An investigation by the Hartford Courant reveals 19 deaths of unarmed people in Connecticut involving violent confrontations with police occurred in the past decade. About 77 percent were black or Hispanic. No police officer was convicted of a crime. Minority lawmakers at a legislative forum including State Rep. Charlie Stallworth and State Sen. Ed Gomes expressed frustration about police relationships with Bridgeport’s minority community, as well as other lawmakers from around the state with their respective police departments.
From Greg Hladky, Hartford Courant:
Like other minority legislators at the forum, Stallworth sounded discouraged about the lack of progress in reforming police attitudes and how they use force against blacks and Hispanics …
“In my community, we still don’t expect anything to be done” when a black man is killed by police.
Sen. Ed Gomes, an African American lawmaker from Bridgeport, cited a recent case of a video of police in his city “stomping” a man in a park. Two officers pleaded guilty in that case, but a third, an African American officer, was acquitted in a federal jury trial.
“This was police brutality,” Gomes said. “I don’t care what color he was–police brutality is police brutality. … Belief in police officers and the authorities goes down the drain when you see something like that.”
Full story here.
Oh well, what else is new because this isn’t. I just can’t believe State Rep Rev. Stallworth, look at positions he has been in, a police commissioner, President of the IMA and a State Representative and what has he done about anything in the Bridgeport Police Department? Nothing. What does he say now, still nothing. Now Senator Ed Gomes is right on point, he is outraged about police brutality and makes it known; Stallworth, please.
Rep. Charles Stallworth, an African American legislator from Bridgeport and a minister, said his city’s police force is only 14 percent minority in a community that is 80 percent black and Hispanic.
Here is another statement by Stallworth that shows just how dumb he is. The fact is the Bridgeport Police department is made up of 43% minorities.
Andy Fardy, nice pickup of the 14% that was wrong.
Quite a few police officers are incredibly disrespectful to Bridgeport residents. Even for routine or minor traffic stops. Therefore it causes residents to shun police officers and distrust them.
It is very difficult to place your trust in others in Bridgeport, period. I have experienced betrayal by people I have supported and taken at their word. Someone told me once the only people who can betray you are those you trust. After all, your enemies cannot betray you because you already know where they stand.
Besides Andre Baker, Dave Hennessey and Fran Rabinowitz’s betrayals, I have recently experienced even more betrayal from people whom I misplaced some level of trust in.
The only thing you can do is learn from it and use those lessons to be more careful moving forward.
You know this how?