City Council President Aidee Nieves issued this news release on Wednesday:
The Bridgeport City Council stands here today to express our heartfelt pain and compassion for George Floyd, his family, the African American community and our nation as a whole. As a result of the horrific death of George Floyd; our communities and country are understandably reeling from grief, anger, and sadness. We stand united and in solidarity with the family of George Floyd and families of color who have endured the tragic loss of loved ones at the hands of police officers both unjustly and with little to no accountability.
Some residents of Bridgeport have experienced similar incidents with our own police department and have called for reform and accountability. Although the Bridgeport City Council recognizes that history cannot be changed; we can take steps to ensure history does not repeat itself moving forward.
All our police officers have a contract with the residents of Bridgeport to “protect and serve” them. Bridgeport police officers are compensated and trained professionals that must always maintain the highest level of decorum and integrity to ensure the public has trust in their decisions, actions and conduct.
To ensure that the community at large has faith and trust in their elected City Council representatives and police department; the City Council will be taking the following action:
1) We will immediately move to ban any form of “choke holds” in both police training and as an acceptable form of restraint used by the Bridgeport Police Department;
2) We will be working to ensure that all police officers are provided with “constituent engagement” training;
3) We will ensure that all police officers are provided with “de-escalation” training not only in the academy, but on an annual basis;
4) We will work to ensure all police officers are provided body cameras which must be turned on during all interactions with citizens;5) We will be discussing that all BPD settlements and/or judgements related to excessive force and civil rights violations will be paid out of the police overtime budget as a form of accountability for any unlawful behavior;
6) We will review the structure and function of the Board of Police Commissioners.
We also stand in solidarity with those who have peacefully protested the continued injustice and systemic racism African American families and communities of color continue to experience. In addition, we are expecting and support any additional protests and rallies to be held over the next few days, however we are respectfully requesting that all participants peacefully protest while maintaining civility and respect for all Bridgeport’s residents, emergency responders, homes and businesses.As a significantly diverse community, we believe we can rise to the challenge before us together as we are all invested and united in the betterment of every aspect of our beloved Bridgeport.
City Council President Aidee Nieves, this a penny wise and a pound foolish, you are missing the bigger issue of the horrific death of George Floyd. When you look at those marching and protesting are largely young and white, they understand that the death of George Floyd is the symptom of a bigger disease of institutional racism and you don’t even touch the that issue. President Nieves, here is Bridgeport’s George Floyd without the death, a black has been tased and on the ground no moving and three BPD are shown kicking the man in his head. Just look for yourself and tell me what changed has been taken? My experience with the BPD has been good but that doesn’t mean that other black men have my experience, the silence of other BPD members to abuse is acceptance.
https://youtu.be/0AO_7YGma-I
All rhetoric. They have no such authority.
I wonder which anarchist group provided council members the content of this manifesto for them to fill in blanks to make it look as if they authored it.
Their only authority is enforcement of ordinances and oversight of the budget. They are clearly not capable of that role.
They’re just participating in the happening.
Oh they are so woke.
Aidee Nieves and Marcus Brown
Talk is cheap. Haven’t you learned anything from George Floyd’s murder. People are tired of deadline less actions. They want ACTION NOW.
You should:
1) Call for the release of the Charles Ramsey Report on the BPD IMMEDIATELY in its original draft format without any changes.
2) Call for the resignation of all members of the Board of Police Commissioners. Their terms are probably all expired so it should be easy. Do not reappoint any members. If people want to be reappointed, appoint them to another Board or Commission to see if they can act independently. There are plenty of expired terms in the city.
3) Cease the practice of the Board of Police Commissioners meeting in Police Headquarters IMMEDIATELY. Have them meet in City Hall. If you have to ask why maybe you two should consider resigning too.
4) Have the city establish the position of at least two Public Safety Ombudsman; one African American one Hispanic. They would be responsible for meeting with the public to help them navigate the Police Dept when it comes to filing complaints or providing nameless complaints. Their value would be quickly determined by how much work they produce.
Longer term would be a complete review of the Board of Police Commissioners to see what other changes are needed. You should hire your own counsel and not rely on the City Attorney’s Office or the Chief of Police. Establish a 90 day deadline. Then have public hearings through the city.
