New Haven Independent

posted by: Bill on December 19, 2011  2:30pm

If someone makes a stand against ILLEGAL immigration they are branded bigots and police are accused of discrimination. The inmates are running the asylum.

posted by: Noteworthy on December 19, 2011  2:37pm

This is an astounding development and a clear indictment of both officers and police brass. It also indicts Maturo’s judgment in puttin Gallo back at the helm of a department that he clearly lead down this path. The real question is whether Maturo read the file or whether he just did that good ol’ boy thing which is so digusting in our politics today.

In any case - I wouldn’t count on East Haven doing anything voluntarily. Those that tried to thwart the investigation should be indicted and jailed.

posted by: Peter on December 19, 2011  4:28pm

Kudos to father Jim and the Yale law school attorneys for helping stop this police corruption in East Haven. One of the officers in the video , Dennis Spaulding, was already suspended for hassassing workers at Town Fair Tire. Hopefully others will get what is due…

posted by: brutus2011 on December 19, 2011  4:55pm

I am not at all surprised.

I am aware from conversations that our Latino brethren have been subject to a “judge-a-book-by-its-cover” mentality that inhibits social justice and just plain sanity.

I hope that all citizens will work together and start by looking-in-the-mirror-first for real solutions.

posted by: Ali on December 19, 2011  4:58pm

New Haven has welcomed immigrants with the option of obtaining ID cards and issuing a police order prohibiting cops from asking about people’s immigration status in most cases. East Haven police—according to critics and now according to the feds—have systematically sought to make immigrants, and all Latinos, as uncomfortable as possible living, driving, and working in their town.
——————————
In other words, New Haven is violating FEDERAL law by providing sanctuary to illegal aliens.  Yet, the DOJ isn’t interested in that or in enforcing federal immigration laws.

posted by: Threefifths on December 19, 2011  5:12pm

This happens to Black youth all the time.

Why Is the N.Y.P.D. After Me?By NICHOLAS K. PEART
Published: December 17, 2011

WHEN I was 14, my mother told me not to panic if a police officer stopped me. And she cautioned me to carry ID and never run away from the police or I could be shot. In the nine years since my mother gave me this advice, I have had numerous occasions to consider her wisdom. Nicholas K. Peart, 23, has been stopped and frisked by New York City police officers at least five times.
I was celebrating my 18th birthday with my cousin and a friend. We were staying at my sister’s house on 96th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan and decided to walk to a nearby place and get some burgers. It was closed so we sat on benches in the median strip that runs down the middle of Broadway. We were talking, watching the night go by, enjoying the evening when suddenly, and out of nowhere, squad cars surrounded us. A policeman yelled from the window, “Get on the ground!”

I was stunned. And I was scared. Then I was on the ground — with a gun pointed at me. I couldn’t see what was happening but I could feel a policeman’s hand reach into my pocket and remove my wallet. Apparently he looked through and found the ID I kept there. “Happy Birthday,” he said sarcastically. The officers questioned my cousin and friend, asked what they were doing in town, and then said goodnight and left us on the sidewalk.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/opinion/sunday/young-black-and-frisked-by-the-nypd.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

posted by: Morris Cove Islander on December 19, 2011  6:49pm

Luckily I live in New Haven (despite OR because DeStefano’s foolish voting rights proposal).

A little more than half of the voting citizens in East Haven supports ethnic & racial profiling! It gives me the chills (I rather do this post anonymous - I like the pizza there and do not want to be bothered by the police when driving through town).

posted by: Ellis Copeland on December 19, 2011  8:11pm

The “officers” involved should now be fired and sent to prison for a good long time and East Haven should be sued into oblivion.

posted by: lance on December 19, 2011  9:08pm

Pastore and limon should be happy, they’ve just been leapfrogged as the worst chief ever.

