Talk about a pressure cooker position.
That’s what Lieutenant Adam Rozum faces as the new officer in charge of Internal Affairs, a position once held by Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia.
Cops investigating cops requires thick skin, cerebral balance and fortitude in the face of adverse conditions.
As Rozum noted recently, see video above, to the Board of Police Commissioners the job is the “pinnacle regarding integrity.”
Garcia ordered investigations conducted by Internal Affairs into how police responded to the respective December deaths of Lauren Smith-Fields and Brenda Rawls whose family members have criticized the timeliness of notification.
Smith-Fields was found dead in her apartment following a night with a white male she met on the dating app Bumble where women initiate contact. He reported her death to police.
Smith-Fields death was an accident caused by an overdose of Fentanyl combined with prescription medication and alcohol, Rawls died of cardiovascular disease, according to state medical examiner reports.
The cases have come with intense emotion, community rallies, accusations of racism, calls for resignations as details have unfolded while actions still unclear. Rozum’s investigation will review the appropriateness of police conduct.
In a February 7 letter to the police commission Garcia advised:
I assure you and the members of the Police Commission that these investigations, which I initiated, will be thorough, professional, without political influence and will be conducted based on the requirements of due process and the rule of law. As police chief, I give you my personal commitment that there will be no influence on the outcome of these investigations and the correlating reports neither by me nor anyone else that is not a part of the investigating source (OIA). The investigation will be fair and impartial to all involved. Final reports will be compiled at completion of the investigations.
As required by Chapter 13, Section 5(7) of the City Charter, when the investigation is complete, I will “report the results” of the investigation to the Board of Police Commissioners. This procedure is appropriate not only because of the requirements of the City Charter but based upon your powers and prerogatives as Police Commissioners pursuant to CGS section 7-276, which gives you the ‘general management and supervision’ of the Police Department.
I do not know Lt. Adam Rozum personally. I agree with the assessment that a position as head of Police “Internal Affairs” places a person at a “pinnacle regarding integrity”. When events get complicated, demand more time for investigation, or become mired in fairness, discrimination, or other subjective issues, trust in the integrity of the leader of a system is critical. I am happy to wish him well in his new position but could we not learn some more about his history with the Police Department and education in public safety issues beyond basic training?
Also, between Acting Chief Garcia and Lt. Rozum, who has held the positions and for what time periods? Why were changes made and who ordered them? If IA does investigations and makes such reports to Chief or to Police Commission, who decides on the consequences for discipline? Are consequences thought to be fair by the bulk of current officers? A recent rumor that has been mentioned alleged that 83 officers had been referred to IA for investigation? True or not? For leaking info…what info? How significant is the caseload for IA normally? How many other certified officers serve on IA? Generally how long a term do they serve?
How will Lt. Rozum do his work at the pinnacle, help restore some authority and trust to the Police Department, maintain his integrity, and not keep the taxpaying public in the dark, any longer than necessary? Time will tell.