the City with technology to reduce crime, including cameras, Shot Spotter technology and license plate readers scanning for criminal activity. Imagine what could be accomplished with the additional Police Officers promised by Bronin if he only came through on his promises. The efforts of C4 have been very successful in reducing crime and identifying violent criminals on our streets

The Bronin promise of hiring 45 firefighters also appears to be a pipe dream of broken promises. Although Bronin had held a dog and pony show last fall to proclaim his plans to hire  45 fire recruits, he knew, or should have known at the time of his announcement that his request for the FEMA grant for the hiring had been rejected and no money was available for the 45 new hires.

And just as a thought, can we also push for regional cooperation and tell our neighbors that they are not eligible to apply for our Fire Department if they aren't Hartford residents. That sounds a little hypocritical. Lets find the best candidates we can, no matter where they live, and then make it inviting for them to move into Hartford if they wish

Now I know that Bronin inherited a mess, including the baseball stadium, but after a year of failed or poor decisions, Bronin now owns all those  messes. Where are the solutions? What is the plan besides the "sky is falling"?

Regionalism? Good idea but we need partners to buy in on that. Bronin may actually have the right idea moving in that direction, "as goes Hartford, so goes the region" .  The problem being, I would expect more from an attorney who should know he needs to make his case first. Bronin seems to be going around asking for the Jury's verdict before he even has laid out his case as to why the Jury needs to rule in his favor. It isn't working and the script never changes.

Walk out to the podium , take off the suit jacket roll up the sleeves and start proclaiming "Hartford is broke" . Where is the leadership by example? Build the case that the tough decisions are being made and Hartford is on a path to tightening its belt and becoming financially responsible and we want our suburban neighbors to buy in as equal partners. We haven't done that yet and shoving our MDC responsibilities down the throats of our suburban neighbors isn't going to help.

The cutting needs to continue in every corner of City Hall and nothing should be off limits, if that means bankruptcy to get at Union contracts and benefits , then do it, and shut up. Stop leaving our employees in a state of suspended animation as they await their future. They will get out of here at the first chance they have if they are kept in the dark and we can't afford to lose any more good employees.

I personally don't think bankruptcy is the solution as business as usual  remains the same at City Hall and it would take us years to recover from a bankruptcy filing. I think we now have half the members of the Hartford County Bar collecting paychecks from their jobs at City Hall and I have to ask if that is money well spent?

We all know the State of Connecticut is probably in worse shape than Hartford, and we can't count on any financial help from the Capitol. We also know that City hall didn't campaign for our next President, so that might be a tough sell to get Washington to open their wallet for us. ( Elections have consequences)

We elected a Mayor to bring leadership to City Hall during what we knew were going to be difficult times, now it is your time to come through with a plan and some workable solutions and put aside the Chicken Little act, it is wearing thin.

Friday, December 16, 2016

FROM HPD: WIFE TRIES TO SHOOT HUSBAND DURING DOMESTIC INCIDENT

On December 15, 2016, at 6:36pm Hartford Police Department patrol officers responded to the area of Wethersfield Avenue at Elliot Street in response to a citizen report of a shooting incident. The citizen caller reported the incident
involved her daughter who had attempted to shoot her husband during an altercation. HPD Patrol
 officers responded to the incident location and located the victim (31yo male from Htfd)
 outside the Premium Grocery at 347 Wethersfield Avenue.  The victim stated that he had been
 approached by his estranged wife, Madeline Mercado, while outside the Premium Grocery while he
 was operating his Nissan Maxima. He told officers that she had approached him in his vehicle
 and began banging on the front passenger window with a firearm while he was parked outside the
 grocery. She then pointed the firearm at him and while in close proximity, shot at him once. He
 reported that she then fled the incident location on foot towards 25 Elliot Street. The listed 
vehicle was located on scene and observed to have a broken window, and a hole in the front
 passenger side door consistent with that of a gunshot. The victim was found to have suffered 
no injuries as a result of the incident and declined medical attention. The projectile appeared 
to have lodged within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and the vehicle was seized as 
evidence.

Detectives from the Hartford Shooting Task Force responded to the location to assist patrol
 officers in the ongoing investigation. Madeline Mercado was located at 25 Elliot Street and 
agreed to provide a statement to the investigators in relation to the incident. She claimed 
she had been involved in an altercation with her estranged husband at the location and was 
forced to discharge her firearm at him in self defense. Madeline Mercado was found to hold a
 valid CT pistol permit and freely turned over her registered firearm that was used during 
the incident, a Ruger LC9 9mm firearm containing five live 9mm rounds.

Both were then transported to HPD to conduct interviews with the STF Detectives in regards to 
the incident. In the course of the Detective's investigation, video surveillance footage was
 located by analysts in the HPD Crime Center. The video was not consistent with the details
 provided by Ms. Mercado. As a result of a thorough review of all recovered evidence and the 
interviews, HPD officers developed probable cause to charge Madeline Mercado in connection to
 the shooting.

