UPDATE, police report: Oh, this is an OIB moment. You don’t often hear about men in kilts fighting. Robert Curwen Jr., son of the outgoing (or is he?) City Councilman Robert Curwen Sr., having a rowdy time the evening of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration last Friday, was pinched by city police after a physical altercation with a relative that spilled out to McLevy Green and then mouthing off to cops that included oodles of name dropping. The younger Curwen wants to replace his father on the City Council, or so he was telling anyone willing to listen to him that night. This is a classic case of Curwen talking his way into handcuffs. According to the police report obtained by OIB through an FOI request, young Curwen told the arresting officer, “My father is Bob Curwen, I’m calling the mayor and you’re going to be gone.” Not a good thing to tell a cop.
According to the police report, last Friday, several hours after the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, police responded to a call of an altercation at McLevy Green Downtown where they found Curwen, 36, in an agitated state and mouthing off to cops. Police asked Curwen to chill out and when he refused to comply with a few choice words he was charged with interfering with police and breach of peace, processed at the cop house where he cooled off in lockup for a few hours. During the incident and afterwards in the cop house Curwen made it known he knows everybody in Bridgeport and he aspires to his father’s council seat. Curwen’s relative was not charged in the incident.
Papa Curwen, who represented the Upper East Side, verbally announced his resignation from the council a few months ago citing family health reasons, but as of late last week had not issued an official letter of resignation. He sold his Bridgeport house and moved his family to Virginia to attend to the medical needs of his daughter. Could it be daddy’s holding back an official written resignation until he receives a commitment from his council peers they will confirm his son as his replacement? City Council members vote to fill vacancies, but city lawyers aren’t convinced a verbal resignation is sufficient for an elected official to vacate office so the city’s looking into a course of action for the council to void Curwen and vote on a replacement. But wait, now papa Curwen is telling folks he might just change his mind and remain on the council.
Police report by Police Officer Christine Burns:
I was dispatched to 909 Main Street, McLevy Green, on a report of two men in kilts assaulting each other. I observed both men who fit the description and were later identified as Curwen and (Raymond) Collette, on the corner of Main and Bank Streets in front of the McLevy Green, upon my arrival. Curwen was standing next to Collette, who was seated on a bench. I, along with officer P.O. Jarrett, approached the men and asked if everything was okay. Curwen stated they were related and that everything was fine. I detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from both Curwen and Collette. I informed the men that I was sent there on a reported assault. Both stated that they were cousins and insisted they hadn’t been fighting. I observed Collette bleeding from his left ear and I observed a cut on Curwen’s left hand and a welt and some blood on the left side of his face. I immediately called for the medics via Channel 1. Curwen stated that the injuries occurred when Collette had fallen in front of a bar on State Street and he was unable to catch him on time.
Curwen stated that they did not need medical attention and were just going to leave. He stated that they were going to go to the Holiday Inn to meet his wife who would then drive them home from there. I informed Curwen that he’d have to wait for the medics as he and Collette appeared to be highly intoxicated and had apparent physical injuries. I told him that if the medics cleared them, they’d be free to leave.
Curwen stated that he was politically connected and that his father was Bob Curwen. Curwen began to appear agitated and I told him to take a seat on a nearby bench to await the medics. Curwen squared off on me, assumed a fighting stance and stated, “LETS NOT ESCALATE THIS, I’M NOT GOING TO SIT, I DON’T HAVE TO!” Curwen is approximately 6’2″, 240lbs and had the advantage of both height and weight over me. Fearing Curwen was about to become combative, I again insisted that he sit on the bench or the stone wall behind it. I repeated this command six or seven times. A crowd of pedestrians, who had been on Main and Bank Streets was beginning to form at this time. Curwen reached behind his back with his left hand and yelled, “YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE, OFFICER! MY FATHER IS BOB CURWEN, I’M CALLING THE MAYOR AND YOU’RE GOING TO BE GONE!” I immediately checked the area of Curwen’s low back, fearing he was reaching for a weapon. Curwen then yelled, “I’M NOT RESTRAINING!” I placed my handcuffs on Curwen’s left hand, which was already behind his back. A woman, later identified as Kasia Curwen, was approaching the scene while screaming and crying,”STOP!” as I was attempting to secure Curwen’s right hand with my handcuffs.
Curwen began to yell, “GET THIS ON VIDEO! RECORD THIS WHOLE THING!” Kasia, Curwen’s wife, began yelling, “SHUT UP! YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES, YOU DO THIS EVERY YEAR!” P.O. Jarrett calmed the visibly upset Mrs. Curwen who continued to state that Curwen and Collette are “assholes who get drunk and fight every year.” Collette then stated, “Well, maybe every other year.”
