New Haven Independent

Craig Fraser (at left in picture), director of management services of PERF (Police Executive Research Forum), pitched the experts’ services at a briefing with aldermen in City Hall Thursday. Aldermen appear poised to approve the proposed $130,000, six-month contract when it comes to a vote by unanimous consent on Monday.

“In order to have effective community policing, we need to have the trust of the community,” said Chief Administrative Officer Rob Smuts, arguing for the need for an independent body to examine the department in the wake of the scandal, in which Det. Justen Kasperzyk and top narcotics cop Lt. Billy White were arrested by the FBI.

(Click here to read a potboiler 57-page FBI affidavit about the case against Lt. White and co. For the latest in a series of stories on the scandal, click here).

Fraser outlined the project’s scope.

First step: Gather stakeholder input through a half-dozen small focus groups, of 8-10 people each. In small meetings, the D.C.-based experts will sit down with a range of community members.

Next step: Probe internal affairs and investigative services. Are there early intervention programs that would help steer officers away from a crooked path? Who should run narcotics operations? What’s the culture inside the PD? “Are promotions viewed as fair and equitable?”

An Independent Accountability Team (IAT), which was selected by the mayor on recommendation by numerous agencies, would guide PERF to the focus groups, and make sure the probe (or “assessment,” in PERF talk) meets New Haven-specific needs.

Though the IAT contains no mayoral critics, Fraser said he’d be open to hearing input from all. “One of our recommendations is, if there are some real critics, we’d like to hear from them too,” he said, when asked how the focus groups would be formed.

Not “A Hired Gun”

Hill Alderman Jorge Perez stepped in to ensure the report would be taken seriously, not altered or forgotten. He mentioned a similar independent audit, of the office of Corporation Counsel, where a key recommendation — to fire the department’s head — was erased from an initial draft of the audit.

“When the initial draft is ready, who’s going to have jurisdiction over that?” asked Perez. “We’ve got to learn from the past. I just want to make sure we have a transparent process, because [otherwise] this will be a big waste of money.”

Fraser gave his word: “We don’t change recommendations. If we start doing that, then we’re a hired gun. We don’t want to do that. We’re independent.”

Hill Alderwoman Andrea Jackson-Brooks was concerned that certain departmental changes had already taken place before PERF even arrived. “If we already know how to do it, why are we paying $130,000” for PERF?

Police Chief Cisco Ortiz maintained, “We’ve been very careful about not flipping the place upside down in any way, shape or form.”

East Rock Alderman Ed Mattison said he was “disturbed” by Lt. Billy White’s “insufficiently strategic” approach to narcotics enforcement. White would give out his cell phone number. The idea was “we were supposed to call, and he would go raid whatever place we came up with. We were kind of willing to go along with a way of doing things that, at least retroactively, didn’t appear so swift.” Mattison urged examination of this practice.

Fraser said the department’s approach to narcotics would be examined.

OK, but “How do we prevent [the audit] from just being shelved like all the other reports that have occasionally happened?” asked Mattison.

Fraser said PERF could return for a six-month review, at an additional cost. Alternately, Smuts suggested the IAT could help ensure recommendations are implemented.

What if the audit runs over its budget? Perez wanted to know.

Smuts said his office would oversee the process. “You heard me take personal responsibility.”

Assurances duly noted, one question remained: How do we measure results? asked Fair Haven Heights Alderman Alex Rhodeen.

Citing last year’s violent summer, an increase in shootings, and the cops’ corruption charges, Rhodeen sought a way to measure if PERF’s work has made the city any safer.

“PERF itself can’t control violent crime,” responded Fraser. “That takes active community involvement.” But improving police-community relations would enable the force to better do its job, he argued. Community members won’t come forward and help fight crime if police don’t behave, he said. “They’re going to withdraw and retreat.”

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