Maturo Addresses Sworn Personnel at Roll Call as East Haven Reaches 4-Year Anniversary of Entry of Consent Decree
Posted on: December 21, 2016 - 12:11pm
East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. in recognition of the four-year anniversary of the federal court's December 21, 2012 approval of the Town's "Agreement for Effective and Constitutional Policing" with the Department of Justice, recently addressed officers at 4:00PM roll call to congratulate the department on its sustained reform efforts and remarkable turnaround.
Maturo explained, "I am proud to announce that we have met and exceeded each and every benchmark for success specified in our agreement with the Department of Justice both on-time and under budget. After four years of hard work by our officers and the entire compliance team, we have restored pride, trust, and confidence in our Police Department."
On December 11, 2011, the Department of Justice issued a civil findings letter alleging a pattern and practice of biased policing, unconstitutional searches and seizures, and excessive force which eventually led to the January 24, 2012 arrest of four East Haven police officers.
Maturo recollected, "When I addressed our department personnel at roll call on the day our officers were arrested, the mood was somber, morale was low, and no one quite understood how we were going to chart a path forward for our embattled department. However, after nearly a year of negotiation with the Department of Justice, we agreed to embark on an expansive and unprecedented set of reform efforts to revolutionize our Police Department. After four years of collaboration with the Department of Justice, those efforts have transformed our department into a model for other small departments across the nation."
In July of 2015, following a series of positive reports on the department's ongoing success and transformation, Attorney General Loretta Lynch visited East Haven as part of a national community policing tour. In describing East Haven's blueprint for success, she explained, "[t]his is a message that we're hoping other cities can look to and see how this change is implemented here. It does take a lot of work. It takes a lot of will. It takes a lot of effort, but it can be done." Shortly after Lynch's visit, Mayor Maturo and police command staff attended a community policing forum at the White House to share the Town's story of success with forty other departments from across the country.
Maturo continued, “Today, our police department is on the forefront of the policing industry. Our department doesn't just employ 'best practices.' Rather, thanks to the sound leadership of young police executives like Chief Ed Lennon and through collaboration with the Department of Justice and other policy experts, our department is actually helping to define what 'best practices' entails in a number of policy areas."
Maturo explained, "My goal in speaking to and congratulating our officers at roll call today is to recognize their incredible contributions to this turnaround. While our police executives and policy experts charted this path, our patrol officers have been the ones to walk it step by step. They've earned the community's trust with each respectful patrol stop, each pleasant encounter, and on each perilous occasion they've put their lives on the line to protect this community. They've exhibited an eagerness and willingness to both learn and transform and I am very proud to be able to recognize them for their contributions to the reform effort."
While the Town's agreement with the Department of Justice contemplates a four-year reform timeline, the Town has a few pending matters to square away before it formalizes a request to terminate the court agreement.
Maturo explained, "We are excited that we can begin the discussion about terminating the compliance agreement and embarking on a new era of self sufficiency for our department. As we explore that next-step, we intend to work closely and cooperatively with the Department of Justice to square away the remaining procedural matters. They've been our partner each step of the way in this process and I have instructed our team to continue to work closely with them to ensure a smooth transition for our department."
Maturo concluded, "There were many who doubted whether our community was capable of making the sustained changes contemplated in our compliance agreement with the Department of Justice. There were even some who rooted against us. Today, our department and our community are models of tolerance and respect. I am grateful to our residents for their trust and support on this long and difficult journey and I am proud to say, in no uncertain terms, that 'we succeeded.'"