Connecticut Post Editorial:
Arresting Mayor Bill Finch’s son for walking down the street with a street sign was a mighty petty action by Bridgeport police officers.
In the midst of a bona-fide public safety emergency, their judgment leaves a lot to be desired.
Now, was Peter Finch a bit juvenile and flippant in his behavior? Maybe.
But the 28-year-old is not a gun-carrying sworn officer of the law.
In the aftermath of a tornado hitting Bridgeport, the mayor’s son picked up a “Broad Street” sign from a toppled pole downtown, outside the City Hall annex. He walked down Broad Street with the sign and took it into Murphy’s Law, a bar on Fairfield Avenue, not before posing for a photo.
Perhaps not the most appropriate move when city public works crews were working hard to clean up the mess and police officers were trying to secure areas.
But would not a “Hey, kid, gimme the sign,” have sufficed?
The sorry fact is that one of the arresting officers, Frank Cuccaro, is a past president of Local 1159, the city’s police union.
Finch – Mayor Finch, that is – is leaning on the union for givebacks as the city tries to work its way through hard times. There’s plenty of bad blood to go around.
But if this was somebody’s idea of getting even, it’s pretty sad.
Recovery Update From Mayor’s Office:
Bridgeport EOC Tornado Recovery
· The City of Bridgeport EOC in coordination with the Connecticut American Red Cross will be setting up a Mass Care Distribution Point on Sunday, June 27, 2010 beginning at 10:00am at the Steel Pointe Parking Lot located at the corner of Pembroke and Ann Streets. (The distribution point will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
· At this site the Red Cross and EOC will be distributing water, ice and will provide light food for those residents impacted by the tornadic event. We will also be referring residents to various agencies to meet any specific needs they may have at this time.
· In addition, Cesar Batalla School will remain open until 9:00 a.m. Monday June 28, 2010. Residents located at the shelter will be assisted by the City and State Social Services Departments and the American Red Cross regarding any unmet housing needs.
· We continue to ask residents, businesses and non-profit agencies to contact the City of Bridgeport EOC at 203.579.3829 to report storm related damages. This will allow us to document the addresses and locations impacted by the storm and provide this information to FEMA on Monday. We also urge those impacted by the storm to contact their insurance provider to determine coverage.
· 700 customers are still without power in the city, and the UI as well as our Public Facilities and Police Departments are working together to remedy the situation.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest!
Have to give a heartfelt hug to the residents of Bridgeport. Had this happened in any of the other cities they normally lump us with, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago etc., there would have been looting and who knows what else. The citizens of Bridgeport stood together helping where they could. Have to give special recognition to Joel Gonzalez (saw him directing traffic on E. Main St.) for taking time to help out across town. Bridgeporters are the best BAR NONE!!!
Leonard
How many times do I have to tell you that being on the same wavelength of the CT Post editorial board should not be seen as a good place to be.
And Leonard, “City Flatfoots Look Flat Stupid,” where does this anger come from??? Get a ticket in B-port lately???
Your first blog may have made sense but if you posted the one in the Post AFTER it was reported the mayor’s son said F the Cops on his Facebook page well shame on you.
PS Have you read the response to your posting at the Post site??? I would say four or five to one against your opinion. Shows how popular the mayor is.
Reap, I love you too! And yes I read all those love letters on my Post site because I approve comments. So thank you for your loyalty to both sites. And by the way, most posters on my mothership site (here) support my position. Even the Finch critics here, and there are many, understand the police motive. I’m grateful the general level of comment intelligence here is much higher than over there.
Riddle me this …
What do the mayor’s son, the CT Post and Lennie Grimaldi all have in common??? They are all into self promotion.
The mayor’s son proclaims he is a promoter but having pictures taken with his stolen sign and going into a downtown bar crosses the line.
The CT Post runs an editorial against the police department on the same day they run a featured story suggesting a police sick out.
And Lennie runs a silly blog against the Flatfoots (term used circa 1950) on the CT Post blog to run traffic to his site.
