.
. >>
>>
>> ALL
>> ALL RIGHT WELCOME BACK.
TIME NOW EIGHT THIRTEEN AND
IT'S TIME FOR THIS MORNING'S
FIRST TEN POINT FIVE MINUTES.
WE'RE JOINED BY BRIAN FOLEY
OF THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT
OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND
PUBLIC PROTECTION.
PUBLIC PROTECTION. BRIAN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US THIS MORNING.
FIRST OF ALL, LET'S START WITH
SOME LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN A
BIG TALKER OVER THE PAST MONTH
OR SO.
OR SO.
OR SO. GOVERNOR LAMONT'S OFFICE
PROPOSING LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL
MARIJUANA.
MARIJUANA. IT'S BEEN PUBLICLY SUPPORTED BY
COMMISSIONER RAVELLA.
COMMISSIONER RAVELLA. BUT THEN LAST WEEK WE SAW THE
CONNECTICUT POLICE CHIEFS
ASSOCIATION CAME OUT AGAINST
IT.
IT.
IT. >>
>>
>> CAN
>> CAN WE
>> CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THIS?
THIS?
THIS? SURE.
SURE.
SURE. SO
SURE. SO THE S.P.C.A. THE POLICE
CHIEFS IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION
OF POLICE CHIEFS AROUND THE
STATE AND THERE'S NO QUESTION
THEY'RE THEIR MAIN GOAL IS THE
SAFETY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES
WHO THEY PROTECT AND ONE
OF THEIR MAIN POINTS WAS THE
ABILITY TO ARREST SOMEBODY FOR
DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR MARIJUANA
AND THAT THERE IS NO SPECIFIC
TESTS LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE A DUI,
YOU HAVE A BREATHALYZER
AVAILABLE AND YOU HAVE A VERY
SPECIFIC AND SCIENTIFICALLY
PROVEN FIELD SOBRIETY TEST
THAT'S BACKED UP WITH A
BREATHALYZER AND THAT DOESN'T
EXIST AT THIS POINT AND THAT
WAS THEIR MAIN CONCERN AND TO
THAT WE WOULD SAY THAT THOSE
TESTS DO EXIST.
THEY ARE GETTING BETTER AND
WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH
THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
THE UCONN SAFETY TRANSPORTATION
AND RESEARCH CENTER AS WELL AS
THE DEPARTMENT
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HIGHWAY
SAFETY FOLKS WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF ALREADY TESTING
VENDORS THAT HAVE ROADSIDE KITS
TO TEST WHETHER OR ON SOMEBODY
IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE
OF MARIJUANA.
OF MARIJUANA. SO WHILE THOSE KITS AREN'T HERE
AND IN POLICE OFFICERS HANDS
YET THEY ARE ON THE WAY AND
THERE'S ANOTHER LEVEL
OF TESTING ON THE ROAD THAT'S
CALLED A DRUG RECOGNITION
EXPERT.
EXPERT.
EXPERT. A
EXPERT. A POLICE OFFICER COULD BECOME A
DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERT.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 50 IN THE
STATE.
STATE.
STATE. THEY'RE ALREADY MAKING A LOT
OF THOSE ARRESTS DRIVING WHILE
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS.
AND SO THE PROBLEM IS IT'S
EXPENSIVE TO IT'S A VERY
DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING
COURSE.
COURSE.
COURSE. THERE'S TWO STEPS TO IT WITHOUT
GETTING INTO THE ACRONYMS.
THERE'S AN EIGHT RIGHT HERE IN
STATE AND THE DRUG HAVE TO GO
OUT TO ARIZONA TO GET IT.
SO WE HAVE FIFTY THIS POINT
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE
MANY MORE AND GET THEM OUT
THERE IN THE STREET.
SO THEIR CONCERN WAS THERE'S
REALLY NO CHEMICAL TEST TO
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. WE
THAT. WE SAY THAT CHEMICAL TEST IS
COMING AND LOOK AT MARIJUANA IS
HERE AND IT'S BEEN HERE.
I JUST DROVE THROUGH HARTFORD.
