Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Andrew Matthews, executive director of the Connecticut State Police Union, said the union does not comment on pending internal affairs investigations. Imagine over a thousand retirees getting over $100,000 plus benefits for retiring. In a statement, Col. Stavros Mellekas, the deputy commissioner of the state police, called Spinas behavior disturbing and said an internal affairs investigation had begun. Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies and light rain after midnight. By Matthew Spina , Charlie Specht. Two months after a state trooper was captured on camera in a profanity-laced tirade during a traffic stop, a commemorative coin that honors him is circulating among his fellow troopers. His views are not necessarily the newspaper's. that is degrading to another person. The video starts with the driver asking Spina why he was speeding and riding close to another vehicle. Kevin A. Jette, age 31, passed the officer, who was pursuing another. State police have launched an internal affairs Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. While Out of 707 members whose votes were qualified, 687 voted no confidence in the governors leadership, according to the results of the vote. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. video posted on YouTube, according to officials. Don't Threaten. Social media users roundly condemned Spinas behavior, and the state polices commanding officer, Col. Stavros Mellekas, labeled the episode disturbing in a statement announcing the start of the internal affairs probe. Ben Lambert was formerly a reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group, covering police and public safety in the New Haven area. The solution for Connecticut government is simple: Decide you don't want this waste to continue and act appropriately. Spina continues to yell at the driver and then appears to start searching the car, according to the video. A recent one reportedly made by a former Louisville officer shows nightclub-wielding cops in front of the flaming skyline of the city where protesters took to the streets after Breonna Taylor was shot to death in a botched police raid. The trooper has been transferred to desk duty while his misconduct is under investigation. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A Connecticut state trooper has been reassigned temporarily after a video appeared online showing him berating a driver in an expletive-fueled outburst that derided the general public and expressed how he cant wait to retire. dedication to protecting and serving during this pandemic, Mellekas said in the statement. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. There are lots of excuses. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. A letter obtained by the newspaper provided Spinas treatment as an example of grievances against the departments current leadership. CT trooper barred from public interaction after profanity-filled traffic stop, New Haven police arrest 2 men in probe of shooting near school, Century-old New Haven youth center gets major renovation, 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, New Haven mayoral hopeful files elections complaint against mayor, I-95 North in Guilford reopens after two crashes, police say, After identifying Jane Doe, police seek leads in 1975 CT homicide, Latin-American restaurant approved for Frontage Rd. This is a carousel. Rovella's office and Eckersley also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. or anything. Chance of rain 80%. This newspaper knew this ages ago but no one in Hartford listens. A Connecticut state trooper has been placed on administrative leave after a video was released depicting the officer yelling at a man who was pulled over for allegedly speeding, state police. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. A state police news release said that Raury P. Duffy, 34, of Nathans Lane, was driving with a suspended or revoked license when Trooper Matthew Spina stopped him on an entrance to Interstate 95 . Here are some top priorities. I was following that kid for a reason, and if you hadnt done that (expletive) stupid stunt, Id be with him right now, Spina continues. The trooper, Matthew Spina, pulled over the driver, Kevin A. Jette, on Monday after Jette allegedly sped past him on Interstate 95 near New Haven as Spina was pursuing another car for speeding. Don't knowingly lie about anyone We won't share it with anyone else. Every Sunday, receive the most in-depth, interesting, and important stories of the week, picked by editors and readers. The trooper spoke down to me and hit me with a $375 ticket.all of which I deserved. We will release more information as it Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The letter singles out Lt. Col. John Eckersley, who heads the state polices office of field operations, accusing him of demeaning his subordinates and failing to publicly defend the rank-and-file troopers he oversees. Last year Spina made $99,000 in regular pay, $97,000 in overtime, and another $7,000 in miscellaneous pay, presumably private-duty pay, another sort of overtime, for a total of $203,000. Eckersley oversees the departments field operations. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Webinar Speaker Bios Matt Spina During a tenure of fourteen years in the military, serving on active duty and in the reserves, Matthew Spina began working with explosives in the United States Army in 1989. DL1-16 new Version 2 Dispensary Container CSP Challenge Coin inspired by Connecticut State Police CT Trooper Matthew Spina. The driver interfered with the Troopers pursuit of a motor vehicle and unknown to Trooper Spina, apparently baited him and subsequently filmed the contact. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Dont you ever (expletive) with me again. The encounter ends with Spina walking back to his vehicle without citing the driver, and the driver asking him to be safe. A law enforcement source said the coin has been circulating among state troopers and other police officers. 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The union leadership no longer has confidence in the ability of leaders like LTC Eckersley to lead our membership and we no longer support them, their illogical policies, or their offensive behavior toward our membership, the organization wrote. Facebook gives people the power to. After berating the driver for questioning his actions before the traffic stop, Spina says, Unbelievable. In the description of the video on YouTube, the man alleges that Spina threatened to throw him off the bridge if he were to come across him again. Be Nice. 2 inch challenge coin. - YouTube https://www.youtube.com Trooper 1st class Matthew Spina out of Troop F in Westbrook becomes irate with a motorist for flipping him the bird. I am doing my [expletive] job. He then recites a state statute that allows police officers to disobey traffic laws in the performance of their job. Commanding officers voiced their disappointment over the incident and Spina, who has served with the state police for 19 years and is nearing retirement, was suspended from the force. Chance of rain 80%.. He never asked me for my license, my registration, my proof of insurance or to even see my medical marijuana card. One side was embossed with a Jamaican flag and the phrase Fort Jaha racist nickname for the neighborhood, which has a large West Indian community. It recorded the following interaction: Spina approaches the passenger door window, and the driver asks Spina why he was tailgating another driver and speeding. