New Haven Independent

posted by: Dot Khan on February 1, 2010  7:45pm

This is New Haven’s loss. Pete would have made an excellent chief. I did not always agree with him, but had great respect that he was a honest, decent and tough by the book guy.
Years ago I thought an officer was a bad cop upon reading a story trashing the reputation of another Policemen until after recognizing the officer’s name realized that the author was Paul Bias whose motto was The Rolling Stones lyric “Every cop is a criminal”. Glad this is more neutral.
Being a Police officer is not easy and it does not look like officer Prinz is tough enough to cut it.

posted by: Whats the real deal on February 1, 2010  7:55pm

Um….you don’t get your badge taken away and resign because you hurt some reporters and a detectives feelings.  When are they going to tell what the real deal is?  There are many people in the pd with horrible managerial skills.  They are being relieved of duty…soooo whats the REAL story?

posted by: Oh Good Boy on February 1, 2010  10:06pm

Some are asking,did he lie cheat steal? You don’t dismiss/investigate someone for poor managerial behavior….YES YOU DO. They are reporting several civilian complaints and complaints from the police staff. Nothing has to be amiss, we probably have the whole story. He was the Asst. Chief of the Detective bureau. You can’t threaten your staff and you can’t threaten civilians, it’s called violation of the Workplace Violence act and a criminal offence of Threatening( which includes intimidation), IT’S CALLED BREAKING THE LAW!!!!.I’m sure that they were investigating it internally, then stuff went into the crapper when someone opened their mouth and called the press. If it’s true, it certainly was a problem that could not be accepted, not this day and age with the history of the P.D. trying to recoup from corruption among their own.  He was the Asst. Chief he has to follow the law just as everyone else. Everyone would be up in arms if this story leaked and we found out that nothing was being done about it. Pay him his due and let him go. He may have been a good cop but if the allegations were true, he obviously was not prepared to be an Asst. Chief.

posted by: Former Officer on February 2, 2010  11:07am

Asst. Chief Reichard was a good officer and manager. He is guilty of trying to make the Department more professional and actually serve the public.

posted by: Bruce on February 2, 2010  11:19am

Whats the read deal:  You SHOULD get your badge taken away for this!  Police cannot be allowed to bully the press for simply asking questions. The power to arrest is meant to protect the citizenry, not to serve one’s own personal interest in preventing the media from doing its job. 

We are used to seeing police control the media in Russia and China, but here in the USA we protect their right to investigate and expose questionable activities.  This is very serious offense.  Hopefully criminal charges will follow soon.

posted by: Walt on February 2, 2010  11:39am

Need info.

Complaining about white shoes or threatening arrest a of reporter are not big deals   as mentioned here and in the Register.

Must be more to it,  or the Mayor and the Chief are extremely touchy and a good cop is being forced to retire over minor issues..

posted by: anon on February 2, 2010  7:09pm

i would enjoy hearing more of the bad boy clause in the new agreement. is this misconduct becoming of losing a pension? i realize that everyone would like to move forward on this, but the new agreement is in place.

posted by: kamb on February 2, 2010  11:32pm

Reichard is the kind of Chief the City needed. He rose-up through the ranks. He had no skeletons in his closet. He was tough but sensative to the publics needs. He got the job done. He praised good cops for doing a good job. And he told the bad cops that their work was unacceptable and piss poor.

He will be missed.

This City’s decision making is ...  poor. I think Lewis had a lot of good ideas that never materialized. Unfortunatley, a lot of New Haven street cops had the same ideas but the city doesnt listen to them. They go halfway across the country and paid $150,000 for Chief Lewis, $110,000 for Assistant Chief Brown, and $110,000 for Assistant Chief Gillespe.

What a waste. There are plenty of great Lieutenants and or Captains in the PD for the job. What kind of message is King John sending to NHPD cops who rise-up through the ranks to maybe become Assitant Chief or Chief?

Out with King John! Take politics out of the PD. And bring back thick-skin real cops with discipline, honor, and compassion for the victims.

posted by: Anon on February 3, 2010  3:52pm

It is almost funny, but is too real to really be funny, to read comments from New Haveners who are so used to low standards, they think this isn’t a big deal and are even sure there is more to the story.

Walt says: ” ... threatening arrest a of reporter are not big deals.”

Really, ask the reporter who apparently could have been and reporters who have been. Luckily Walt, you aren’t setting the standards.

posted by: BoBo Da'Klown on February 5, 2010  12:33pm

To the people who post negative comments about the PD and its employees- go pick up an application.