posted by: Insider98 on December 19, 2011  9:13pm

all this means is good bye to the great land of America,...if you play by the rules,..you have nothing to worry about or fear,....and yet if you don’t play by the rules (laws),...just come to over to this nation with your hand out,..not work,...pay taxes,...heck don’t even bother learning English,..and you to can live the American dream….i guess we should remind father manship that selling license plates is crime,...or does he get special privileges because he is man of faith,..or because he would rather cater to illegal immigrants vs American born citizens,......i would love to see what happens to me if i let my registration/license and insurance expire after being stopped by the police,....can i sue for racial profiling then????  lmao,....this great country is sinking and sinking fast…..what a shame…!!!

posted by: Goatville mom on December 19, 2011  9:14pm

@Bill, no, they were not accused of discrimination, they were found by the DOJ to have discriminated. And who said anything about “illegals”? Are you assuming that all Latinos (that is what we are talking about here, Latinos) are illegals? Maybe that’s exactly what EHPD did and therefore the DOJ finding.
@Ali, the DOJ doesn’t enforce federal immigration laws, CIS does.

posted by: Ben on December 19, 2011  10:01pm

This is a great win for the region. Its sad that it took so long for this to happen. Does anybody remember the “Boys on the Hood” baseball t-shirts or the confederate flags that were flown after Malik was killed?  The town is rampant with racism and its time for all of the tax payers to pay for this communal meltdown. 

Additionally, while East Haven is focused on cleaning up this mess New Haven should be working to expand the airport. East Haven will not have the resources to fight two battles and the region will win.

posted by: The Professor on December 19, 2011  10:59pm

Ali,

Care to point out which federal law New Haven is violating? 

Additionally, it’s not DOJ’s job to enforce immigration law just like it’s not their job to enforce federal aviation law or federal transportation law or federal food law.  Immigration law, you might be stunned to discover, is enforced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is in the Department of Homeland Security.

Moreover, saying that immigration law isn’t being enforced in this day and age is just plain ignorant.  Tell one of the 396,906 people who were deported from the country last year that the feds aren’t enforcing immigration law.  Whether you think the current immigration laws are good or bad, you can’t run from the fact that Obama is deporting people at at least the same clip that Bush was. 

And that brings me to another point.

Bill,

...

If you want to take a stand for or against an issue, you write Congress, organize a rally, get involved in political organizations, donate money to candidates, etc.  You DON’T take your badge and gun and use them to arrest people whose politics you disagree with, you DON’T run around conducting pretextual stops on the basis of nothing but the driver’s race, in short, you DON’T run around violating the letter and spirit of the United States Constitution.

And that leads to another point: it’s really remarkable how people can get so torn up about immigrants violating federal immigration law (in order to do work in exchange for money that they use to feed their families), but don’t bat an eye at allegations that police officers are violating the Constitution and possibly breaking federal civil rights law (in order to harass people who look like said immigrants). 
...

posted by: Equal rights on December 19, 2011  11:01pm

Ahhhh thank you goatville. Please Bill, don’t make the mistake that all Latinos are “illegals” and furthermore please imagine what you would feel like if you and your family were being harassed based upon your race.

posted by: HhE on December 19, 2011  11:02pm

Ben, while I am usually opposed to kicking someone when they are down, I like your idea about improving Tweed while East Haven is dealing with this.

I am not so in favour of suing that city into oblivion.  Many of their tax payers are Latinos after all—in-spite of the best effort of their mayor, the EHPD, and much of their electorate.  I am down with arrests for civil rights violations, as well as cover ups. 

As a direct descendant of Mayflower stock, I am in a way a descendant of illegals, or at least religious dissenters that were in a gray area of the law.  Many Latinos are not illegals, including the two fine men who work with me.

posted by: DISTRESSED on December 19, 2011  11:39pm

There is an old saying - English Standard Version Bible: “For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.” I am not comparing former East Haven Mayor April Capone Almon to Jesus. I am saying that because this has been historically true, it explains why so many people in East Haven would vote her out of office by voting Maturo back in. It makes no sense. She was the best Mayor they had in decades, but it goes to show that being good at what you do isn’t always good enough.  In fact, sometimes it works against you.  Afterall, with her in office the Maturo supporters could not have their way; they wanted their good-old boys in charge of things.