Madeline Mercado was transported to HPD booking for processing procedures and charged with 
Criminal Attempt Assault 1st Degree, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm, Reckless Endangerment
1st Degree, Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree, and Breach of Peace 2nd Degree.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

ARE WE SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING GUNS OFF OUR STREETS?

It is going to take more than just parading victims of gun crime at political events to curb the gun violence in our cities. It is going to take creative efforts and a real commitment to ending gun violence.

Locally, one of the most creative efforts to combat gun violence was created by our own Chief of Police while he was still an inspector with the Connecticut Chief States Attorney's Office. James Rovella gave birth to Hartford's Shooting Task Force when he was directed to "do something" about the gun violence in Hartford.

The results have been phenomenal , even though STF is a shadow of what it once was when Rovella put his initial team together. The original team was a great, and very effective, combination of local, State and Federal authorities working together in a unique partnership that produced very solid results. The reputation of "STF" quickly grew and people carrying illegal guns on our streets felt the results. Very few people, both criminals and law abiding Citizens alike, didn't recognize the initials "STF" and what they were doing on our streets.

A main part of that success is not only the law enforcement aspect, but the court system follow through and sending penalties that show we are serious about illegal guns and shootings on Hartford's streets Unfortunately that message from our State courts is not as strong as it used to be. Budget cuts are hurting everyone and that may be p[art of the reason, but it also seems as though there is a reluctance on the part of the States Attorney and the court to relinquish control of some of these cases to the Federal level for more severe attention.

Sources from both the State and Federal level familiar with the two Court systems have described a type of "turf war". Federal prosecutors are apparently more than willing to take on gun prosecutions that meet their thresholds, but the State courts are unwilling to make that transition or allow the cases to move forward federally. I am told that criminals are more fearful of the Federal system than they are of the State prosecutions with the main reason being the sentences. Apparently a person convicted under Federal law is required to serve 80% of their sentence, no deals , no second chances.

I tend to agree with that, since many of the people winding their way through our State courts seem to be frequent flyers with numerous felony arrests. If we are going to be serious about ridding our streets of illegal guns, more creative partnerships need to be created. A good start to that would be calling upon our Federal Government  to be real partners, not just talking heads at election time. The FBI, ATF, DEA, Homeland Security, US Marshall's. Hell, any Federal agency with powers of arrest that carry a badge and a gun should be part of a reconstituted STF.


We know most municipalities are stretched pretty thin with staffing and the State law enforcement is going to get worse before it gets better. But we don't want to get caught sending the message to criminals that their chances of getting caught are less likely, they need to know their odds of getting caught are better than ever.

Beefing up the Federal involvement would also serve another purpose. Federal agents making the arrests would enable the cases to go Federally right from the start. No turf wars, no jurisdictional bickering.  Federal prosecutions and Federal jail time right from the start. I'm pretty sure that is a message that would be taken seriously by our local criminals who have gotten used to terrorizing our neighborhoods with a slap on the wrist. I am pretty sure that local officers  could be "cross sworn" as Federal agents also allowing them to make Federal arrests

It would probably also serve the purpose of identifying the pipelines used for getting these guns on our streets with Federal agencies cooperating in the investigations and sharing information

It might be a novel idea, but it is also the creativity and "thinking outside the box" we need if we are going to be serious about gun violence

WILL WE EVER GET THE TRUTH ON THE STADIUM DEAL

Forgive me for being skeptical, but I have a hard time trusting the word of the Hartford Stadium Authority's Chairman I. Charles Matthews or Mayor Luke Bronin when it comes to the truth behind the stadium project.

I don't think Chairman Matthews or any of the Stadium Authority members has been accurate on any of their time lines or projections from the start.

I am even more skeptical as I read the proposed minutes to be approved at today's Stadium Authority meeting. I question the motivation behind the change of contractors and the necessity of calling the bond. I also question the need to bring in another consultant to oversee the project. I'm sure we could figure out some sort of joke to go with this project, " how many consultant's does it take to oversee completion of a minor league baseball park?" 

Attached are the meeting documents for the meeting scheduled for today, except that meeting was abruptly cancelled .

As I said before, I have a hard time believing anything Matthew's or Bronin say when it comes to the stadium. Read the meeting minutes that were up for approval from meetings right before Centerplan was kicked off the project. Matthews is quoted as saying Mr. Rudnick of Centerplan provided a tour of the facility for him and others and Matthews said "that was impressive" . Mayor Bronin is also quoted as saying "Centerplan had made very good progress over the past few weeks".

These are statements from the HSA's own documents not from another media source or and outsider. So what brought about the hissy fit that resulted in Centrplan's abrupt removal from the project? Was Mayor Bronin offended by something?

