100 Protesters Push Police Commission To Fire Hamden Cop

One week after protesters showed up at Hamden Mayor Curt Leng’s house to demand action on the shooting of Stephanie Washington by a Hamden police officer, over 100 people showed up to the town’s Police Commission Wednesday to confront the commission on its silence since the shooting.

In April, Hamden Officer Devin Eaton shot at Stephanie Washington and Paul Witherspoon, who were unarmed, injuring Washington. In October, State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin released the results of his investigation of the incident, and charged Eaton with assault. He was arrested, and has been put on unpaid administrative leave.

When the report came out, Acting Chief of Police John Cappiello said he would finish his internal affairs investigation within 30 days. That means it must be complete by Nov. 20.

On Wednesday, he said he is still committed to completing it within that timeframe.

At a meeting in May, protesters shut down the Police Commission after commission Chair Mike Iezzi said the commission would hear public comments at the end. On Wednesday, the commission finally heard the comments of many of the same protesters who had been there in May, as well as those of a sizable contingent of Yale students.

(Read about other past protests in Hamden here and here).

Many of the protesters deplored the commission for still never having discussed the shooting.

“Here we are today, six months later. You have not put the shooting of Stephanie and Paul on your agenda,” said Cassi Meyerhoffer.

The commission, the police department, and the mayor have maintained that the commission can only fire an officer after a case has been brought to the commission.

“How are we supposed to hear you say ​‘trust the process’ when the process has never worked for black and brown people in this town?” said Spring Glen Church Reverend Jack Perkins Davidson.

The reluctance of the commission to act more swiftly, he said, is what ​“allows these injustices to exist.”

For most of the public input session, the commission sat in silence, listening to each commenter, one after another. At one point, however, Iezzi did respond.

Yale junior and leader of Black Students for Disarmament at Yale Ben Dormus had just taken the podium. He listed the items under the correspondence section of the agenda — the retirement of an officer, donations for an animal control facility, the handling of petty cash.

“It seems to me that you’re not as much of a police commission as you are the social planning committee for the police department. The point of a police commission is to be a democratic body …” Dormus (pictured) said.

“… Sir, I would appreciate it if you would stop insulting the commission,” Iezzi interjected.

“No one’s insulting you!” came shouts from the audience. For about a minute, both Iezzi and Dormus struggled to get in a sentence over the other while shouts from the audience drowned out both.

Cappiello has until Nov. 20 to bring disciplinary charges against Eaton. If Cappiello brings charges, the commission must schedule a hearing within 30 days, but no sooner than one week, according to the police union contract.