With Hurricane Irene bearing down on Connecticut and public safety officials scrambling to prepare, there will be a few folks lamenting Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s decision this week to layoff state troopers.
The union representing state cops has been trying to thwart the cuts, arguing they defy a state law mandating a minimum staffing level of 1,248.
Senate Bill 331 as initially proposed mandated 1,150 troopers. The final version called for 1,248 and was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives and the Senate in 1998. You can read the details here.
Three current legislative leaders were among the nearly three-dozen co-sponsors: Senate President Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden.
The three have been silent on the trooper layoffs. I sought their comments today.
Williams’ spokesman, Derek Slap, sent me the following on behalf of Williams and said Looney concurred: “It’s no secret that we had to make billions of dollars in spending cuts to close the budget deficit. That said, it’s imperative that public safety is not compromised. I’m confident that the Malloy Administration takes this seriously and can adequately protect public safety with the resources it has.”
This is hardly the first time the state has dipped below the minimum. Malloy’s predecessor, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, was similarly criticized by the police union for staffing shortages.
The CT State Police have gone from the pride of Connecticut to nothing but a pack of bozos with badges. They’re arrogant, rude and don’t do a darn thing FOR us. When did you ever see a CT Trooper yank a slow driver in the lane over?
Never have? Me neither.
But it happens with regularity on the Mass. Pike.
Connecticut Troopers succeed at nothing aside from motorist harassment via revenue enhancement artificially low speed limits and radar/laser traps.
Take a look for yourself, when have you seen a State Trooper actually help a motorist?
Not lately, in fact despite putting down in excess of 500 miles a week I’ve only witnessed it ONCE since around 1980 though prior to that it was common.
We might as well lay them all off; their formerly legendary labs are reportedly in disarray, and on the highways they’re worthless.
Massachusetts still has actual State Troopers, maybe we can hire some of theirs.
I am not sure as to why you even asked these three people for their comments. They gave up their Legislative powers to Gov. Malloy. Their comments/opinions mean nothing!