East Haven PD has been legendary for its biased practices. Police Commission member Jim Krebs is living in a land of hopeful fantasy if he believes Maturo and his bunch are about to change. If Mr. Krebs was to see his town for how it really is he might be grieved; it is easier to live in make-believe.  That is too bad because it will take enough honest, fair-minded people in that town saying: this is not how we want to be, and we will not condone bigotry, and who actively become involved in rooting out what is happening for there to be meaningful change.  If you cannot see it, you will not be able to eradicate it.
Thirty years ago landlords in East Haven made it clear they would not rent to Black people. They openly practiced housing discrimination and nothing happened.  No one was held accountable; many people simply looked the other way.  Thankfully, that has changed somewhat, but not half enough.  About four months ago while driving through a section of East Haven I stopped at the Rite Aide. I wanted to find an item.  I was in the store about five minutes when the attendant came from behind the counter and started watching me through the ceiling mirrors. Next a man appeared and he was also moving from isle to isle following me. I had taken up two items I intended to purchase; I had them in my hand. I kept browsing; I was looking for a specific item.  When I realized that I was being followed, I placed the items on the counter and left.  Realizing they automatically - based on how I looked - they suspected that I was there to steal something gave me nausea in my stomach.  We should try not to spend our money in establishments such as these.

I hope there are enough fair-minded people in East Haven to rescue their town from the Maturo bunch, the EHPD and their ilk.  Someone needs to start telling them that ignorance is not attractive and nothing to be proud of; in fact, bigotry and ignorance are ugly.

posted by: Really on December 19, 2011  11:58pm

Isn’t it ironic that the U.S. Attorney, who is supposed to uphold the law, is standing beside the DOJ rep. and supporting violating the law? Why doesn’t the U.S. Attorney enforce the law and support the arrests of illegal immigrants just because they are illegal?  Why is New Haven a sanctuary city and he does nothing about it?  Why isn’t ICE allowed to do their job?  The U.S. Attorney does nothing because Eric Holder is his boss and is against arresting illegal immigrants.  It’s so outrageously political. It’s an Obama agenda, and the U.S. Attorney has to go along, or he’ll be out of a job.  He should be out of a job because he’s not abiding by the law.

By the way, they are not “undocumented”.  They are here illegally.  The East Haven Police have done nothing wrong by stopping people, who violate the law, whoever they are.  I don’t believe that they just stopped people who looked Hispanic.  That’s BS-Why doesn’t the DOJ report include all of the latinos, who were stopped, and tell the truth-...I don’t see anything thing wrong with the Police stopping them, even if they profiled them.  It’s well known that there are a lot of illegals in East Haven.  If East Haven harbored illegals, like New Haven does, then the Police have a right to question that - if a person is here illegally that’s breaking the law.  It’s that simple.  The nuts are running the asylum.  The DOJ report is ridiculous.  Father Manship should be ashamed of himself too.  He’s encouraging illegals to come here and protecting them.  He’s wrong.  That DOJ report is just an insult to the public.  It’s biased and absolutely in contrast to the laws of the United States.

posted by: dee on December 20, 2011  1:35am

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Name that quote Bill, or Ali, or Insider98, or Really. ...

posted by: Alex on December 20, 2011  2:38am

YES JUSTICE! A rare thing nowadays.May the corrupt culture in the EHPD change forever.

posted by: Bill on December 20, 2011  9:56am

@The Professor,
... I work with many legal immigrants and have immigrant friends. ... Most of them are also against illegal immigration. One person I work with waited over a year to get a visa to come and work here.

...

posted by: the Ronbot Hunter on December 20, 2011  10:42am

...
1. All City, State and Federal governments and police departments are corporations, in violation to the Constitution, for the fact that they are PRIVATE FOR PROFIT corporations owned by foreign entities,
2. All Statutes, rules and regulations of the corporations are not positive law.
3. We are ruled by International Admiralty Law of the seas upon the land. Again in violation to the Constitution.
4. We are considered propery of the State, because the rulers are all socialists and we have been a socioalist corporation since 1933.
5. Our money is called a Federal Reserve NOTE. It is a debt instrument owed to the International Bankers that own all of us, without our knowledge or consent.
6. All wars were and will be for only the benefit of the International Bankers, we die so they can profit.
7. The CIA, FBI, HLS, FEMA, POLICE DEPTS., etc and ect., are here to protect the State and NOT the people. These are their armies and we are considered the enemy.
8. Attorneys and judges are foreign agents of the foreign owned corporations.
There is NO way out unless we oppose them, they are the terrorists and we are the insurgents, or freedom fighters.
“Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.”
THE RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