That’s enough for openers. Sounds Luke a lot of work? Well it is but people are demanding action now not some unspecified time in the future. If you want more recommendations just get a hold of me. Now get to work.
Have some good thoughts there Bob,unfortunately Mario wouldn’t sign off on any of them.
Sorry but some of this is so foolish it makes me laugh. Resolution 5: “We will be discussing…….settlement payments…to come out of the overtime budget…”.
Oh yeah?? Then how will the city pay for the PD to function?
I’ve said it many times regarding “politicians” making statements, especially regarding police issues. It is total pandering. No matter what is done you will never end the relatively FEW unfortunate and tragic incidents that occur because humans, not robots are doing the job. Those who talk about issues with overtime pay in any police department either do not understand it or just use it as a talking point to bloviate. It’s not a 9 to 5 job. Criminals cannot be asked to commit crimes within the time frame of police shifts so that the cops can take care of the problems without going over their time limits! Any measure to reduce funds to pay OT, (as a penalty), does not make sense. Measures that are considered as ONLY a dollar savings ultimately harms the community being served.
Cheers!!!
Or as I have stated here a few times: if you want to eliminate (some) overtime, you’ll need to hire many more cops. There’s no way around it.
Rich, C’MON MAN, that’s your girl Maria who is calling for those settlement come from police overtime.
Then what I wrote applies to her as well.
Cheers.
Agree Ron. That is the most asinine suggestion yet. It like a police officer will ask him self how much OT do we lose if I kill this person or not. It’s obvious in the case of George Floyd the officers involved thought he had no value whatsoever ever as the acted and watch him die. And it is suggestions like this that marginalize the entire killing of George.
So rich let’s get to the main issue here. The murder of George Floyd. Were the charges filed against of four justifiable or not?
Of course they are! Absolutely.
How it pans out in the end-(plea bargaining it down etc.)- remains to be seen. My point is that the PANDERING does nothing whatsoever. Good example: Biden says police should be trained to “shoot em” in the legs!!!!!! Had not thing to do with this tragedy in Minnesota!!!
When will society train criminals to also shoot their victims in the legs etc.??!!!
Let’s all get real!!
Cheers!!!!
City Council President Aidee Nieves, again I question your action, below are comments that you made concerning Charles Ramsey and Chief Perez. President Nieves, you listed a number actions for the city council to vote on but before this vote does the Ramsey’s report address answer any of those concerns that you listed? Have you as the council president seen the Ramsey’s report in which the taxpayers are paying $25,000 for plus it has been over one year since Charles Ramsey was contracted by Mayor Ganim.
“Ganim hires D.C. chief as cop consultant”
By Brian Lockhart, Daniel Tepfer and Tara O’Neill Updated 10:52 pm EDT, Thursday, April 25, 2019
Former Philadephia Police Commissioner and ex-Washington, D.C. PoliceChief Charles Ramsey, who heads the consulting group 21st Century Policing Solutions, will be paid $25,000 for up to four months of consulting work. The price includes expenses. The department under Perez’s leadership has been the focus of multiple controversies: The shooting death of a 15-year-old by a rookie cop; allegations of racism leveled at Perez’s right-hand man, Capt. Mark Straubel; the arrest of Lt. Stephen Shuck for allegedly abusing the payroll and overtime system; Perez’s involvement in an absentee ballot scandal; an Internal Affairs probe that found 17 officers violated various department policies when breaking up a 2017 party; and a female officer captured on videotape repeatedly punching a handcuffed teenager during a motor vehicle stop.
City Council President Aidee Nieves expected Ramsey will look at improving the department’s relationship with the community and implementing more modern public safety strategies.
“I think it’ll be good for the city, the department,” Nieves said, while also anticipating some criticism given Perez’s critics have claimed he was not qualified to be named permanent chief.
Ganim selected Perez in November after a nationwide search and awarded him a five-year contract. But even that has become mired in controversy. The search has caught the interest of the FBI, though why federal authorities are interested is unclear.
“Some might see it as, ‘Oh we have to hire a consultant to help him (Perez),’” admitted Nieves, adding that it is not uncommon for consultants to be brought in to give outside expertise.