NOW THERE'S A BILLBOARD TELLING
ME ABOUT 14 MINUTES RIDE TO THE
NORTH UP NINETY ONE THERE'S A
DISPENSARY WAITING FOR ME RIGHT
OVER THE LINE THERE.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE IT ON YOUR
NEIGHBORING STATES YOU BEGIN TO
INCUR THE PROBLEMS AND WITH
THAT WE SAW THAT COMING IN FOR
YEARS OBVIOUSLY BEEN WORKING TO
IMPROVE THE DRUG THE PROGRAM
THE DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERT
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. WE'RE UP TO 50 NOW.
>>
>>
>> IT'S
>> IT'S ALL AROUND OUR STATE HERE
IN CONNECTICUT.
IN CONNECTICUT. SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO
PREPARE FOR IT ALSO MENTIONED
IN THIS AND THEIR OPPOSITION
THAT MARIJUANA MIGHT BE A
GATEWAY DRUG ESPECIALLY WHEN
WE'RE DEALING WITH THE OPIOID
CRISIS RIGHT NOW.
>>
>>
>> THOUGHTS ON THAT?
SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN.
BUT BUT I HAVE TO SAY ONE I
TALK TO FOLKS FROM THE HARM
REDUCTION COUNCIL HERE IN
HARTFORD YESTERDAY.
HARTFORD YESTERDAY. ALL THEY DEAL WITH IS HEROIN
ADDICTION AND THE OVERDOSE
CRISIS ON THE STREETS,
THEREFORE THE LEGALIZATION
OF MARIJUANA.
OF MARIJUANA. AND I WANT TO GO ONE STEP
FURTHER ABOUT THREE BLOCKS TO
MY LEFT HERE I WORKED DURING
FROM TWENTY SIX TO 2010 WITHOUT
ARGUMENT FROG HOLLOW, THE
EPICENTER OF THE HEROIN AND
OPIOID CRISIS AND THE OVERDOSE
CRISIS HERE IN THE STATE
OF CONNECTICUT IF NOT THE
REGION.
REGION.
REGION. THROUGH THAT TIME WE DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT WE HAD AND WHAT WE
SAW THE HEROIN EXPLODING.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY BACK THEN
AND WE WOULD DO NARCOTICS
SWEEPS AND THAT IS A SCOOP UP
THE DRUG DEALER YOU PUT YOUR
OWN DRUG DEALER AND THEN YOU
START ARRESTING THE USERS AND
SO YOU'RE ARRESTING THESE USERS
COMING INTO THE CITY AND BUYING
HEROIN AND THEY'RE BREAKING
DOWN AND THEY'RE CRYING AND
SOME OF THEM AT ALL LEVELS
OF ADDICTION, HORRIBLE LEVELS
OF ADDICTION WHERE YOU CAN SEE
THAT THEY'RE LIKELY GOING TO
DIE SOON AND YOU TALK THESE
PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE MOMENTS
OF CLARITY AND I WOULD WALK BY
AND ASK THEM HOW DID YOU END UP
HERE ON PUTTNAM STREET LIVING
IN A CAR?
IN A CAR?
IN A CAR? HOW WHAT HAPPENED?
HOW DID YOU END UP HERE?
NEVER ONCE DID THE PERSON SAY
IT'S BECAUSE MARIJUANA NEVER IT
WAS ALWAYS BECAUSE OF PILLS IF
NOT ALWAYS NINETY FIVE PERCENT
BECAUSE OF THE PILL CRISIS
MARIJUANA HAS BEEN AROUND
FOREVER.
FOREVER.
FOREVER. THE OPIOID CRISIS IS NEW.
THERE'S NO QUESTION HOW THAT
STARTED THROUGH THE
OVERPRESCRIPTION OF THE PILLS
AND THE AVAILABILITY OF THE
PILL CRISIS.
PILL CRISIS. SO WHILE THE INTENT AND THERE
THERE THERE THEIR POINT OF A
GATEWAY DRUG I UNDERSTAND THEIR
CONCERN BUT NO CHIEF AT LEAST
THE FIVE BIGGEST MUNICIPALITIES
AROUND THE STATE ARE GOING TO
SAY THE SAME THING.
LET ME LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY
AND IF YOU TAKE THE FIVE
LARGEST DEPARTMENTS I WANT TO
HEAR FROM THOSE POLICE CHIEFS
OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS LET'S SAY
NEW HAVEN, BRIDGEPORT,
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT STATE
POLICE COLONEL, WE KNOW WHERE
AND COMMISSIONER ROVELSTAD, IF
YOU TAKE THOSE FIVE BIGGEST
DEPARTMENTS YOU'RE LOOKING AT
ABOUTW FIVE TO THIRTY
PERCENT OF ALL THE POLICE
OFFICERS IN CONNECTICUT.