posted by: KAMB on December 20, 2011  11:14am

You break the law, you get arrested. All local, state, and Federal law enforcement needs to enforce our laws on ALL lawbreakers and Illegal immigrants !!! No registration - under arrest! No license or insurance - under arrest !!! No free passes.

posted by: Goatville mom on December 20, 2011  11:43am

@Really and KAMB, no one can tell if your “illegal” or whatever term you want to use, by looking at you as you drive by. The DOJ determined that is exactly what EHPD did—profiled Latinos and pulled them over simply because they are Latino.
And the professor is spot on. All of you against ILLEGAL immigration and wanting to enforce ALL the laws—hello, the DOJ determined that the EHPD VIOLATED THE LAW. And these are the police we are talking about, folks. You scream when poor people of color violate the law, but not when the the people sworn to uphold the law and paid to uphold the law violate the law? Come on, really?!!!

posted by: anon on December 20, 2011  12:52pm

It never ceases to amaze me how otherwise intelligent people gloss over some very important steps to get to this conclusion “You break the law, you get arrested. All local, state, and Federal law enforcement needs to enforce our laws on ALL lawbreakers and Illegal immigrants !!! No registration - under arrest! No license or insurance - under arrest !!! No free passes.

People like KAMB are being intellectually dishonest if they really think that those who are interested in the preservation of civil rights must also disagree with the above conclusion.  Here’s the problem KAMB and others…before the EHPD determines that any laws have been broken or that any probable cause even exist to assess and or conclude that a law is being violated they are engaging in a pattern of race/ethnicity based harassment. 

That they net some “illegals” in the process does not negate the fact that they themselves are breaking laws.  What say you to the “perfectly legal” looking italian who gets pulled over for no reason other than that he looks latino? Is this just an accepted casualty of living in East Haven? No harm, no foul once his last name is confirmed?

Until this fallout starts hitting people in the pocketbook, then will people stop violating the rights of others. Some folks are just otherwise irredeemable!

posted by: Bill Heinrichs, Esq. on December 20, 2011  2:05pm

An individual’s status of being in the United States illegally is not a crime, but rather an administrative violation of U.S. immigration law, which may lead to deportation by the agency having jurisdiction to enforce immigration laws. The commonplace use of the term “illegal” to describe people who previously committed a criminal act by entering the United States without inspection, or who did not commit a criminal act but simply failed to leave the country before the expiration of their visas, seems to me to be inconsistent with Americans’ widespread acceptance of other misconduct, such as failing to file a tax return, driving without a license or failing to pay property taxes or a parking ticket. Making a big deal about lots of forms of misconduct committed frequently by lots of Americans would be considered petty, yet immigration violations receive a disproportional amount of attention and generate so much controversy. Why?

posted by: OVER LOOKED on December 20, 2011  2:10pm

It’s the fault of the U.S. Government! They have let these people in our country and done nothing about it for 50 years! 90% are good hard working people. Either closed the boarders and have them come the right way or come up with a solution to do somehting about the ones here who our government has allowed to come, live, work, and raise a family.

You can’t export everyone. it wouldnt make any sense. And it’s not right.

The government really needs to close the boarders for safety, and increase the numbers allowed and get these folks registered so they can pay taxes, work in jobs Americans wont do, and prosper to strengthen our country.

God Bless the USA!

posted by: Ali on December 20, 2011  2:29pm

The Professor on December 19, 2011 9:59pm
Ali,

Care to point out which federal law New Haven is violating?