My friend Hector Diaz has it right. The overriding theme should be Bridgeport Pitches In Instead of Striking Out in positive response to disaster.
And Lennie maybe the Flatfoots had it right; pinch the mayor’s son and the message will quickly get out that the police are not putting up with any nonsense from anybody.
Grin
There was a State of Emergency in force. Human tragedy everywhere. It’s all about proper judgment and human safety. The grudge match over union negotiations had no place on Thursday evening. Period.
If anyone really believed there was a State of Emergency then why oh why was Murphy’s Law allowed to stay open???
Please, stop this allegiance to the Finchster. This is nonsense. If there were a State of Emergency EVERY business downtown should have been forced to close. But they were not. If there were a curfew EVERYONE should have been ordered off the streets, at least in the impacted area, but they were not. Cut the nonsense. It was a PR emergency and nothing else.
Cut the nonsense: Grin Reaper is a PR (public relations) blogger and nothing else.
Birdman said “Tweet! Tweet!!”
Bridgeport received a grade of D in their job of miscommunication to the public.
Here’s why call me Local Eyes:
On Thursday night every secretive police unit was in Bridgeport making a deliberate presence.
Why?
Authorities believed the tornado was an isolated incident and consequently sent every S.W.A.T. team to Bridgeport for defensive/political reasons. This might explain why The BPD had time during an otherwise hectic period.
Looting was a serious concern that never materialized because there was a HUGE para-military presence. The press never reported this.
It seems as if the digging for truth has stopped on this blog and much like the fake paper in town there is just a regurgitation of the party line. Sad.
There is no journalistic integrity in Bridgeport or half the management in city hall and in the boe would be out of positions.
Layoffs while others get raises and promotions is a crime of human integrity, trying to lease a broken-down hazmat error like Bodine for 10 years should be greeted with wrist jewelry not approval.
StEAl point should be a lifesaver for a metropolis not a payoff for a few dirty souls and a never will be.
There is enough going on around this city to keep a true journalist busy digging 24/7, but seems the digging stopped a while back.
They must have been Storm Troopers.
Overheard at the water bubbler down at Mummy’s Pond, the cavalry cops gazing into the mirror of the lake, at Seaside Park, while watering the police horses. “If Finch wants concessions then tell him to come down to Seaside Park for some concessions.”
The Oracle of Omaha Steaks!
Finch to open a Concession Stand down at Seaside to be named “Custard’s Last Stand!” It will feature a Volleyball court where the city and the unions will draw a line in the sand under the net. Best of three wins or loses.
Water-themed park in the works to be called “Waterloo!”
I would like the artistic and riparian ice sculpture rights for my stand.
“The Lemon Iceman Cometh!”
The Gossip of The Rialto!
Peter Finch enters into a joint venture with Murphy’s Law for a snack bar and souvenir concession stand at Seaside Park.
“Signs of The Times!”
Bridgeport PD to open coffee and donut shop in protest against Finch.
“Comp Time!” Cops eat and drink free. At least you will know where to find one.
Grin Reaper to open a gas, repair and strip bar at Seaside Stables.
“The Grin Reapairer! The place to Grin and Bare It!!! :)” Lennie says he won’t “Hold it against him!”
Celebrating a birthday at The Rialto today with a Tullamore Dew is John Gilmore. John always does his “Dew” diligence.
Somebody around here needs to increase their meds.
“Let the Good Himes Roll!”
Jimmy Himes’ birthday is today. He’s throwing a fundraiser at the BarFest egress.
BarFest? Was it an all you can drink affair?
O.I.B. Rumor Mill:
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers name their new album MOJO in honor of Mojo, OIB’s favorite blog poster.
www .411mania.com/siteimages/tph_mojo_cover_56194.jpg
When asked about his adventures on the road, Tom Petty replied “if Mojo played guitar I would’ve offered him the OPENING ACT on our current tour.”
But when asked if anyone was cooler than Mojo, Tom Petty was heard to say “FUGGEDABOUTIT.”