Medics responded and were refused by both Curwen and Collette.
I called for additional cover units and a supervisor at this time due to the situation escalating and threats being made. I began to escort Curwen to one of the marked patrol cars on scene when he began to yell, “OH, YOU’RE PUSHING ME NOW?!” I informed Curwen that I was going to place him in rear of a patrol car and he began yelling to a crowd of people gathered on the corner of Main and Bank Streets, “RECORD THIS! GET THIS ALL ON VIDEO!”
Sgt. E. Golding responded to the scene and I made him aware of the situation. Curwen was placed in the rear of a patrol car and was transported to Booking by P.O. T. Kristy.
Do the City Council members have a lawyer on retainer the taxpayers pay for? If not I’m surprised. Bridgeport the unreal.
Oh boy, here comes Andy Fardy and Mrs. Barney.
Joel,
I ran for city council once already. The voters spoke and sent the two clowns back to their seats. Andy and I worked hard, got our message out and had a respectable amount of votes. But the residents thought otherwise. Of course the machine adding the spoiler candidates didn’t help.
I have not ruled out another chance at running. However, Hennessy’s bill will eliminate me.
It is no secret I am a teacher and technically a city employee. The mayor does not control my job or position. He could not have undo influence on me. I would have to recuse myself from BOE budget decisions.
I was raised to believe if the community were good enough to work in, it should be good enough to live in. If it isn’t good enough to live in and send your children to the schools then you had an obligation to do something about it.
I tried. I stepped up and put my money where my mouth is. I collected signatures, qualified to get on the ballot and lost.
I might do it again. But the government is trying to stop people like myself from running and sitting on the council.
Don’t get me wrong. I understand the intent of the bill. I strongly believe there are a number of city-held positions that qualify for what this bill is trying to accomplish. Unfortunately, I won’t support it because it will penalize people like myself who technically work for the city but don’t represent a conflict of interest (other than BOE budget) and cannot be strong-armed by the mayor.
Ann, several legislators have said if Hennessy’s bill passes it won’t prevent BOE employees from running.
Lennie,
I have heard some legislators want educators to be exempt from the bill. But I also thought Hennessy and others were fighting hard to keep teachers out. I assume the bill won’t pass on the first attempt. That is pretty common that bills take more than once to pass. My understanding is as written now I would not be able to seek election.
Am I wrong? Or are you predicting a rewritten bill would exempt teachers?
Any insight would be appreciated.
True, Lennie–BOE employees are not considered city employees in the opinion of the State of CT according to Auden Grogins who asked for a ruling on this very issue.
Too bad. Ann is precisely the quality of person who should be a member of the City Council.
Teachers on the City Council will have to vote on the budget, that is a conflict of interest.
Teachers are city employees and eat from the same budget, as do fire and police and all city employees.
Stop all this false information, or this bill is finished.
Jack, wake up!
Jim,
Call me regarding your post. Is it possible your comment is slightly off? Look forward to getting the conflicts out of the decision chambers as much as you do, I think. Time will tell.
Our City government is somewhat like the RC Church that declares to its members, “We are not a democracy” despite evidence male and female communities elect leaders as well as goals and objectives for years at a time, and the Papal Conclave just concluded depended on carefully folded and dropped and then needled ballots were evidence of an election by a class of nobility that was not present for centuries. Cardinals are kind of latecomer royalty?
In Bridgeport we know a Mayor can be monarchical because enough of the levers of government have been compromised. And this Mayor certainly has an inner court of advisers. But the funny thing is many Council members act as if they were nobility, with a City paycheck or other perquisite inducement to “follow the leader,” or with a trip or two at City expense through stipend, or eating taxpayer-purchased food enough times per year to qualify for the phrase “feeding at the trough.”
My own observation is a few of them clearly appear more like court jesters than stewards of the kingdom with serious-minded service as primary reason for public action. And do the rest really understand what it means to represent the public interest or have the lessons of the Ganim years in terms of “I’m going to fill my car trunk,” is the obvious lesson. Ganim has paid a debt to the community through his years of captivity away from his family. But the community has paid a serious price too for the easy lessons taught to those interested in the political stance of “What’s in it for me?”
The royal machine has made it difficult for Council, Ethics and any other group to retain an outside attorney, falling back on Mark Anastasi for legal opinions du jour. Guess it cuts expenses, but it cuts opinions and thinking outside the box also, and roots the royalty in unreality. For instance, the City Council allocates $90,000-100,000 annually for Other Expenses, and then spends little of it for anything like legal or financial advice that might provide genuine assistance when they are confused. Seem to remember the last time it was tapped by a Courtly Council Man to make a charitable contribution to the Barnum Museum. Worthy 501c3? Yes. Priority expense for stretched City budget? What do you think? Where did the remaining Other Expense funds get spent? I guess Anne Kelly-Lenz needs to distribute the final June 30, 2012 monthly financial report now that the audit is complete. Remember the paperwork last July was only a draft? Time will tell.
