New Haven Independent

Posted by: SWHAT | March 22, 2007 10:35 PM

Simplistic mixed message #3:

Let's make a distinction, shall we Mr. Bass? PERF is a national organization with experience in assessing dysfunctional police departments (slightly specialized work)...NAACP?? Hmmn. Also is a youth initiative so specialized that we want to limit the possibiliites to the NAACP. Don't you want an open competitive process to to see what successful youth programs are available.

As to PERF, the concern should be that this is a knee jerk reaction and that a report will likely be shelved. Not the best way to spend 13Ok!

Jesus.. every time DeStefano gives a quote, he better have the city ordinance in hand so as to prevent a cluster fuck of cynical articles from the independent.

Posted by: Cait Sith | March 22, 2007 11:11 PM

Aww, poor Johnnie. His plans for the state's biggest police force aren't looking so good right now, huh? Maybe since the recent drive to hire 40 cops fell short because JD & Cisco didn't think that instead of more cops, we should have better cops. But don't despair New Haven, we still have the largest Housing Authority in the state and we all know how good Jimmy Miller is running THAT horror show!
We deserve better New Haven! Demand it!

Posted by: Joe | March 23, 2007 5:39 AM

Hey Swhat, the Independent publishes the most in-depth and honest stories. Perhaps you've become too vanilla-ized by the corporate media to know that what the Independent does is what newspapers are supposed to do.

Posted by: Martin | March 23, 2007 9:29 AM

Isn't the Independent supposed to be objective - or is that only the case until there's a topic Paul feels strongly about? I want fair articles, not editorial diatribes, from the Independent.

Posted by: Joe Jolly | March 23, 2007 10:21 AM

Paul: It's subjectively written articles like this that make people stop logging in to read the Independent. If the Independent is to remain at all viable, it's time for it to grow up a little. My suggestion: 1) make a real commitment to objective reporting, 2) if you feel like the news of the day is SO frustrating (like you apparently do today) then write a normal objective article, and follow it up with a companion opinion piece (or if you deem the opinion piece to be critical, then write it first, but be sure to call it "opinion"), 3) seriously rethink your headlines - one of the most deceptive and poorly written aspects of the NH Register is the headlines... but in the last week you've fallen below even Register standards (this one today belongs in the NY Post, at best), 4) don't sensationalize! - that's not what makes this paper work... instead, for me at least, the beauty of the Independent is quality writing on local issues and events, presented in an interesting, but reasonable way. You then have this posting option which allows US to sensationalize, not you.

Anyway, the bottom line: if you really want to be an opinion writer, go get your old job back. Otherwise, stick with what you created, and stick to strong principles in making it work.

Posted by: Yair | March 23, 2007 10:36 AM

The "objectivity" of journalists has always been something of a convenient fiction. Newspapers do and should have a point of view. However, even so I think this article does cross the line from reporting to editorial. I also don't agree with Paul's criticism of the mayor, which seems unfair.

The NAACP guys are just jerks. Last time I heard of Scott Esdaile he was trying to drum up some race-baiting coverage out of a completely reasonable Yale security memo warning people of a recent mugging by young men on bicycles. Esdaile said it was racist because the youths were black. The memo did not mention race. It's just phenomenally irresponsible of him. This new story indicates that he is indeed just an opportunist.

Destefano is investigating his police department, he is doing it in an open way. Why the criticism now? Let's see what the investigation reveals. You can't let the guy win: if he doesn't investigate will you say there's a coverup? If he does investigate you start to harp about the bidding process. (The bidding process may be an issue but it's a DIFFERENT issue, and a MINOR issue, but the way this story is getting covered it is somehow being used to tar DeStefano as responsible for all the corruption.)

The continued repetition of Esdaile's charges against the mayor dignifies a dishonest and self-aggrandizing tactic and does a disservice to the debate over the important question of what to do about police corruption.

Posted by: Paul Bass | March 23, 2007 11:03 AM

Thanks for the posts! I think this raises a great discussion about "objectivity," one with two legitimate sides.