Additionally, it’s not DOJ’s job to enforce immigration law just like it’s not their job to enforce federal aviation law or federal transportation law or federal food law. 
——————-
There is a FEDERAL law that specifically prohibits states or localities from offering sanctuary to illegal aliens.  While it is not the job of localities to enforce immigration law, neither can they seek to prevent it from being enforced.

posted by: Ali on December 20, 2011  2:34pm

The Professor, here’s the citation for the federal law prohibiting sanctuary cities.

Congress adopted measures in 1996 that barred local ordinances that prohibited employees from providing information on illegal aliens to federal officials.  The law says, “Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State or local law, a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to or receiving … information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.”1

§434 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), and §642 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA).

posted by: Ali on December 20, 2011  2:38pm

Goatville mom on December 19, 2011 8:14pm
DOJ doesn’t enforce federal immigration laws, CIS does.
———-Actually, the DOJ determines which immigration cases get prosecuted and which don’t.  It ICE to drop cases in Houston.  And Obama has ordered DOJ to review 300,000 deportation cases with an eye to giving the illegal aliens waivers of deportation and work permits.
Moreover, it is the DOJ which is behind this Administration’s law suits to prevent states from helping enforce immigration law when the federal government is not.

posted by: Goatville mom on December 20, 2011  3:10pm

@Ali, deportations under Obama have reached record levels. He is on target to deport more people in 1 term than GW Bush did in 2.
All the issues re: “illegal immigrants” are beside the point. The EHPD harassed Latinos, based on their physical appearance. Because there are undocumented people in East Haven, it’s ok to harass all Latinos? Because some young black men commit crimes it’s ok to discriminate against all black men? Because some white women are prostitutes, should EHPD give all white women a hard time?
It’s just not tenable to say that it’s ok for the police to break the law because SOME of the people they are violating might be undocumented.

posted by: dana b on December 20, 2011  4:59pm

For seventeen years (1990-2007)I lived in New Haven but visited East Haven businesses and beaches just as often as those in New Haven. I came to love East Haven—that hard-knocks place of inexpensive restaurants, easy-to-use banks and supermarkets, and down-to-earth people.  But I never got over its culture of contempt for anyone different—black, latino, gay, alternative.

By the time I left Connecticut to return for family and a job in California, I had thought East Haven was changing to be more diverse, less close-minded.  I think the townspeople were and are changing, but their police and government is stuck way behind the times.  It is still 1960 in East Haven’s governors’ minds.  The DOJ report and actions will definitely help today’s East Haveners take back their government and police from these prejudiced old-timers.

posted by: CT Liberal on December 21, 2011  12:17pm

Yet another video of a cop illegally suppressing a citizens 1st amendment rights to take video in a public place.

I hope the person who shot the video sues the cop personally and the department and wins a large award.

posted by: NHPD on December 21, 2011  3:13pm

Welcome the the PC Terrordome EHPD!
God forbid you enforce the fact that if you live in CT you have to register your car in CT, to pay the high CT taxes.
Don’t even think of pulling over a car with PA,SC or Tenn. plates!!

posted by: Goatville mom on December 21, 2011  4:20pm

@NHPD, how many of those cars with out of state plates that you see belong to white YALE graduate students? My neighborhood is full of them and those folks are never hassled. Imagine the outrage and uproar if they were. But ok to hassle people of color, you think?
...

posted by: W B New Haven on December 23, 2011  11:35am

I guess my earlier comment was a little over the top, so it wasn’t posted.  Let me try a more PC way of approaching the subject.

IF a certain group of people are “known” to be law abiding, happy, friendly, religious(?), hard working, CONTRIBUTING members of our city, those positive traits are the way in which they will be perceived.  This goes for EVERYBODY.  I really do not believe there is a such thing as prejudice based upon the “look” of a person. At least I do not think this way.  Nor does anyone I know. It is more the ACTS of a certain group that precipitates negative stereotyping.  Unfortunate, but true, if you’re in a group that is treated poorly, there is some truth in it.  You have to try HARDER, not to be like me, but to gain respect from others.  Good people, people KNOWN to be good, are not treated badly.

posted by: Rosa Santana on December 23, 2011  1:25pm

read interesting

posted by: HhE on December 23, 2011  1:41pm

I was going to contribute again, but Godzilla Mom said it better than I ever could.