This arrest will hurt Bob senior’s plan to stay on the council through his son. Junior would be a bad choice period. Having dealt with him in some joint endeavors the problem is he has a short attention span and would tire of doing his father’s bidding.
Being mouthy is out of character for him, must have been too much celebrating. I hate to see young people like this make mistakes that could hurt them for a long time.
Can Jr Curwen rap like Pete Finch?
Loser.
As they say, the apple does not fall far from the tree.
Btw, I will make sure not to wish Mr. Walker luck again in his mayoral run, as catching the wrath of Mr. Lee isn’t worth my well wishes.
Being Mr. Walker just moved here three years ago I hope he has GPS of the whole city not just Black Rock. He will need it.
To Bob Curwen Sr. Give us all a break and freaking resign. You know you live in Virginia and not here anymore. If your plan was to have your son serve your term give him a freaking break and let him live in peace. You served for over 14 years which is waay too long, give it up. Bob Jr. doesn’t need the added BS of trying to push our agendas through the council. Bob ride off into the sunset, join the redneck brigade in Virginia and live a happy life.
So this is what they do at Central High School Harlem shake smh hmmm.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=3IllDcxlOaw
donj,
In the age of smart phones and Curwen’s request to capture his arrest on video, I think it is safe to assume a video exists. Maybe you can find the video for us. The video of a drunk Curwen in a kilt would be priceless.
The City Charter needs to be changed so vacancies on the city council are filled through special elections and not by members of the city council.
Bob Curwen Jr. in a skirt. Bob Curwen Sr. in a skirt. A family full of skirts.
The arrogant little turd. I give the arresting officers big-time props for their restraint. I would have parted Curwen’s hair with my baton, and then pepper-sprayed his drunk azz.
Yay for internet tough guys! You’re obviously clueless!
You’re obviously a drunk like Curwen. Go crawl back under your bar stool.
You’re obviously an ornery old quaker. Go retire to FL and save us from paying for your geriatric care.
You go to FL and save us from reading your moronic drivel.
I can’t stop laughing. This is just too good.
Bridgeport cops usually don’t overreact like this. Terrible. Make our town more of a circus and screw up a family and a guy’s life while you’re at it. Wasn’t the arresting officer at least one time a news story unto herself?
She’s a good cop! She did everything right, and years ago they would have, and should, beat the shit outa the wise ass!
www .ctpost.com/default/article/Fired-cop-ordered-reinstated-but-demoted-2436086.php
Good cop? Maybe by BARF standards!
What way did they overreact? Someone called the PD about a fight and they responded. If the party involved had kept his mouth shut he would not have been arrested. The only one who screwed ip was Curwen Jr. The police did not force him to drink to excess, they did not goad him into a fight with his cousin. You are way off base here.
*** Let’s not be too quick to paint these two St. Paddy’s Parade young bagpipe playing cousins with a wide brush just because they consumed too much suds in a short matter of time, kin wrestled a bit and one of them could not realize at times “silence is golden.” Shit happens sometimes, even to really good kids whose judgement obviously was impaired by the excitement of the day, the moment and of course the alcohol! Hopefully both will learn a lesson from this St. Patrick’s Day debacle wake-up call, and in which neither of the boys’ parents (who were not present) need be mentioned here on OIB in a negative way! *** TO ERR IS HUMAN ***
Bullshit.
As usual.
*** AS USUAL THE ALWAYS PERFECT “HUMANOID” WITH THE ALWAYS PERFECT ANSWERS TO ALL THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS AND THEN SOME, NO? *** CASTAWAY FROM GILLIGAN’S ISLE *** SOS ***
Once again, I agree with Mojo. The man drank too much. End of story.
That said, HE HAS NO business being “placed” on the city council. NONE!
Curwen needs to resign. The fact his son wants to replace him and believes he has some clout over a Bridgeport police officer is most disturbing. At 36 he is no kid. I would not want to hear his conversation with his dad. We need some sincere talent to get the upper East Side moving in the right direction. I am certain Curwen has reached the pinnacle of his political career. Time to step aside.
*** My oldest is about 36, followed by the rest and will always be kids at heart to me! ***
Where do I start? So much to work with here! As with Christina Ayala, my thought is: “if you aspire to public service, you need to seriously consider the perception of the public you want to serve.” Seems like a no-brainier, right? Apparently not.