I don't think objectivity exists. When people say a story is not "objective," it means they don't agree with the thrust. All reporters (at least those with a brain) have opinions; the trick I think is to be fair and balance (to borrow a phrase Fox says but doesn't mean), not to pretend that if a raindrop hits you on the head, you won't say it's raining unless a government official says it's raining. Pro-DeStefano people who feel this wasn't "objective" never complained when this site noted that Gov. Rell ducked a question at the gubernatorial debates, for instance.

Some people clearly feel I wasn't fair here. I appreciate that. This story definitely took a stronger analytical approach than most of our stories. I felt there was a strong point to drive home about the mayor not taking responsibility, and he has a pattern of not taking responsibility under criticism.

I can promise you that the Independent is dedicated to including all points of view in our stories -- all people have a forum here, not just in the comments section (which you may have noticed don't always line up with our own take on things!) but in the news stories. This is the community's web site, and I'm so pleased that so many different parts of the community have been making use of it. We consider our opinions far less important than the community's opinions, and far less important than the facts.

As for "Scot X's charges" -- they're not Scot X's charges. Many, many people, including cops within the department, feel the mayor erred by interceding when Billy White was going to be transferred, that the mayor was trying to keep things cool in New Haven in order to keep his support intact and the statewide headlines calm out of New Haven while he ran for governor. There certainly was a pattern: holding off on controversial immigration policies, holding off on shuffling top City Hall jobs, etc. until right after the election. People throughout New Haven (except for people who got appointments or jobs or other support from the mayor) felt the city was put on hold for two years so he could run for governor, and the city paid the price.

As for SWHAT's remarks about competitive bidding: Yes, I agree the NAACP should not have gotten a no-bid contract. Unlike SWHAT, I also feel the same should have applied with PERF. I don't feel that just because white people hold top leadership positions in an organization, they therefore should automatically get contracts without bids, that they are the best qualified people for the job.

As for "growing up," I reject the idea that turning off your brain and sucking up to power constitutes "grown-up" journalism.

Keep the critiques coming! Paul

Posted by: SWHAT | March 23, 2007 4:12 PM

I don't think the fact that PERF is lead by a bunch of white people has anything to do with the price of tea in china... but nice point, I am sure black folks will be glad a white guy is sticking for them. Oh and by the way the fact that they are a nationally recognized organization involved in this kind of work means nothing.

That aside, how you take the mayor's action with PERF to support Scott X argument that he shouldn't bid is very irresponsible of you, especially when the children of New Haven demand so much more.

Posted by: SWHAT | March 23, 2007 4:25 PM

To Joe 1,

Haven't become too vanilla-ized. The register has nothing on PBass when it comes to local news.

However, this piece was crap....and you see, I hold PBass to a much higher standard.

Posted by: pinkbicycle | March 23, 2007 4:28 PM

The whole problem I have with this mess, is everyone comes out with "There has always been a problem" Well if that is true, why hasn't there always been a complaint and if there were complaints why wasn't these complaints been made public. Billy White fucked up and perhaps others on the NHPD fucked up too, but at the end of the day, I don't beleive most people think the entire NHPD force is corrupt. I think a little corruption isn't necessarily a bad thing, nor is bending the rules, or blurring the lines. The drug game is as a dangerous game and you better beleive the criminals are not interested in playing by the rules. Billy White got some results and we all benefited from the ill-gotten results. We are all duplicitious in his crime. We are all his partmers and co-conspiritors. We want crime to be held at bay, but we don't want the gory details. Fighting crime ain't like playing nice on the playground. It is gritty and ugly and sometimes you break the rules and we don't mind rule breaking as long as it doesn't come back to haunt us. This Billy White [stuff] is a smack in the face, but it is one we ALL DESERVE! I am tired of this whole race spin. The bottom line for all you folks like Barbara Fair, Scott X, Mike Jefferson and Roger Vann, you and so many like you fail kids everyday. So you talk shit, but you pick and choose when to speak up and get involved. The war is just beginning.