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. The Connecticut State Police Unions leadership has decided to hold a vote of no confidence against high-ranking members of the state police command staff in response to the disciplining of a trooper caught on camera berating a motorist during a traffic stop. Weve been made aware of a profane challenge coin that has the image of Connecticut State Police badge, Brian Foley, an aide to Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James Rovella, said. keep the caravans coming, it read, referring to the Central American migrants President Donald Trump had demonized as part of his crusade to close the US-Mexico border. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, This officer yelled and gave a tongue lashing to an individual who broke multiple laws. All Rights Reserved. When the motorist asks why Spina was following so closely behind other cars on the highway, the trooper claims he was running license plates for suspected motor vehicle violations and berates the driver for interfering with his duties. These remarks invite a review of his payroll records at state Comptroller Kevin Lembo's wonderful OpenCT internet site. For our troopers, they are dealing with the impact on their personal lives along with workplace stressors of being on the frontline. Spin takes a plastic cup ashtray out of the drivers car, throws it to the ground and stomps on it. Yes, but that kid walked away without even getting a ticket. Joseph DiVincenzo at Turtle Back Zoo, Flying Above Tornado-Damaged Virginia Beach, UK's diverse communities ambivalent about king's coronation. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. So how will the state police department handle the Spina case? When political appointees fail to make the safety of our members and the public their top priority, failed to preserve the history of the State Police, or make decisions based on preserving their own position, then we cannot in good conscience support them, union president John Castiline wrote in a letter Tuesday. Stay up to date with everything Boston. Low 46F. Chance of rain 80%.. Warning, the video on YouTube, as seen here, will be disturbing to some readers. Five people were seriously injured, including two . Rovellas office and Eckersley also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. You had to be an (epithet) American, said Spina. Listen on Apple Podcasts. This article is unfortunate, the kid was definitely doing something illegal, driving erratically. Jette can be heard telling the trooper that he has a license for medicinal marijuana. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), Billerica officer passes out after suspect allegedly exposes her to fentanyl, Man arrested after posting video threatening to shoot New Hampshire school, Police: Driver briefly dragged N.H. trooper during 2-state chase. investigation after being made aware of a troopers disturbing behavior in a At one point during the incident, Spina says: Why am I speeding? He took the idea from a National Guardsman who had required his troops to always keep a sixpence coin on them in order to buy drinks for their buddies. We hold our Troopers to high standards and the behavior displayed in the video is not reflective of the values of Commissioner (James) Rovella or my administration, Mellekas said in a statement. In the video, posted on YouTube Monday, Trooper Matthew Spina is seen cursing at a man who allegedly was speeding on the span also known as the "Q" bridge in New Haven. And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. DL1-16 New Version 2 Dispensary Container CSP Challenge Coin Inspired by Connecticut State Police CT Trooper Matthew Spina $24.99 In Stock. CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE TROOPER LOSES IT! If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Error! Mellekas also said that many troopers are under extreme stress because of the COVID-19 pandemic and that Spina, who has been with the state police since 2001, has been referred to the agencys employee assistance program. He was acting like a loose cannon, Jette said. You had to be a (expletive) American.. Don't Threaten. in at least the last five years Spina has been working so much that his overtime earnings have nearly equaled or exceeded his base annual salary of almost $100,000. Create a password that only you will remember. With the fellow stowed in the back seat, the trooper spotted the man's eyeglasses on the ground. It appears Spina is ready to return to his police vehicle when he asks the driver for his marijuana. This is even better than it looks. By the 1980s, the silver dollarsize medallions had taken off in the military and beyond. Theres no way to take on the legacy of mass incarceration other than to undo it, one step at a time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and great work of the women and men of the Connecticut State Police and their Forty percent of Spina's earnings of $76,744 so far this year has been overtime, so he is on track for another $200,000 year -- if he can maintain some semblance of sanity, if his supervisors don't see that overwork may be impairing his fitness, and if he is not suspended or dismissed for his misconduct, which has spectacularly besmirched the state police. In a release, Col. Stavros Mellekas described Spinas behavior as disturbing and not indicative of the great work of the women and men of the Connecticut State Police and their dedication to protecting and serving during this pandemic.. State police union blasts commanders, says it supports embattled Trooper Matthew Spina. Ships from and sold by COINS, PINS, PATCHES & MORE. The site claims to make medals for customers including the FBI, the ATF, the U.S. In the video, posted on YouTube Monday, the trooper is seen cursing at a man who was allegedly speeding on the span also know as the Q bridge in New Haven. It usually starts by asking for a driver's license and registration. Trooper Matthew Spina, a 19-year veteran of the state police, was seen in video captured by the driver screaming profanities and commands as he orders the man out of the vehicle on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven in May. statement goes on to say. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The driver says he was only going 60, and Spina explains the speed limit is 40. Invalid password or account does not exist. Until then we shall remain their captives. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. I was respectful the entire time and never had hard feelings against the trooper. There was an error processing your request. We noticed you have an ad blocker on. In that case he probably would have to keep working another 15 or 20 years in a different job. How the (expletive) am I going to catch a speeder if Im not speeding, Spina says. Even still, that police officer had no reason to do what he did. that is degrading to another person. For Spina seems to be only middle-aged, and achieving pension entitlement by middle age through government employment and not retiring but instead taking other employment for 15 years or so has become a hallowed and lucrative tradition in Connecticut. Blame the labor negotiators who have enabled this, but the ones who can fix it are the supervisors who are now corruptly approving the overtime (expecting it themselves when they retire), and blame the top managers in the public service agencies, the comptroller, and the fovernor who do not stop it administratively and thereby are complicit in the loss of faith in government.

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