THOSE FIVE BIGGEST DEPARTMENTS
DEFINITELY MAKE THE MOST
MARIJUANA ARRESTS AND
DEFINITELY HAVE THE MOST AMOUNT
OF CITIZENS ARRESTED FOR
MARIJUANA AND DEFINITELY SEIZED
THE MOST MARIJUANA.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEIR
OPINION.
OPINION.
OPINION. I WOULD LOOK AT THAT CHEESE CAN
I GET CHIEFS POLICE ASSOCIATION
CAME OUT WITH THAT STATEMENT.
WE GET IT.
WE UNDERSTAND AND THEY'RE THE
FIRST TO TELL YOU IT DOESN'T
REPRESENT EVERY POLICE CHIEF'S
OPINION HERE.
OPINION HERE. SO LOOK AT A GREAT
ORGANIZATION.
ORGANIZATION. WE'RE ON DIFFERENT SIDES BUT WE
ALL WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE
SAFETY OF THE CONNECTICUT
RESIDENTS, THAT'S FOR SURE.
>>
>>
>> TO
>> TO ANOTHER HOT BUTTON ISSUE NOW
ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE ISSUE.
THERE WAS A PROPOSAL TO PHASE
OUT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
FROM SCHOOL.
FROM SCHOOL. WHERE DOES THE DEPARTMENT STAND
ON THIS ISSUE?
>>
>>
>> SO
>> SO WE
>> SO WE OBVIOUSLY WE HEAR ALL THE
LEGISLATION AND WE UNDERSTAND
THE POINTS.
THE POINTS. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT
HAVING POLICE OFFICERS IN
SCHOOLS LEADS TO MORE ARRESTS
IN SCHOOLS AND OF COURSE YOU
HEAR ABOUT THE PIPELINE FROM
SCHOOLS TO PRISONS IN YOUR
URBAN CENTERS.
URBAN CENTERS. LOOK, THE THE THE IDEA
OF HAVING A POLICE OFFICER IN
SCHOOLS IN A CITY LIKE
HARTFORD, BRIDGEPORT, NEW HAVEN
OR A TOWN A SMALL TOWN LIKE A
GLASS OF BEER OR COVENTRY WHAT
THAT MEANS TO THOSE THE
RESIDENTS IN THOSE TOWNS OR
CITIES IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
THERE'S TWO SIDES TO THIS.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR IS AN AMBROSIO
A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
WITH THE SCHOOLS, THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, THE TEACHERS UNION
AND THE SECURITY DEPARTMENTS
OF THE SCHOOLS A WELL-DEFINED
MENU OF WHEN AND HOW POLICE
OFFICERS ARE GOING TO BE USED
IN SCHOOLS AND THAT ARREST IS
THE LAST RESORT.
COPS ARE NOT TO BE USED AS A
DISCIPLINARY ARM OF THE SCHOOLS
WHEN STUDENTS MISBEHAVING IN A
UNIFORM SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A
DETERRENT.
DETERRENT. WHAT WE LOOK FOR IS SOME
LANGUAGE AND WE BELIEVE THAT
LANGUAGE IS ALREADY OUT THERE
ABOUT A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW
HOW POLICE OFFICERS ARE GOING
TO BE USED IN SCHOOLS, A TASK
FORCE, MULTIPLE DISCIPLINARY
TASK FORCE NOT JUST COPS AND
TEACHERS.
TEACHERS.
TEACHERS. YOU'RE LOOKING AT
PSYCHOLOGISTS, PSYCHIATRISTS,
PSYCHOLOGISTS, PSYCHIATRISTS, PEOPLE, DATA EXPERTS TO LOOK AT
HOW IT'S AFFECTED AND WE DO
BELIEVE THERE'S BETTER MODELS
OUT THERE.
OUT THERE. LOOK AT SOME OF THE CITIES LIKE
HARTFORD AND WATERBURY THAT
HAVE PAL PROGRAMS.
IT'S NOT JUST A COP WALKING A
HALLWAY.
HALLWAY.