Posted by: vblaisdell | March 23, 2007 11:58 PM

I'm sorry, Paul. I don't think this is a great discussion. Any time folks are screaming "shut the fuck up" it's not a discussion. I like it better when commenters have something new or particular to add to what's been said already--and I suspect some of the earlier screamers in this thread could contribute on that level if they could just tamp down their testosterone a tad. Like Pinkbicycle. It's true that Billy White got some results--short term--and that a lot of people were happy with the results but didn't want to know the details of how the sausage was made. But long term, he and his methods didn't do anything to deal with the real problem that the local drug trade is a symptom of: poverty. And nobody wanted him to--not the mayor or the aldermen or the so-called "community leaders" or the police department or the state cops. None of them see the drug trade as a symptom, and therefore they don't look for a cause--and therefore they don't know what to fight.

We Americans (because we watch too many westerns?) love swagger and authoritarianism and are unfortuntely all too happy to let some fascist cowboy run everything as long as our own little corner is protected.

That's not going to cut it any more. We can't toss our societal failures off onto the likes of Billy White to solve. We need some real civic leadership to figure this out and brains and energy and money committed to fixing it.

A wise police chief once said to me that drugs were only defined as a problem when police could spot their use on the street. Since pot and coke abuse in Woodbridge and Guilford and in the Yale colleges happens out of sight, it falls under the enforcement radar--not a problem. When poor people do it, it's war.

Posted by: Ralph Rechtenberg | March 24, 2007 9:18 AM

Of course, there's such a thing as objectivity. It requires a writer who, aware of his own assumptions and opinion, endeavors to present to the reader facts and opinions even when they contradict his own.

An "everything is subjective" argument is facile and convenient. It allows anybody to justify anything as the truth.

Posted by: Edward_H | March 24, 2007 9:46 AM

I am no fan of Johnny D. but give the man a break. He is trying to address the problems in the NHPD and people want to harp on him for not bidding the contract out? I guarantee if he did put this contract out to bid people would cry about the process taking too long and things needing to be done "now".
Pinkbicycle
I think you hit the nail on the head. Great post!

Posted by: I'v been there | March 24, 2007 12:55 PM

So many places to post comments I am just going to stick it in here....
I am going to keep this very vague because I do not want any recourse from this. I am a white person in New Haven. Unfortunately if I put the details they will know who I am but I had officers violate my rights at a grand scale. I called the police dept right after it happened and they said that it was not in there files that any officers were at the place I had indicated. They refused to send an officer to my residents. Hmm there were 5 officers involved! And a child with a black eye and bruises on their chest! Ok the next step was to call a city official that I trusted and that person listened and called one of the officers that was involved who denied what I had said had happened. The child involved was 16 and his mother was to afraid to take it any further just as I was. The officers came to the screen and changed there story several times first indicating the youth was talking back to the officers then it changed to there were empty pot bags on the ground. I can believe the youth was talking back, because they were telling the youth that they did not belong there but they really did and the kid was not lying so being a young person was not understanding why they did not believe them. But the officers proceeded to rough him up pretty bad. I unfortunately can not tell how my rights were violated because they will know who I am and I am truly afraid for me and my family. But when this story broke the only thing that went through my head was karma! I hope that officers take the advice of the Chief and step up and make the officers that are doing wrong in this city stop. Even if it is a behind closed doors thing. They just need to stop.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | March 24, 2007 1:13 PM

Ok I am putting my 2 cents in here. When I sit and watch the news and read the paper I find it to be lacking in info. I call it the fluff news! Just enough for us to know what is happening but not enough for us to know the full extent of it. And then I come here to the indepenent and low and behold it is not a fluff piece and there is alot more info than anyone else is putting out. It is the real news of New Haven it is news about communities and things in the city that affect all of us.

Being an active person in this city I find that this on-line news site allows us to make better chooses for our communities. It allows us to see what is happening in other areas of the city, weather it be neiborhoods or townhall or the police department. It has educated alot of us to be better members of this city. It has allowed us to share our thoughts and read the thoughts of others.

