Six members of the Hamden Legislative Council released a joint statement Wednesday evening calling for a police civilian review board in response to a Hamden’s body-cam video that allegedly shows misconduct by the officer.
On Tuesday evening, WTNH aired a report by Mario Boone that included footage from a police officer’s body-cam that shows an officer making an arrest last February. The officer both threatened to call ICE and to shoot the suspect if he did something he was not told.
Mayor Curt Leng issued a statement a few hours after the report aired on Tuesday evening.
Like Leng, the members of the Legislative Council who signed the statement Wednesday denounced the officer’s actions, and also called for the creation of the Civilian Review Board to review alleged police misconduct. After years of debate, New Haven lawmakers voted last month to create a new, strengthened version of what had become a dormant CRB.
The Hamden statement reads as follows:
“The Hamden police officer’s body-cam footage acquired by WTNH shows actions and words that are disgraceful and unacceptable. The police violated policies that our community entrusts the police to enforce and follow. A Civilian Review Board would hold the Police Department accountable and prevent incidents like this from happening.
“As of last night, the officers involved in the video remain on active duty. These actions must be taken seriously. The threat of ICE involvement is in direct opposition to the arrangements we have been assured exist in Hamden. We must work together to ensure Hamden is and remains a sanctuary for our community.
“The acting Chief has issued a statement assuring residents that the HPD will do an internal investigation. The sergeant’s name must be released immediately. The results of this investigation and associated punishments must be made public. Public trust and confidence requires transparency.”
Jody Clouse, 1st District Councilwoman
Harry Gagliardi, 2nd District Councilman
Athena Gary, 3rd District Councilwoman
Justin Farmer, 5th District Councilman
Brad Macdowall, 9th District Councilman
Lauren Garrett, At-Large Councilwoman
What an overreaction to a dumb comment from a member of the PD when the lawbreaker suffered no actual harm or damage?
Parts of Hamden, particularly, the 3rd district are overrun with individuals with no respect for the law. We, who have to live here, lack a good quality of life. When will Jody Clouse, Harry Gagliardi (what his angle anyway?), Athena Gray, Justin Farmer, Brad Macdowall, and Lauren Garrett begin to advocate for us who want to live peacefully in our neighborhoods, without the threat of physical violence, break-ins, and reckless driving (the type not often seen in some of their neck of the woods)? Apparently that cannot be their focus because advocating for an independent review board to harass the PD and consequently, protect lawbreakers, is the cause du jour for these so-called progressives. I hope the electorate will remember them when its time to vote.
I urge our leadership in town to address this issue with the PD, the union and the police commission post haste. It is possible to run an effective police department, with tough cops who do not violate people's civil rights. Cowboys ought to be reprimanded promptly. We don't need soundbites.
Failure to lead quickly and effectively will lead to inmates looking to run the asylum, creation of new fiefdoms a la a CRB and police taking a hands off approach in OUR neighborhood--not West Woods, not Whitneyville, OUR neighborhood. We do not support officers who discriminate and we do want our PD to be effective and will support them in that effort. These ideas are not/cannot be mutually exclusive.