HALLWAY. IT'S NOT JUST THE PROGRAMS ARE
NOT JUST THE POLICE ATHLETIC
LEAGUE, NOT JUST BASKETBALL ON
FRIDAY NIGHT.
FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS IS STRUCTURE.
THIS IS EDUCATION.
THIS IS ROLE MODELS.
THIS IS NUTRITION.
AND SO YOU LOOK AT THOSE THE
CITIES THAT ARE DOING IT RIGHT
WHERE THE STUDENTS COME IN,
THEY HAVE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK.
THEY'RE FED A GOOD MEAL.
THEY'RE SHOWN POSITIVE ROLE
MODELS.
MODELS.
MODELS. YEAH, SURE IT'S IT'S SPORTS BUT
IT'S ALSO IT'S MUSIC.
IT'S DANCE.
IT'S DANCE. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF THINGS
THAT THAT THEY GET INVOLVED
WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
SO IT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST
SHOOTING HOOPS AND THAT'S WHAT
PEOPLE SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK.
SO MAYBE SCHOOL RESOURCE
OFFICERS WHILE THEY'RE GREAT
AND THEY ARE GOOD TEACHERS
UNIONS AND TEACHERS LIKE TO
HAVE THEM THERE AS THEIR FIRST
LINE OF DEFENSE.
A LOT OF TIMES SECURITY
MEASURES AROUND THE SCHOOL ARE
CERTAINLY THE BETTER MONEY
SPENT FOR KEEPING STUDENTS
SAFE.
SAFE.
SAFE. BUT
SAFE. BUT WE BELIEVE A TASK FORCE
NEEDS TO LOOK AT ALL THESE
FACTORS AND COME UP WITH THE
BEST WAY TO USE OFFICERS.
HOW ABOUT THE JOHNSON AND
JOHNSON VACCINE IN PARTICULAR?
A LOT OF THESE VACCINES
ARRIVING HERE IN CONNECTICUT.
WHAT'S THE DEPARTMENT
OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND
PUBLIC PROTECTION DOING TO HELP
GET THIS VACCINE OUT THERE TO
PEOPLE?
PEOPLE?
PEOPLE? >>
>>
>> SO
>> SO WE
>> SO WE WERE IN A MEETING THE
OTHER DAY AND THAT JOHNSON AND
JACKSON VACCINE WAS COMING FAST
WITHIN HOURS AND WE KNEW THAT
SOME OF THEM ESPALIERS A LOT
OF THE CLINICS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE AROUND ONE
HUNDRED AROUND THE STATE THAT
ARE OBVIOUSLY GIVING T THE
VACE
VACE
VACE WE
VACE WE WANTD GET HIM OUT AROUND
T STA QUKLY WHA
T BEST WAY TO DO THAT?
T STA QUKLY WHA T BEST WAY TO DO THAT?KERMADEC C
T STA QUKLY WHA AE EST WAY TO DO THAT?KERMADEC C
T STA QUKLY WHA AE POE WAY TO DO THAT?KERMADEC C
T STA QUKLY WHA AE POE S Y TO DO THAT?KERMADEC C
T STA QUKLY WHA AE POE S UP O DO THAT?KERMADEC C
T STA QUKLY WHA AE POE S UP AND THAT?KERMADEC C
T STA QUKLY WHA AE POE S UP AND SAIDT?KERMADEC C
THE TROOPE A ALWA RE
THEY'E READY RI NW TO GET
T VACCEU THATS
W THEY DID
THEY HUST DOW TO THE
DEPT OU HLH
H LITT HELP FR GENEL
N THE ARMY NATIO
H LITT HELP FR GENEL N THE ARMY NATIOA.
TH WERE LOOKIG T
A DELIRDU AUD
SE IN QUIK TI.
AND LOOK, I SAT ON MEETINGS
TH WEEK D I KNOW THINGS ARE
STAN TO GET BR T I'M
WATNG TH MEETI.
STAN TO GET BR T I'M WATNG TH MEETI.THERE'S AN INCRE
STAN TO GET BR T I'M WATNG TH MEETI.THERE'S AN INCREE
OF URGC AND STRESS TO THE
POINT WHERE LOOK, WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE THESE TROOPERS GET IT
OUT THIS FAST AROUND THE STATE
SO THEY'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN.