I have read comments that have made me see things in a different ways. A way that with out this on-line news site I would never of had the opportunity to be a part of.

I have watched comments that have shocked me pop up and that I have not agreed with but found that is the beauty of what paul bass has set up here. Everyone is allowed there opinon. And everyone is being allowed to view other peoples insite into things.

Well with that said I would like to stand up and clap my hands and scream BRAVO to Paul for this site that I think is making a difference in this city and is bringing it together!!

THANK YOU PAUL!!! and everyone else that has written stories here and to all of the people that post comments here!!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | March 24, 2007 5:28 PM

Oh and pinkbicycle I am sure there were some complaints that should of been made that were not, but would you not be afraid to put a complaint against the police I sure as heck would be. But I have to agree with a lot of what you said above.
Billy White has put a lot of really bad people in jail and I agree that the rules need to be bent at times because if cops followed the law to the letter there would be a lot more of the bad guys on the streets than in the jails right now. But.... were is the line, how much is to far. Is an "I am sorry" enough to justify what some officers have found to be ok bending.

We can't have it both ways. It is a bad situation all-around. I do not want cops out there that are to afraid to do what they need to stop crime because some group or lawyer will come after him if they do. But then again I do not want to give them the ok to bend the rules because then there are innocent people that may be subject to that and be harmed unjustly.

I do agree it has to rest on the communities shoulders at some point. The city is not our babysitters. I was talking to a friend of mine an older black women from the south who fought for rights in the 60's about what is wrong with people these days, what is different?

We use to be communities!!! Were are your neighbors now a days? People look the other way! Why!!! If we can understand why people do not want to be involved any more maybe we can change the crime in the city. If people can be re-educated that is ok to care about what is happening around you maybe things can change. Enough of that it is not my business attitude!! It is your business if it is happening where you live

It Takes a Village!!!

Posted by: Gary Holder-Winfield | March 24, 2007 5:32 PM

Edward_H:
Whatever you think about Paul's reportng here, whatever you think about the reaction the mayor might receive because sending the contract out to bid would be "slow" you cannot deny that stating just a week ago that all contracts over 10k had to be bid on and turning around and doing this don't gel.
And, if Destefano stated that it is required by city law then it becomes obvious that he is aware of this

law

. Does that mean that hen he sees fit (because the group receiving the contract has a good reputation) he can flout a law he admits he knows exists?

Posted by: JSmith | March 24, 2007 11:49 PM

Anybody who knows Chief Ortiz knows he is an honest cop and he is by the book. He wanted to get rid of Billy White becuase, at the least he suspected, or at best he knew about his activities but couldn't prove anything. Regardless, when he became chief he moved to get rid of White and DeStefano intervened. He didn't intervene to save Billy White -- he had no reason to. He intervened to protect himself and his image since he was preparing to run for governor. DeStefano only acts in self-interest. Ortiz is taking the party line becuase -- in his position -- he can't come out and say "the Mayor overruled me and made me keep BIlly White".

Posted by: Edward_H | March 25, 2007 10:18 AM

Gary Holder-Winfield

Obviously from reading the various posts by concerned citizens on the current police scandal many residents consider this a problem that needs to be dealt with immediately ,decisively and effectively. Posters on this website claim this behavior has been complained about in the past and little or nothing has been done. Are these citizens supposed to wait throughout a lengthy bidding process as well? How much longer would you like these people to wait? I think poster YAIR put it best when describing the bidding process issue as a minor one. What if New Haven were the target of a major natural disaster or terrorist attack and needed to secure the services of private contractors to help assist with recovery efforts? Would people wring their hands and wag their fingers at the Mayor for not bidding these contracts out as well? I am not claiming the current situation is on the scale of 9-11 but many people in New Haven are angry, hurt and want to hear that something is being done by the leadership of this city. I am no fan or supporter of Boss Johnny. I am thoroughly convinced he is doing this for no other reason than to make himself look good. When election time rolls around which scenario is more likely to raise the most voter ire:

(A) Not putting the PERF contract out to bid
(B) Not reacting quickly enough to a police scandal being investigated by the FBI

I am not saying the mayor should be able to flout the law when he so chooses. But the man is stuck between a rock and a hard place, cut him some slack.

