|
|
|
| NEWS > 16 February 2007 |
Other related articles:
Court upholds officer's dismis
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has upheld the firing of a Florence police officer who admitted sending out nasty, obscene and mocking tirades over his patrol car's instant messaging system.
In a decision released Friday, the three-judge panel ruled that the Florence City Council's firing of David B. Cole in 2002 was not arbitrary, and therefore had to be upheld.
"The messages were laced with profanity, and certain of the messages disparaged fellow police agencies," said the unanimous decision, written by Senior Judge Paul W. Rosenblum.
"The city council's determ... Read more
|
 Article sourced from
|
|
Hartford Courant - Hartford,CT
16 February 2007
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
|
Connecticut State Police
|
Trooper Rule Changes Proposed
MIDDLETOWN -- A commission studying state police internal affairs problems adopted sweeping recommendations Thursday to change the rules that govern the conduct of troopers and to revamp the structure of the internal affairs division.
The recommendations adopted by the Commission on Internal Affairs were made by Linda Yelmini, deputy commissioner of internal affairs for the state police, who was appointed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
Yelmini also announced to the commission during its regular meeting at the Department of Public Safety in Middletown that she will leave her post by the end of June, saying she has done what Rell had asked her to do in the internal affairs unit. She will return to her classified job as supervisor of the Office of Labor Relations, she said.
Yelmini was appointed by Rell along with the seven-member commission to study a 168-page report by the New York State Police and the Connecticut attorney general's office that criticized the state police internal affairs unit. The report, released in December, outlined misconduct and improper influence in cases against troopers that involved domestic violence, sexual assaults, drunken driving and larceny.
Rell and the commissioner of public safety would have to approve the recommendations before they are implemented.
Among the recommendations is the consolidation from 99 to 21 the number of ways a state trooper can get into trouble under the department's administrative and operation manual.
The new rules of conduct for troopers include a category of serious offenses, concisely explained to make it clear that certain behaviors would likely result in dismissal. Three other categories outline behavior that could lead to suspension or less serious discipline, such as a letter of reprimand.
"It is imperative for the new commissioner to declare a `new day' with regard to expectations of conduct and the resultant consequences of failure to meet those expectations," Yelmini said.
Serious offenses that would be more likely to result in termination would include drunken driving, committing a crime, engaging in domestic violence, and improper use or threatened use of a firearm. Engaging in sexual activity while on duty or in a state building or vehicle, discrimination, sexual harassment or racial profiling could also result in termination under the rules, as would drug use or serious violations of the state ethics code.
For example, a drunken-driving arrest would likely result in termination because those arrests usually result in a loss of a driver's license, Yelmini said. There had been cases where troopers were arrested for drunken driving, and allowed to keep their jobs.
"If you could no longer perform your job, you are terminated," she said, adding that there always could be extenuating circumstances. "It is that way in many agencies."
Commission members also recommended that the lieutenant colonel of internal affairs report directly to the commissioner of public safety to prevent the appearance of impropriety. Leonard Boyle, the current commissioner, said Thursday he would leave by March 1.
"These rules are an attempt to be fair to everyone," said Robert Farr, chairman of the commission. "A lot of progress has been made."
Yelmini also suggested that the department move dozens of troopers doing administrative tasks back into the field, and hire civilians for those jobs.
Although Farr said the budget recommendations were beyond the commission's scope, Yelmini said she decided to include them after two state police majors testified before the commission that lack of supervision in the field due to staffing contributed to disciplinary problems.
"It would be a much better use of this investment to have those highly trained and competent staff perform the functions they were trained to do - police work," Yelmini said.
Her recommendations run counter to Rell's plan to remove state troopers from the truck unit and from homeland security.
"This is significantly different than the governor's proposed budget changes," Yelmini said.
Those staffing and budget issues would have to be taken up by the new commissioner and the legislature, Farr said.
|
| |
 EiP Comments:
|
|---|
|
| |
* We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper or periodical. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and we will remove the article. The articles republished on this site are provided for the purposes of research , private study, criticism , review, and the reporting of current events' We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper , periodical or other works. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and where necessary we will remove the work concerned.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 |
Ethics in Policing, based in the UK, provide information and advice about the following:
Policing Research | Police News articles | Police Corruption | International Policing | Police Web Sites | Police Forum | Policing Ethics | Police Journals | Police Publications |
|
| |
|
