Home Local Capitol Report Lamont signs landmark police reform bill
Lamont signs landmark police reform bill
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Gov. Ned Lamont
HARTFORD — Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday signed a police reform bill that makes changes intended to hold police officers more accountable and make policing more transparent in Connecticut.
Among its 46 sections, the comprehensive legislation expands means for investigating and punishing police misconduct, revises use-of-force and training standards, limits immunity for serious civil rights violations, opens up disciplinary records and complaints to public disclosure, and steps up efforts to recruit, retain and promote minority and female officers.
The police accountability and transparency act responded to police killings of George Floyd and other Black people and complaints about police conduct and racism in Connecticut.
"I'm proud of Connecticut today," Lamont said.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Lamont signed the landmark bill in a virtual ceremony that was broadcast and streamed live over television and the internet from the state Capitol two days after its final legislative approval came in the Senate.
Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz was with Lamont for the signing in the Old Appropriations Room with Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, and Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, the House and Senate chairmen of the Judiciary Committee. All wore masks and observed social distancing.
Waterbury Mayor Neil M. O'Leary, Rep. Brandon McGee, D-Hartford, the chairman of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, and Rep. Anthony Nolan, D-New London, a Black police officer, participated via video conference.
"While the protests that began in early June were a response to a murder in Minneapolis, it is no secret to many of us that for far too often, or for far too long Connecticut law has enabled the violence of rogue officers," McGee said.
The signing of House Bill 6004 came almost 10 weeks after Floyd died choking under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer who is now facing a murder charge for the 46-year-old's death.
"I want to emphasize this is not a bill that was done in haste or unnecessarily rushed," Stafstrom said. "In fact, this was a bill that was done purposefully to respond to this call for change and the need for quick change."
Police officers and police unions were the loudest opponents of the legislation, and Lamont, Bysiewicz, the four Democratic lawmakers and O'Leary all said the bill was not about punishing the law enforcement community.
"It is not a knock on anybody," Lamont said.
Bysiewicz directly answered charges of bias from police opponents and their supporters.
"This legislation is not an anti-police measure," she said. "Rather, it's a bill about holding those who don't follow the law accountable."
O'Leary, a former Waterbury police chief, said he believes the police concerns are misplaced.
"This new law will enable good police to do their job and protect them from rogue officers whose actions have eroded the public trust," he said.
Police officers and police unions objected most vociferously but not exclusively to a provision limiting the immunity of police officers against lawsuits in state courts.
The new law blocks police officers from claiming governmental immunity as a defense for malicious, wanton or willful acts that violate a person's civil rights under the Connecticut Constitution and state statutes.
Employers remain required to indemnify police officers, and a police officer will continue to be responsible for any financial loss or expenses resulting from a judgment that finds an officer committed a malicious, wanton or willful act.
There is a one-year window to file a civil action against police officers.
This provision of the law will not take effect until next July 1.
The freshly signed legislation establishes an independent Office of Inspector General within the Division of Criminal Justice to investigate a police officer's or correction officer's use of deadly force and prosecute cases of unjustified use of force.
The new law authorizes towns and cities to establish civilian police review boards with the power of subpoena to compel testimony and the production of documents.
Lamont and legislators expanded the ability of the Police Officer Standards Training Council to decertify police officers by adding new grounds of conduct undermining public confidence in law enforcement or excessive force.
In addition, a reconstituted POST Council will now be empowered to suspend an officer's certification for up to 45 days and censure the officer for any of the various grounds identified in state statute.
Decertification or a suspension of certification are not subject to grievance and binding arbitration requirements.
For the first time, state troopers are subject to POST certification. State police had been exempt from the requirement that police officers serving for more than one year be POST-certified.
There is a new a requirement for police officers or correction officers to intervene when witnessing a fellow officer using unreasonable, excessive or illegal force, as well as report the incident to superiors. Officers who fail to intervene or report may be punished and criminally prosecuted.
The use of body cameras and dashboard cameras is mandated in the new law, and it generally requires police officers to prominently display their employer-issued badge and name tag on the outer-most layer of their uniform.
The bill also requires that applicable provisions of the Freedom of Information Act prevail over conflicting provisions of a collective bargaining agreement or arbitration award regarding the disclosure of records of disciplinary matters or alleged misconduct. This only applies at the state level.
Susan Bysiewicz
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