Posted by: pinkbicycle | March 25, 2007 4:11 PM

VBaisdell, this site ain't church. And testosterone is a bit male bashing. This is a discussion and it warrants people using the language in which they are most comfortable with in getting their point across. Get over yourself and join in the discussion without all the highbrow bullshit. And Cedarhillresident, you are quite right we can't have it both ways...hence this scandal. Clearly he went too far, and it jars us back to thinking about the drug trade, the players on both sides. For the next couple of weeks we will be focused on this and great minds will think of things(programs & protocols) to prevent this from ever happening again. And you know what, the media will shepard us to the next sexy peice of entertainment and this will all be but a distant memory. Because to do anything else would require a great deal of time, money and more time. And who among us has time to spend on anything that doesn't affect us directly. Sure we all will chant the virtues of democracy and transparency and good government, but really who among us is willing to really get out there and hang with a cause until it kills us. Very few. So unless the self-righteous is willing to run for office, teach in school, run an after-school program, talk to cops then we all just have to settle for the humans to fight our fights and raise the flag.

Posted by: From the hood | March 26, 2007 1:47 AM

Evidence, Evidence, Evidence!!! Anybody can say anything they want about another person (and maybe get sued) but when it comes to these serious accusations thrown at the mayor and ortiz we want hard-ass evidence.

P.S. What about Wearing? I guess we can he must have known something too...Any Evidence?

Posted by: Phil from New Haven | March 26, 2007 4:46 AM

Heres the source of the cities Crime.. POOR EDUCATION. Nip it in the bud by educating the youth to grow into successful adults and your crime problems will be over. You can do whatever you want to the police force, but the criminals will continue to breed. The moneys going to the wrong place. DO NOT give it to the police station.. give it to the Schools! With an educated community you dont need police, crime will come down on its own, the tax rates will be able to come down, real estate will go up, businesses will be more successful, people will create wealth, the streets will be cleaner, people will be happier. Until the city gets someone with 1/2 a brain in office .. your going no where FAST.

Posted by: Phil in New Haven | March 26, 2007 4:51 AM

Not to double post, but .. Look at the lowest crime cities .. what do they have in common? Great school systems. Look at the highest crime cities .. what do they have in common? Poor school systems. Education could flip an entire city upside down .. its a shame no one can see past the 'cheap fix'.

Posted by: Jeff Klaus | March 26, 2007 10:52 AM

Phil, Agreed. While there are extremely few cities of New Haven's size and demographics that actually have good public school systems, you're right, education is THE answer. BUT...pumping more money into a public education system that has absolutely no track record of success makes no sense.

New Haven spends about $13,000 per child per year, not including facility dollars. Until New Haven's leadership shows the courage and determination to invest in successful (albeit politically tricky) reform initiatives, there will not be a good education system worthy of additional invesment. Lack of money is not the problem for New Haven public schools.

If you are interested in seeing the kind of bold plan that actually CAN improve urban schools, look no further than what Hartford will be doing under superintendant Steve Adamowski.

Currently, Hartford produces even worse results for it's kids than New Haven. But if Mayor Perez and Supt. Adamowski stay at the helm for the forseeable future, my prediction is that Hartford will make some real solid gains for it's children and start to close the achievement gap.

Posted by: bjfair | April 2, 2007 8:19 PM

Hello pinkbicycle: Missed me? I didn't know you cared.Sorry you can't blame this coruption on myself, Roger Vann, Michael Jefferson or Scot X but you can try. Stop hiding behind "pink bicycle" and have the guts to have a real dialogue with me or any one of us whom you obviously harbor ill feelings. None of us caused White and others to become greedy criminals and neither of us attempted to shield his (and others) corruption by pretending we didn't know what was going on. It's easy to dismiss and turn a blind eye to corrupt cops when you're not the one being victimized by it. The status quo always wants to minimize white collar criminal behavior.