Lennie
Is it 25 cents to the egress?
Happy Birthday to Joe Grabarz! He’s always in a beehive of activities.
Lennie Grimaldi I have lost all respect for you as a journalist. You write about something you know nothing about. Were you downtown Thursday night when Finch’s son was arrested? No. Was I? Yes and here is what happened. Public works was out in full force working their asses off in that heat and humidity. Angel Depara, councilman McCarthy from Black Rock and some others were out there supporting the workers and handing out bottles of water. I PERSONALLY saw Frank Cuccaro picking up branches and debris along with the PW men. He could have sat in his air-conditioned car but he didn’t. He pitched right in even though he didn’t have to. In contrast here come Peter Finch, sign tucked under his arm, goofy smile on his face as if he owned the place. Didn’t offer to help, didn’t say a kind word, nothing. Blatantly had his picture taken with the stolen property (no doubt for his facebook page) and then goes into a bar. His “fuck the police” comment on facebook show the true character of this punk.
As far as the state of emergency that was a joke. State of emergency and curfews apply to everyone not just the people who live on East Main Street. Here’s a thought: if a Hispanic guy on East Main Street were arrested stealing a street sign, would Grimaldi be jumping to his defense? I don’t think so. He’d be called a looter and put in the lockup overnight. You people who defend Finch and his son disgust me.
Thank you harley76 and Milton Johnson (My brother) for your support!!!
Petey should be careful on his facebook, writing about which bar he’ll be drinking at. Next arrest will be for DUI. Then what will daddy and Grimaldi say? Blame the cops again?
Here’s where Fabrizi was smart. He knew not to piss the cops off, that’s why they covered for him and ignored his many indiscretions.
So harley, are you saying had the mayor made nice with the cops they’d have overlooked Pete?
Lennie,
Do you even have a job? You are the RAT that snitched on Joe Ganim, Right? Got any more of that $1000 a bottle of wine left? I don’t give a F – – K what a felon (like yourself) thinks!!! Our Union is Stronger than ever before!!! If you lay off cops, public safety is in jeopardy. Then Sal DiNardo can’t make $$$ and Bill’s people will get MAD at him … It’s a vicious cycle! FINCH SUCKS! One year left, then the Democratic machine can find some other whacko for Mayor … Can’t wait … 🙂
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Such class.
We don’t pay police officers to pick up downed branches. If in fact he was doing that. What’s being said here is get along with the cops or they will get your kid the next time he is driving after drinking unless the mayor goes along. Sounds like a threat. harley you are 100% wrong.
I agree 100% with harley76. No one bothered to answer the question. If it were an average Joe in that situation, would you guys be defending him? The answer is NO! Here we are, during this storm recovery effort, with extra police on the streets to prevent crimes that generally occur after a catastrophe, and when they do their job they are criticized. So what, negotiations aren’t going so well. So what. The kid committed a crime everyone else on this blog would have gotten arrested for. To have overlooked that because of who he is would mean the officers were not doing what FEDERAL MONEY (as it turns out) is paying them to do. Find something newsworthy to blog about, because this isn’t.
When was the last time someone was arrested for taking a street sign or a traffic sign? How many of these signs are hanging in bedrooms or bars in police homes?
It was written here that the 2 officers were helping put branches in public facilities trucks when they saw this travesty of the law. Well guess what they were not on tree-removal duty.
We all know many state laws are winked at day after day until stats are needed then the PD goes after the laws they previously winked at. Here are a few examples. Seat belt laws, this law by and large is ignored until the PD decides it needs the numbers and a roadblock is set up. The same goes for cellphone usage. Speeding forget about it enforced once in a while but by and large ignored.
Low drug arrest numbers that’s an easy one they go out and arrest the street corner junkie again and all of a sudden the numbers look better.
Remember figures lie and liars figure.
Police get paid to “PROTECT and SERVE.” If in picking up tree branches they are serving the public then they are most certainly doing their JOBS!!!