Mr. Greene, the owners representative also stated that , he believed, that substantial completion for the May 17th date "was achievable"

Were all of the additional legal fees and additional costs really necessary. How much has been spent on attorneys for this mess and where is the money coming from in a City that is claiming it is broke.Where was the money found to hire another consultant to oversee the project, Cashin, Spinnelli Ferretti. More importantly where is the $3 million dollars plus to pay the recent eminent domain judgement coming from?

What is the plan? And one final question, since today, December 13th was the reported final day for the Solomon's to be able to pull out, did they and was that maybe the reason the HSA meeting for today was cancelled?


Saturday, December 10, 2016

I'LL PROUDLY ADMIT IT, SEAN SPELL IS A FRIEND OF MINE

It is funny how things work out. Several years ago,,I was upset by the actions of an HPD Sergeant. I eventually complained to Chief Roberts about that Sergeants actions and eventually that Sergeant was moved out of his position back in Patrol. I am not sure if the transfer was made to shut me up, but none the less the move was made. That Sergeant was Sean Spell.

Luckily since that time, I'll admit I have matured and broadened my vision, so not everything is clearly defined in black and white to me now. Another good friend of mine intervened a few years ago and asked me to trust him when he told me what a great cop Sean Spell was. He also asked me to trust his judgment and could he make an introduction for me and Spell to get together to clear the air and maybe understand each other a little better.

I reluctantly agreed, but I figured myself and Spell had the same desires for Hartford, just maybe a little bit different way of getting there. I was set in my ways of strictly interpreting policy and procedures and there was no gray are  or ambiguity.  We met, we talked liked civilized adults do, and we both came away with a better understanding of each other.

I gave Spell a clean slate as far as I was concerned and we started talking. Eventually James Rovella came in from the States Attorney's Office when violent crime was out of control in Hartford with this crazy idea of something called the Shooting Task Force. Rovella, who eventually  became Hartford's Chief, has an unusual knack for seeing things in people that not everyone else may readily see.

Rovella assembled a team for the Shooting Task Force, all handpicked by him to get the job done. That team included  ,now retired, Lieutenant Lance Sigersmith and Sean Spell at the helm. That team they built seemed at many time as though they would follow Rovella, Sigersmith and Spell off a cliff if that was what the mission required. They produced some phenomenal results over the next few years , taking a huge number of guns and violent felons of Hartford's Streets.

Sean Spell played a huge role in that success. Some days it would seem like he was her constantly, and that overtime made him one of the highest earners in the Police Department. His earnings didn't sit well with everyone and created some tension between him and other officers, but I can honestly say that the money was probably the best single investment Hartford could make to reduce crime

Any hour of the day or night, if there was a gun call or any violent crime happening anywhere in the City it seems as though it would only be a matter of seconds  before you would hear Sergeant Spell chime in on the radio "570 , I'll be responding". And many times it was 570 , Spells radio designation that would be proclaiming the situation under control ,another suspect in custody, mote guns taken off Hartford's streets.

After becoming friends with Spell  and following the efforts of STF, I had a better understanding  of the lack of black and white , clearly defined  clarity we all hoped would exist. Criminals operate in a grey area, and it is officers like Spell who could also operate in that grey area while still staying in bounds and not crossing into foul territory.

Some of you are probably screaming at your monitors now that "Spell did cross into foul territory". I disagree. I was with a Hartford Police Officer that night  during the entire time that the Flatbush Avenue incident  was unfolding. It moved quickly and it was chaotic The radio traffic was moving rapidly and 570 was there during all of it.

I spoke to Spell a couple days after the incident and he gave me his version, the same version that is being recounted to this day. He explained arriving at the scene and seeing an HPD Officer with a large amount of blood on his uniform shirt,. The officer explained to Spell that one of the suspects injured in the crash was bleeding heavily from a head wound and was spitting blood.

Apparently, even though the suspect had already been handcuffed, Sgt. Spell approached him and some words were exchanged. Spell readily admitted to me he looked at the suspect and said "you better not have F***ing  AIDS". The suspect moved to spit at Spell and he used his foot to push the  suspects head away to avoid his attack. Was it an assault or a logical move to protect himself from potentially hazardous contamination?

Let me pose a hypothetical question that might be easier to understand for many. You are out for a walk and a loose pitbull charges you. Do you stand there and take the bite and a potential mauling or would you use whatever is available to defend yourself. You raise your foot and attempt to push the dog away before he bites. Are you now guilty of animal abuse for assaulting the dog, or did you do what was necessary to defend yourself reasonably? Just something to think about.

Sean Spell was able to operate in that gray area I mentioned earlier. If I ever felt that he was crossing the line, I would have been one of the first people to say "Sean , you screwed up". Being able to navigate in that gray area is what made Sean Spell a good cop. No, actually let me say a great cop, and we will never know fully the violent crime his efforts interrupted on our behalf.

Thank you Sergeant Spell, I for one appreciate your efforts and will stand by your side as you clear your name and redeem your reputation as a great cop like so many others at HPD that serve us day in and day out