Right!! Where is the outcry from ALL council members to release the report?
1) choke hold are already BANNED in BPT PD, unless it’s deadly force.
2) Aidee maybe next time you dial 911, the PD should make sure they have enough in the budget to respond to your baby complaints 🙂
3) body cameras are Already required to be in during every interaction unless they die to due battery failure.
4) if the city stopped settle BS cases, you wouldn’t have that issue. You have no authority to deprive the police department based on the decision of the city’s attorney office. Again, another clown.
Maybe you should start calling Ghostbusters, see how that turns out for you. None of these cops in our City were part of Minnesota or George Floyd. And every cop that I know, was disgusted by it and told me it has no place in what they do.
On this point we are in total agreement. I am sure payments have been made to Charles Ramsey equal to or in excess of the $25,000.
Mark Anastasi has gone through this report sentence by sentence several times fining the smallest changes in order to prevent it from becoming final and thereby FOIable.
When is Charles Ramsey going to stand up for his rights? This process has ruined the professional reputation that he had.
And I don’t know what’s worse for Aidee. To say that she has seen it but is being a good Ganim Democrat and is sworn to secrecy or to say she hasn’t seen it and is allowing herself to be a puppet Council President like every one since Lisa Parziale left office.
Release the report NOW!!!
If a few CC members were really so concerned about the issues of the day they could hold a press conference in front of all our local media demanding that the report be released. I won’t hold my breath waiting for that.
City Council President Aidee Nieves issued this news release on Wednesday:
The Bridgeport City Council stands here today to express our heartfelt pain and compassion for George Floyd, his family, the African American community and our nation as a whole. As a result of the horrific death of George Floyd; our communities and country are understandably reeling from grief, anger, and sadness. We stand united and in solidarity with the family of George Floyd and families of color who have endured the tragic loss of loved ones at the hands of police officers both unjustly and with little to no accountability.
Those are empty and hollow words, with all that’s going on in America and in some country around the world and you haven’t even spoken out and informing the taxpayers what’s in Charles Ramsey, silence means consent and you are doing a terrible injustice, you need to see that report and the contract for Charles Ramsey. Bridgeport is a Minneapolis in waiting, see no evils, hear no evils, speak no evil.
Marcus Brown and Aidee Nieves
“How to try to become relevant without offending anyone.”
Nice job. Is this what we can expect from Marcus if he becomes State Senator?
Promote legislation that is already on the books?
Like I said. Pandering,pandering, pandering.
Definition of pandering: giving people the notion that you can do and accomplish what you are telling them even though you absolutely understand that you will not be able to do it. Tell them what they want to hear, not what you can actually do or attain for them.
And…….it works every time!!!!
Cheers!!!!
That is the most pathetic rhetoric that any Council President has ever uttered. I could take her apart on just about every ignorant word she wrote, but she’s so embarrassing, I don’t want to bring any unnecessary attention to the title she unfortunately holds…. Poor thing!!
I think that pretty much everyone agrees this is Bullshit, especially number 5! What truly offends my sensibilities is that, it’s Not Even Good BULLSHIT.
Good one!!!! “Bullshit” ….. “not even good bullshit!”….. that’s cutting right through all the crap!!!!
Cheers!!!!!!
Don, “BULLSHIT” might not be strong enough, Gamin put his video out on Tuesday I said bullshit then. You protesters marching in every state in America and in some foreign countries for nine days now the BPD is taking a knee and the city council coming with bullshit suggestions. Don, the elected leaders of Bridgeport just don’t get it, they think that the bullshit that they put out is an answer, this much bigger than some feel good resolutions. Where the hell are the black elected officials, where are the Bridgeport Guardians, where is the NAACP, where are their voices of outrage. These resolutions show disrespect to what all of these protesters are marching for, this more than police departments and resolutions, lets start with institutional racism. Council President Aidee Nieves, it took federal laws in Bridgeport to blacks hired on the police and fire department;
I like you Donald. (Big hug.)
I like it, 🙂 Especially #5. These lawsuits are paid out do to the fault of the BPD or the city would win them, and that money has to come from somewhere, depriving other budgetary programs like funding for education, the kids, right? You are looking at the mean to justify the end’s, right? 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz7z_Ga2e5Y