Town Committee, you are a MORON! We have made plenty of arrests in the past six months for narcotic and weapons violations. We have gotten more than a dozen guns off the street in the last six months! We make BPT safer for the great citizens of this city! What do you do for the citizens? Oh yeah, and I have written numerous tickets for cell phone violations, seat belt violations and I HAVE ARRESTED ONE CRIMINAL FOR STEALING A STREET SIGN!!! God Bless my Brothers and Sisters in BLUE for all they do EVERY DAY! You’re WELCOME!
Not a surprise response from someone looking to justify what he did. A dozen guns in 6 months, big deal. Does he realize how many illegal guns are out there? A dozen arrests??? I would take a bet on the number of seat belt and cell phone tickets he wrote and my bet would be zero or close to zero tickets were issued for those violations. That’s okay he can attack me all he wants it does not justify what he did during a state of emergency. He can’t take away the fact this was a payback arrest pure and simple.
Look he probably is a good cop who allowed his personal frustrations overrule his common sense.
Sorry Hector that is not true. We have buildings collapsing, traffic signals out and at this time a lot of unknowns. If we wanted the PD to clear branches we should have issued them boom trucks, chain saws and all the other tree-service equipment.
In your scenario when they are not on calls maybe we should issue them brooms and they can sweep the streets in their patrol areas.
I’d love to live in a place were the police only had to “police” with a broom.
TC–you, sir, are full of it. Your response is so juvenile. “It’s okay because other people did it.” Kids say that in grammar school when they get caught doing something they shouldn’t have done. A violation of law is a violation of law. Unfortunately everyone doesn’t get caught. The laws on the books are not made by police officers. So if you have a problem with the laws on the books, tell your supermajority Democratically controlled legislature to repeal them. It should be easy. Quotas are illegal in policing. Oh damn, I forgot, we have no respect for the law here anyway. And if police officers were given brooms to sweep, during their down time, your public-works unions would file MPPs. If those officers were picking up branches while P/W was there, they probably shouldn’t have been, but what if it was to make an otherwise impassible road passable? Then they were doing the right thing. Why don’t you return all of the street signs you have, or give one to Petey to take pictures with. Or better yet, give them to his father, so he can hang them. LOL!!!
And you are running for what office?
A civil servant is a civil servant no matter which dept. they work for. When a state of emergency is declared everyone pitches in to do what they can to get the roads open so emergency vehicles can get through. Would you rather the officer sit in his car and watch while everyone else works to clear a road? Would’a been some good publicity if Pete grabbed a branch instead of a street sign. I’ll bet he left the sign post in the middle of the street too.
“… Post Weighs In On Finch Pinch …” Lennie, didn’t you do that for the “Post” on the blog? The only reason Lennie and the Post wrote the story was because it was the son of Bill Finch. It sure wasn’t because of who his (Pete Finch’s) mother is! The only one to blame for his bone-headedness is Pete Finch. His dad is a high-profile figure and as his son, he has the responsibility to show respect for the law and avoid situations that could embarrass ‘both’ his parents.
The immediate family members–especially siblings–of elected and appointed officials are responsible for any damage done to their relatives’ reputation due to their poor judgment. Bill Finch or anyone else shouldn’t make excuses for the actions taken by the Police against Pete Finch. Bill Finch should sit Pete down and have a conversation that would or should sound like this:
Listen you big prick what the hell were you thinking when you picked up that sign? Not only do you pick up the sign and take it with you, you picked the day of the biggest crisis and media attention to the city and do it in front of two cops. I’m the damn major, when are people going to start understanding that? From now on you don’t even j-walk in my city, you get that? Dad, you know they only busted me because you are my dad and the major, at least the two cops understand that. Shut up, you prick! As for those two, they better hope they never come in front of the Police Commission.
I was on vacation, TC. I am running for the office of State Senator. Why? Do my comments offend? Don’t look for me to pander to nonsense, or kiss ass for a vote. NOT GONNA HAPPEN!