THIS SENDING IN THE STATE
OF CONNECTICUT IS IN THE TOP
THREE STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY
OVER A MILLION DOSES OUT AND I
KNOW EVERYONE SOMEONE'S GOT TO
COMPLAIN OF HOW THEY WENT TO
GET THEIR DOSE.
WE ALSO KNOW SO MANY OTHER
PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING WELL.
SO WE'RE DOING GREAT HERE IN
THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT.
WE'RE NOT READY TO SPIKE THE
FOOTBALL AND WE'RE NOT IN THE
ZONE YET.
ZONE YET.
ZONE YET. BUT BOY, WE'RE GETTING DOWN
TOWARDS THE RED ZONE, THAT'S
FOR SURE.
FOR SURE.
FOR SURE. THINGS ARE GOING GOOD.
THE CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE
HAVE DONE THIS A COUPLE
OF TIMES.
OF TIMES.
OF TIMES. THERE'S SOME GREAT VIDEO
OF THEM DOING IT HERE.
SO ALWAYS READY TO HELP WITH
THE NATIONAL GUARD AND WE ARE
HERE THE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY
SERVICE AND THE PUBLIC
PROTECTION AS A SUPPORT ARMY
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN
THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT IS
DOING GREAT AGAIN WITH TOP
THREE OF THE COUNTRY.
>>
>>
>> GLAD
>> GLAD TO SEE IT'S ALL HANDS ON
DECK RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THERE'S A BIG PROMOTION
A LIEUTENANT COLONEL YOU WANTED
TO MENTION.
TO MENTION. LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
YEAH, LIEUTENANT COLONEL,
THANKS.
THANKS.
THANKS. LIEUTENANT COLONEL COBB AS WAS
PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL
FROM MAJOR THIS WEEK OVER
TWENTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND
HE IS TRILINGUAL OBVIOUSLY A
GOOD GUY THAT WE'VE WE'VE SEEN
AROUND THE CONNECTICUT STATE
POLICE HERE FOR THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS VERY, VERY DESERVING
OF THE PROMOTION AFTER HE GOT
PROMOTED THOUGH THIS WEEK IT
OCCURRED TO ME AND IT HIT ME
WAIT A MINUTE.
THIS IS THE GUY IN HARTFORD
OVER THE SUMMER THAT LED THE
CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE AND
THE PROTESTS UP ON THE HIGHWAY
THAT HE'S THE ONE THAT
PARTNERED AND WORKED WITH THE
PROTESTERS AND HE'S THE ONE
THAT THEY ALL GATHERED AROUND.
THEY ALL TOOK A KNEE NO
ARRESTS, NO INJURIES, NO
PROPERTY DAMAGE.
PROPERTY DAMAGE. THIS SHOWS A PERSON WHO WAS A
LEADER WHO CAN THINK ON THE FLY
AND CAN DEESCALATE AND ALSO CAN
CAN BUILD BRIDGES WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY IN A QUICK FASHION.
AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID THERE.
THAT'S WHAT HE SHOWED THERE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM AND
WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE HIM AS A
LIEUTENANT NOW.
LIEUTENANT NOW. >>
>>
>> CONGRATULATIONS, LIEUTENANT
CONGRATULATIONS, LIEUTENANT COLONEL GONCALVES.
COLONEL GONCALVES. CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM.
AND REAL QUICK BEFORE YOU GO, I
DO WANT TO ASK YOU I KNOW THAT
IN SOUTHINGTON WE HAD A DUI
INCIDENT YESTERDAY MORNING
EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING ALSO
INVOLVING A STATE TROOPER, THE
STATE TROOPER BEING DRAGGED.
ANY UPDATE THAT OFFICER OK AND
ANY UPDATE ON THIS CASE?
>>
>>
>> YEAH,
>> YEAH, YES.
YEAH, YES. THE TROOPER IS DOING WELL AND
AGAIN GREAT GREAT WORK BY THE
TROOPERS.
TROOPERS.
TROOPERS. WE DO HAVE VIDEO OF THAT.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT OUT THIS
WEEK AND WE'RE SHOWING JUST HOW
DANGEROUS AND JUST HOW FAST
THINGS HAPPEN UP WITH THE
CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE ARE
BEING A LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER.
OFFICER.
OFFICER. SO WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT ON THAT
THIS WEEK THAT WE'VE GOT ARREST
MADE TROOPERS DOING OK, GREAT
WORK BY THE CONNECTICUT STATE