State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, House chair of the state legislature’s Judiciary Committee, explains what’s in the recently approved police reform bill.
This week, the state Senate followed the state House in passing HB 6004, An Act Concerning Police Accountability, a landmark bill on police reform which responds to the call for change that is sweeping our nation. There is a lot of misinformation circulating about both the contents of the bill and the process that led us to this so I wanted to try to set the record straight.
This bill was not rushed or crafted without public input. To the contrary, the bill was negotiated over several weeks with the Republican leaders of the Judiciary Committee at the table every step of the way. They were involved in each draft of the process and had a say in which provisions were included in the bill. The bill was scrutinized through a 12-hour public hearing and the committee chairmen held several meetings with interest groups representing police and, in fact, revised the bill to address many of their major concerns.
What does the bill do?
Encourages more minority recruitment in police departments
Requires periodic drug tests and behavioral health screens of officers
Increases police officer’s access to mental health care and protecting them against retaliation for seeking it
Requires implicit bias training and de-escalation in crowd control
Gives cities and towns an easier path to fire the “bad apples” or decertify those cops engaged in conduct unbecoming of law enforcement, such as using excess force or exhibiting racist behavior
Allows for public review of police discipline records
Provides more local civilian oversight of police departments through citizen review boards
Mandates and provides funding for body and dashboard cameras
Bans police departments from having quotas for pedestrian stops
Ends the practice of allowing police to pull over Black drivers and searching their car without cause
Brings the justifiable use of deadly force standard in line with federal law
Requires witnessing officers to intervene when they see a colleague use excess force and protect those who report it.
Bans chokeholds
Allows for independent investigations of deadly police shootings
Increases penalties for making a false police report based on race, gender, national origin or sexual identity
Provides a limited civil cause of action where an individual’s civil rights have been violated by a police officer who did not have a good faith belief that they were acting within their legal authority
To all of you who have marched in support of Black Lives Matter, posted flags or signs in your yard, or put up black squares on their social media channels, this historic change is a result of your advocacy. Thank you!
State Rep. Steve Stafstrom and New Haven State Sen. Gary Winfield and feel that you guys started to move in the right direction.
What does the bill do? Encourages more minority recruitment in police departments, that’s one of the main problems, encourages more minority recruitment in police departments mean nothing, that’s a none action comment because hat’s all it is, just words with no action. I’m sure that Gary Winfield’s father and grandfather were told, be patient, don’t rush things and stay encourage because one day things might change, now isn’t that special.
Fairfield cop: Sorry for the pull over, but I couldn’t let you go by with a plate number 129th State Rep.
Stevie Stafstrom: Officer did I do something wrong?
F.c : We have a lot of people out here using fake plates you know, it’s going to take me twenty minutes to run this
plate, Please stay in your car sir.
S S: Officer do you know I’m Steven Stafstrom State Rep.?
F. c : I’m sure you are Sir, Just to let you know this Plate has been Red Flagged throughout the State,
(An hour later )
F.c: Our computers are down, So have a nice day Sir.
Cop pull over? LOL! There will be a lot less of those I can assure you! Lol !!!
I have told many friends that if Steve Stafstrom says this bill is OK 👍 than it’s OK because Steve would do nothing that is to the left. Good going Steve. Don’t worry about what the cops are saying.
You just carry this message around with you. Most know who I am and will take my word that I don’t think this goes far enough.
Bob,
Because we have a sense of ” who you are” so we are have to corral our curiosity what you are talking about today in terms of the approved bill not going far enough? Care to be specific? Or do you appreciate that a bill with multiple changes called for, and other moving parts that will have effect on Blue personnel is lucky to pass , even in a “blue” state?
Perhaps you can share some specifics about how a citizen review board operates? Time will tell.
Just a lot of blah blah blah that won’t make much of a difference, except maybe how police do their jobs from now on. Good luck!
Whatever changes “people” want for “whatever” reasons will never take place until you can remove the “human element” factor from BOTH police and the people that they encounter. Let me know when that happens and good luck with that!
Here’s an simple example: Offender: “officer can you give me a break, it’s only a minor incident”? Cop: ‘I’m sorry they don’t let me do that anymore I have no discretion in these matters.”
Complainant: “Officer what will / can you do about it- (insert complaint). Cop: “whatever the book says I can do or not do but never anything that anyone could say “escalated” the situation so unfortunately you might have to live with the situation.”
Serious situation complaint: Cop: “I’m on the way but let me know when the other people get there first to de-escalate or make the scene safer, like the counselors, medics, family relations people etc.”
AND THEN- what do people think a cop will do, OR WONT DO , for immediate need or serious on sight incidents??!!!!
When the robo-cop machine is invented it will be sent to the scrap heap eventually as a matter of course because someone will not like the way it is programmed to do its job.
Like I said- good luck with that, LMFAO!!!!
“To all of you who have marched in support of Black Lives Matter, posted flags or signs in your yard, or put up black squares on their social media channels, this historic change is a result of your advocacy. Thank you!”
So, what inspired Stafstrom to craft this legislation? An outcry from Connecticut residents expressing concerns in the judicial system?
Apparently not.
Stafstrom was inspired by the fringe element who “have marched in support of Black Lives Matter, posted flags or signs in your yard, or put up black squares on their social media channels”.
Was Stafstrom influenced by the anarchist proclamations of the Black Lives Matter movement or simply enamored with the naivete of those who march, post signs on their lawns or place black squares on their social media channels (whatever that is)?
Has Stafstrom been booked for appearances on CNN, MSNBC, etc. to further enlighten the woke viewers on the movement he espouses to?
Yes you’re white……I mean right!! (Had to get that in before Ron and Don got to you!). Big lol!!!
People who hold and uphold these opinions only do it to pander to all those groups of “useful idiots” who are led by paid agitators, disrupters, and anarchists. As you said Tom. Who else is he or those like him inspired by?!!
The bend over to those groups who are and WILL ALWAYS BE the ‘forever needy.’ Some of those are the same ones that Ron and Don often opine about. Those who have had over 60 years of legislative, workplace, and many other opportunities but were to lazy or not smart enough to take advantage of it. They are the ones that failed to improve and move up and move on. The rest of society, they say, is to blame and their representatives in spirit, like Ron and Don continue to just blah blah blah.
On another note, Maria Perrierra’s letter to the Ct post made me think that she is at times is like Donald Trump. She’s there to do a job not to make friends. Unfortunately those that say without friendships etc,, business cannot be had, may be right. They’d rather lick someone’s ass then take an affirmative stand with what’s right.
Cheers!!!!!!!
They not the… bend over….
“Anarchist proclamations of the Black Lives Matter movement.” LMAO, the ramblings of a true bigot.
Rich, I agree with you when you say, “People who hold and uphold these opinions only do it to pander to all those groups of “useful idiots.” I just think that when you write these things you are making references to you and Tom (Being) White. Any questions?
So……wow……it didn’t take long for someone who (supposedly was not going to respond to me anymore) to show up and blah blah blah. All that person can do is throw out words like bigot, racist, fool, etc. because that person brings nothing to the table except ignorance and complaints. That person fits the category of “forever needy”!
Cheers!!!!
*** Dammed if you do, & dammed if you don’t. You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.***
I know Rich and I hope you get help for your being that person that brings nothing to the table except ignorance and complaints. You being that person that fits the category of “forever needy”, might be a little hard on yourself, but I guess you know yourself better than I! Any questions?
Yes…….right back at you! I wish you luck In achieving your goal being RE-ENSLAVED living in a socialist society!
Cheers!!!!’
All these Dems bowed to a woke mob. Coddling criminals only thing they are good at.