CONECT proposes actions toward change in East Haven

A diverse coalition of Connecticut clergy representing over 27 multi-faith congregations in New Haven and Fairfield Counties stood together at St. Rose of Lima Church Feb. 1 to call on state and local officials to act immediately to reform the East Haven Police Department.

CONECT — Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut — is the multi-faith, multiethnic, multi-neighborhood non-profit organization of member congregations and religious organizations that come together as one voice for social and economic justice and the common good.

Bridgeport has the largest representation of member congregations in the state.

CONECT's platform is summarized below:

• The State's Attorney should review all arrests by the indicted East Haven Police officers since 2008. Convictions based on arrests founded on racial prejudice and misconduct by the East Haven Police Department should not be allowed to stand.

• The State's Attorney has an obligation to seek to invalidate all convictions resulting from police breaking the law. Someone other than State Attorney Michael Dearington, who failed to thoroughly investigate allegations of police misconduct in response to an inquiry by the East Haven Board of Police Commissioners in June 2010, should conduct the review.

• The East Haven Police Department should immediately implement PERF and DOJ recommendations.

• The East Haven Police Board of Commissioners, Acting Police Chief John Mannion, and Mayor Joseph Maturo should act immediately to implement the recommendations made by the Police Executive Research Forum in March 2011 and the United States Department of Justice in December 2011.

• New policies regarding racial profiling, the use of force, early intervention systems, and a credible disciplinary process for officers should be adopted. Moreover, the department must ensure compliance with the Penn Act's requirements to submit racial profiling arrest data to the state.

• Although dishonesty in police reports was unveiled as early as February 2009, no action was taken by state oversight bodies to prevent further misconduct. The Police Officer Standards and Training Council— the state body that oversees the certification of all officers in the state of Connecticut — should investigate whether any officers in the East Haven Police Department should be decertified, and whether the East Haven Police Department should have held those officers accountable.

• To the extent POST lacks a mechanism to investigate and decertify officers who have engaged in misconduct, it should immediately take steps to develop a mechanism, including a provision for civilian complaints. If necessary, POST should seek additional statutory authority from the legislature.