Leader Of Minority Police Officer Group Airs Gripes Against Chief Porter

Carlos Pabon Jr, president of the Bridgeport Guardians organization, a watchdog for minority police-officer equity, claims in a letter to Mayor Joe Ganim members are “experiencing systemic violations that are obstructing the career advancement of minority officers” under Police Chief Roderick Porter.

Pabon notes, “It is disheartening that in 2025, under the leadership of a Black Police Chief, Roderick Porter, we must file this formal complaint.”

While Porter has made gains in building community relationships leveraging walking patrols, regular neighborhood meetings and weekly Facebook updates, as well as experiencing a precipitous drop in overall crime, his relationship inside the building with a segment of the rank and file, is a different story.

Pabon letter:

Mayor Joseph Ganim

Chief of Staff Daniel Shamus 

Deputy CAO David Reyes 

City Council President Aidee Nieves 

 

FROM: Carlos Pabon Jr President, Bridgeport Guardians 

              The Bridgeport Guardians Executive Board 

 

DATE: June 17, 2025

 

RE: Continued Civil Rights Violations and Lack of Career Advancement for Minority Officers Under Chief Porter’s Leadership

Dear Mayor Joseph Ganim, Daniel Shamus, David Reyes and Aidee Nieves,

On behalf of the Bridgeport Guardians, I am writing to express our continued concerns regarding the persistent and troubling issues under the leadership of Chief Porter. While we appreciate the open-door policy your administration has maintained particularly our meetings with Mr. Shamus and Mr. Reyes, we must candidly state that the issues we have raised continue to go unresolved.

It is disheartening that in 2025, under the leadership of a Black Police Chief, Roderick Porter, we must file this formal complaint. While it may appear paradoxical, systemic injustice can persist irrespective of who holds authority when transparency and accountability are absent.

Despite detailed discussions and documentation, we are still experiencing systemic violations that are obstructing the career advancement of minority officers and eroding confidence in equitable leadership within the Bridgeport Police Department. These issues not only persist they appear to be escalating.

Chief Porter has repeatedly failed to comply with local, state, and federal laws designed to ensure fairness in recruitment, retention, and promotion, particularly for officers from minority backgrounds. The following are specific examples of these violations:

• Elimination of 15 Funded Sergeant Positions: At Chief Porter’s request, these critical promotional opportunities many likely to benefit minority officers were removed from the police budget.
• Failure to Fill Lieutenant and Captain Vacancies: Chief Porter allowed eligibility lists to expire without promoting qualified Black and Brown officers, reportedly due to personal bias. These positions remain unjustifiably vacant, with the previous exam having expired and no request made to the Civil Service Director to initiate a new exam process. Sergeants Bernard Webb (32-year veteran) and Lawrence Lazzaro (23-year veteran) were denied promotion to Lieutenant, despite eligibility and available openings. Lieutenant Charles Johnson, the sole Black Lieutenant eligible for Captain, was denied advancement before the eligibility list expired in September 2023.

• Discriminatory Assistant Chief Appointments: Despite Captain Blackwell earning the top score on the IO Solutions promotional exam, he was inexplicably ranked second-to-last by Chief Porter during the “Chief’s Interview.” This stark discrepancy raises serious concerns about potential bias, retaliation, or the misuse of discretionary authority in the evaluation process.

Furthermore, three non-minority candidates have been selected for the position. This pattern of hiring raises legitimate questions as to whether the individuals selected actually possessed the preferred qualifications the city claimed to prioritize. The disparity between Captain Blackwell’s objectively demonstrated performance and his subjective ranking combined with the lack of diversity in recent promotions warrants a thorough and transparent investigation of the selection process.

• Violation of the Bridgeport City Charter (120-Day Rule): The City of Bridgeport and Chief Porter are in violation of the City Charter by failing to conduct promotional examinations within the mandated 120-day period following a vacancy. This failure not only obstructs the lawful promotional process but also deprives qualified individuals of advancement opportunities as required under the Charter and civil service regulations.

Furthermore, Chief Porter, who holds the exclusive authority to request that a promotional exam be administered and to recommend individuals for promotion, has not exercised this authority in accordance with the Charter’s timeline. His inaction has effectively stalled the promotional process, reinforcing a systemic disregard for the rules governing civil service appointments.

The misuse or neglect of this authority represents a direct abuse of power. It undermines the merit-based system designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity in public employment within the City of Bridgeport.

• Violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 7-291a,: Connecticut General Statutes § 7-291a mandates that municipal law enforcement agencies establish and implement guidelines designed to promote diversity within their departments. This statute reflects a clear legislative intent to ensure equitable hiring practices, inclusive workplace environments, and proactive measures that foster representation across all ranks of law enforcement.

Chief Porter’s actions are in direct conflict with both the letter and spirit of this statute. By failing to uphold or actively undermining established diversity guidelines whether through discriminatory hiring decisions, suppressing minority advancement, or neglecting institutional equity frameworks Chief Porter has violated the obligations imposed by § 7-291a. His conduct represents a systemic failure to promote a diverse and inclusive law enforcement agency as required under Connecticut law.

• Walker v. Jankura Violation: The Connecticut Supreme Court held that the deliberate elimination or delay of positions within a civil service system for the purpose of resetting or bypassing existing eligibility lists constitutes an unlawful manipulation of the promotion process. Such actions undermine the merit-based principles foundational to civil service law and are expressly prohibited. Walker v. Jankura reinforces both the legal and ethical obligation to uphold the integrity of the civil service system. Intentional manipulation of the promotion process is not only unfair it is unlawful. Ensuring fairness and compliance safeguards the rights of employees. We further assert that the elimination of these positions appears to be a calculated attempt to circumvent the ruling in Walker v. Jankura—a precedent that prohibits discriminatory manipulation of promotional processes. This tactic is a violation of law and should not be allowed to stand.

Chief Porter’s conduct potentially violates:

• Federal Law:
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • 42 U.S.C. § 1983 – Civil Action for Deprivation of Rights
  • Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
• State Law:
  • Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (CFEPA)
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-58 – Equal Protection under Law
  • Connecticut General Statutes § 7-291a, – Minority Recruitment & Retention
  • Walker v. Jankura, 162 Conn. 482 (1972)
• Municipal Law:
  • Bridgeport City Charter – Chapter 17, Section 211

Chief Porter’s internal practices starkly contradict his public affirmations of supporting diversity and officer development. These contradictions continue to harm the careers of dedicated Black and Brown officers and erode trust in the leadership of our department.

Mayor Ganim, these laws, court decisions, and civil service rules are not suggestions. They are legally binding frameworks that guide how our city must operate. Your administration must intervene to stop these egregious practices. Continued inaction sends a clear message: that the career growth and legal rights of minority officers are not a priority.

We are grateful for the dialogue your administration has maintained with the Bridgeport Guardians. However, dialogue alone is no longer sufficient. We need action.

We respectfully urge your immediate and decisive intervention to ensure that the law is upheld, that equality is enforced, and that the systemic discrimination under Chief Porter is brought to an end.

Sincerely,

P/O Carlos Pabon Jr

President, Bridgeport Guardians