Public drunken mistakes like this are excusable at 25, but at 36? But wait, he was wearing a skirt, right? Well I guess it does not matter how old he is in that case. All bets are off. People will be re-telling that story over and over just because of the spectacle it created. Damn! I wish I was there. And Curwen yelling “get this on camera?” I am sure he ate those words for breakfast and washed them down with the morning stout he most certainly needed to get rid of that hangover.
The moral of the story: If you feel a need to cross-dress coming on, stay home. If you feel a need to drink and cross-dress coming on, call me. I will be there with a video camera.
And how can we forget then State Senator Bill Finch and his son Pete getting into a fracas with bouncers at a bar at UCONN …
First time I was able to read the report …
The misquotes are obviously deliberate to cover the officer’s own ass and says nothing about her unprofessional goading of an upstanding citizen simply because he was wearing a kilt. NOR does it say anything about how she’s been gabbing ever since about how she nabbed a kiltie on St. Patty’s Day.
I was there … there was no fight.
The officer was aggressive and combative and was in full-on power trip mode making demands and threats. When the officer asked for his ID and said oh you’re Bob Curwen, THEN he said that his father was Bob Curwen. He NEVER NEVER NEVER said I know the mayor and I’ll get you fired. Bob Sr. is in VA and even if he weren’t he couldn’t do anything like that.
The scary part is … if THIS type of officer is having a power trip in the early evening hours with guys in jackets and ties when there was no violation of the law … Can you only imagine how she handles things on the East Side or the South End?
Brick, so there was no fight? How did the cousin get a bloody ear and Curwin damaged knuckles? How do you know he would not do anything like that, mentioning the mayor and his dad?
You are trying to turn the tables on this arrest. If you know so much and saw so much why don’t you go to the Detective bureau or internal affairs with your alleged eyewitness account. BTW Curwen did not get arrested for fighting he was arrested for breach of peace. I don’t believe your post for a minute.
No fight …
Raised concrete on the corner of State and Merkle caused a trip.
There were no damaged knuckles whatsoever.
What clout could any Curwen have with the mayor to use his name? You know the mayor and Bob Sr. weren’t tight to be dropping names like that.
I suppose you saw the alleged trip, also bullshit. I don’t know what your agenda is but it’s off base. BTW before he left for Virginia he was able to secure a city job for his youngest son. What have you got to say about that?
Yeah, raised concrete on the corner of State and Merkle …
How does one secure a job with the city? Maybe he actually submitted an application. Ever think of that?
Yeah sure, and you believe in the tooth fairy.
Too bad the cops didn’t slap the piss out of this jerk. He was begging for a tune-up. Sounds like his sparkplugs are out of sync.
BTW Lennie … “lifted his kilt and paid the price?” A little bit of sensationalism, no?
“Sensationalism?” That deduction would depend on whether the view was, in fact, sensational. Right? 🙂
This nepotism has to stop! What qualifies Curwen Jr. to be on the council? Who does he represent? Do the constituents want him?
Why on earth do we need another Stafstrom in Bpt politics? Hasn’t the first one taken enough advantage of his position? (Wet his beak, as they say?) Do the constituents want him? I can think of many many qualified people in Black Rock who would be better-suited to represent, i.e. no agenda other than good transparent government, no NEPOTISM, no same old same old.
Ugh, Bridgeport, you continue to amaze and disappoint on every level.
Again, it was Vallas’ money-saving idea to turn over the school maintenance to the City of Bridgeport.
Is this guy a douche bag, or what?!
*** Sounds like a rushed OIB judgement without facts and nothing more than rumored personal opinions, once again from those on the outside looking in, no? ***
The only good thing about this episode is proof none of these pieces of shit should represent us on the Common Council.
Andy Fardy, run. You will have tons of support.
This is a very odd story. You have a cop who got in trouble for NOT flipping on a cop buddy who caused an accident. Then you have an Irish guy who is drunk on St. Paddy’s day (go figure) and happens to be a council member’s son. Then you have an ‘anything goes’ city like Bridgeport. I would defy any of you to get arrested in town. Short of shooting a gun in the city it is not an easy thing to do.
The cop comes upon these two lumped-up knuckleheads and asks what happened. They both say ‘I fell’ and both reject medical attention. What should have been a ‘You go that way. You go this way. If I see you two again you’re going downtown.’ moment turns into an arrest.
The cops was in a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ position. The story she let a council member’s son go would have been just as bad as arresting him. No win there. This cop either has issue with him or he was being such a jerk he put himself in cuffs or the cop was told to bust him by someone who wanted the bad press to get out. I have seen a few fights in town and this is not what usually happens. If both parties behave when the cops show up, are equally lumped up and refuse to file a complaint, they are told to go home and sent off in opposite directions.