Armed and Hostile

I'm talking about the Connecticut State Police.

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Troopers Tell Of Retaliation
Legislators Urged To Revamp State Police

By TRACY GORDON FOX | Courant Staff Writer
March 5, 2008

Their voices cracking at times, trooper after trooper stepped forward at a legislative hearing Tuesday to testify that they had been victims of blatant retaliation by state police managers against whom they had filed complaints alleging severe misconduct.

The troopers, many of them whistle-blowers in some of the most egregious cases of wrongdoing outlined in a 2006 internal affairs report, asked legislators to help stop the harassment and revamp the state police department.

As a show of support, about 200 troopers — dressed in suits and ties — attended the hearing before the public safety committee in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. It lasted five hours.



Union President Steven Rief harshly criticized the agency for severely punishing road troopers for misdeeds while being lenient with managers.

The committee may decide as early as today whether to create a task force that would address problems within the department.

Even legislators who have attended hearings in recent weeks on racism and harassment within the state police were stunned at some of Tuesday's testimony. Rep. Andrea Stillman, D- Waterford, said she was "flabbergasted," and apologized to some of the troopers who testified.

Among them was Det. Karen Nixon, one of the whistle-blowers who expressed concern about Eugene Baron, a trooper who had been stopped on suspicion of drunken driving four times and let go each time by state police. Baron left the department last year after he was arrested on a drunken-driving charge by Manchester police.

She told legislators that in October 2006, after she filed a complaint with the attorney general's office about the department's failure to deal with Baron's problems, two of her supervisors in Southbury called the state Department of Children and Families to her home after she had a bad reaction to a medication and asked to leave work.

DCF workers later went to her home and asked her 7-year-old son "if mommy ever touched him," Nixon, a 14-year veteran, told legislators. The DCF later determined the case to be unfounded, and Nixon's young children remain with her, according to records.

"When you or your loved ones dial 911, you get us. We are what is public safety. We understand the inherent risk every day," Nixon said. "But at no point should I have to suffer ridicule or public humiliation to me as a mother."

Trooper William Cario testified that he was a whistle-blower in a case of alleged misconduct, after which he was disciplined for failure to properly supervise an accident. He was stripped of his rank as sergeant and was given a 60-day suspension, meaning he would be out of work for 96 calendar days, the longest suspension anyone can remember.

"Health benefits for my family were canceled" because of the lengthy suspension, he said. He fought the case and his suspension has since been overturned; he is awaiting a July 2008 date for arbitration to clear his name.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Tuesday that he was aware of claims of state police retaliation against whistle-blowers, and that their cases are the reason he proposed stronger legislation to protect those who report misconduct within their agencies.

He said he was outraged "at the harassment and retaliation directed at the courageous men and women who cooperated in my investigation." The 2006 internal affairs investigation was conducted by Blumenthal and the New York State Police.

Missing from most of Tuesday's hearing was Public Safety Commissioner John A. Danaher III, who instead went to a press conference with Gov. M. Jodi Rell about traffic safety initiatives on I-95 in the Fairfield area.

Danaher, who became commissioner a year ago, arrived later in the day and spoke to Rief privately.

The union president had asked legislators earlier, "Where is the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety?"

Rief focused his testimony on the discipline of troopers since a new internal affairs policy began more than a year ago, saying that in some cases investigations go on for a year or more.

"There are core issues yet to be resolved that are ripping this department apart," Rief said.

He added that the 200 troopers attended Tuesday "because morale has never been so low."

Reached later by telephone, Danaher said he plans ongoing discussions with the union and legislature about the issues.

Col. Thomas Davoren, commander of the state police, said that managers are being held accountable, and that in 2007 there were nine internal affairs cases involving managers, three times the normal amount.

Danaher said he discussed the Nixon case with Lt. Col. Robert Duffy, who heads the internal affairs unit.

"I confirmed they [the two supervisors involved] are under investigation," he said.

"We have a retaliation policy. If they bring it to our attention, then an investigation will be done," Danaher said.

Danaher said the new internal affairs process has required a long learning curve. He said that investigations must be done more quickly, and that the department needs to look at the level of discipline imposed.

"We are willing to talk to the committee about any proposals they have in mind," Danaher said.

But Rep. Christopher Caruso, D-Bridgeport, said the time for talking may be past.

"We've got to look at this entire agency," he said. "This entire General Assembly and the governor have been unwilling to acknowledge and change a structural defect within the Connecticut state police. We have done basically nothing to change how it operates."

Contact Tracy Gordon Fox at tfox@courant.com.

Copyright © 2008, The Hartford Courant

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My comment posted to the Courant article:

It just isn't Connecticut State Police Officers that have been the victims of harassment, being terrorized, and suffering the effects of blanket retaliation.

I watched as Connecticut State Police Officers went after property investors and small business owners in Stafford Connecticut based on their race or lack of insider connections.

Drug dealers, prostitutes, vandals, thieves, and other criminals receive pay and/or incentives to abuse citizens and even police officers that aren't willing to be team players, no matter the team's real agenda.

Connecticut is under armed occupation. Having police act like a LA street gang, has gone on long enough.

The "police" officers have a team that hacks into computers and is involved in "domestic spying".

Police coming armed to talk to elected officials in numbers, although they have an issue, is a scary proposition.

A 6'5 Homeland Security Officer and plain cloths officer were installed in Seymour and probably other Connecticut schools. Homeland security and police would, use military style interrogations of 13 year old girls asking them their sexual orientation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

Legislators are out to offer police more "homeland" security style powers and less accountability. Police informants can beat up citizens, only the citizen will receive a criminal record, and with new rules in place, police can arrest "target" citizen on sight in public:
http://judicialmisconduct.blogspot.com/2008/0...

Tax dollars are used to pay thugs, Connecticut State Registered Police Confidential Informants:
http://www.youtube.com/watch...
They need not have driver's licenses, insurance, valid, plates, or an inspected vehicle to drive on Connecticut roads with the blessing of State and local police. The "informants" beat and terrorize citizens and even beat cops for cops!

My take with video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

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[click here] for my complaint to the FBI