Thank you dana b for your post.  Insights like yours are one of the real benefits of making posting possible.

I thank you both.  Well said.

W B New Haven, did your block post use the N word, or have a link to Stormfront?  Your position is the rationalisation of bigotry.

Most of the Latinos I know are friendly, hard working, and very family oriented.  Of course, there is the Latin Kings.

I tease my Italian American friends by saying “The Sopranos” is a documentary.  My friend John, who is second generation American, thinks the the mob is a disgrace that embarrasses all Italian Americans.  We all know what IROC realy stands for, but the Italians are also one of the great artifacting and design cultures of all time.

Many of my neigbors in Newhallville are hardworking, God fearing, folks who are offended by enabling hand outs.  Others are ready to put one over they system any chance they get, and practise the worse kind of socialism.

The idea that one group is “known” to be well behaved, and thus not to be subjected to the same over the top scrutiny that another group receives would be laughable if it were not so repugnant and illegal. 

Yes, EHPD, enforce ALL of the laws, including the ones regarding your conduct.

When she moved to the United States, she was here illegally.
http://committee100.typepad.com/committee_of_100_newslett/2010/09/from-the-executive-director-angie-tang.html
Well, this 16th generation American WASP is very glad she is here—best kiss ever.

Finally, lawsuits rarely solve systemic problems.  Jail time however can be effective at focusing the mind.

posted by: Fabricated? on December 23, 2011  2:18pm

No story on the three police officers who were dropped off the case? Or a story on how the accuser lied?

posted by: W B New Haven on December 23, 2011  3:19pm

Well HhE, it wasn’t meant that way.  No I didn’t use the “N” word nor do I subscribe to Stormfront LOL.  It’s just I think people who feel they have/are discriminated against like to say “it’s the color of my skin”, “it’s my accent”, whatever.  It’s the easiest way out, WITHOUT examining the possibility the person/group may actually be doing something illegal, immoral, or just plain annoying to MOST of us.  Look at my comment on the positive side.

posted by: Marieah C. Viviel Rozo - Guallpa on December 23, 2011  3:25pm

“Whatever is hidden away will be brought out into the open, and whatever is covered up will be found and brought to light.”

“De la misma manera, no hay nada escondido que no llegue a descubrirse, ni nada nada secreto que no llegue a conocerse y ponerse en claro.”

May EVERYONE seek to enjoy these holidays and find true peace.

M. C. Viviel Rozo-Guallpa
Justice of the Peace
Notary Public
Interpreter/Translator
Profiled NYC born French, Italian - Latina, ex-East Haven resident & ex-Our Lady of Pompeii Church member

posted by: Goatville mom on December 23, 2011  4:01pm

@ W B, The DOJ found the EHPD actively discriminated against Latinos. This is not about someone claiming ‘it’s the color of my skin’. It is about the DOJ determining it WAS exactly that.

posted by: Goatville mom on December 23, 2011  4:41pm

@ fabricated…the case is separate from the DOJ report. One accuser in the case admitted lying. DOJ is talking about systematic discrimination, by multiple officers, on multiple victims , over time.
Will you be convinced when some of the perps end up losing their jobs or in prison? Stay tuned.

posted by: HhE on December 23, 2011  8:20pm

My apologies to Goatville mom.  The spell check “corrected” your name to Godzilla and I failed to catch it.  That will learn me to post while eating lunch and running late.

A very wise friend of mine once said to me, “You will never know what it like to be black in America.”  He was right, and as a WASP, I am lucky.  I don’t get followed by store detectives, and I can go anywhere in upstate New York with nary a worry—unlike many of my friends at SUNY Oswego who did not feel safe downtown.

A group of black teenagers in East Rock, riding bikes in a predatory pack manor, looking into yards and circling, is suspicious.  A white man loitering in Newhallville is probably up to no good (time to bring in the K-9).  Where this crosses the line would be if the police told a black family enjoying college woods, that they needed to go back over Mansfield, where they belong.  If the NHPD ever questioned me what I was doing in Newhallville, I would tell them I live here, and that Thad or Rebeca could vouch for me.