You want the truth? Ask a cop. You want it printed ask The East Haven Vine

The saga of the worst East Haven Police Commissioners Board in the history of the Town of East Haven continued on Tuesday night where the vendettas of personal attacks continued. In probable retaliation for Chief Gallo telling the members of the Police Commission they were forbidden to be on the grounds of the EHPD the Board voted unanimously to uphold a 1973 rule from the East Haven Department Manual that said the Chief of the Department must be an electorate of the Town of East Haven. Are these Commissioners for real? Here we have the United States Department of Justice investigating our rules and regulations which they site as being outdated and these buffoons pull out a 39 year old out dated policy and expect that we the public don’t see further retaliation? Message to the Police Commission, you’re nothing but an appointed civilian oversight board that sets policies and procedures, you don’t run the East Haven Police Department.

That leads me to my next topic of who, what, when and why. We all know the issue that spearheaded the Department of Justice investigation to racial profiling came with the February 2009 arrest of Father James Manship for interfering with Officers David Cari and Dennis Spaulding while they were investigating the sale of license plates at the My Country Store on Main Street.  Those events led this current board to seek an investigation of the incident from Chief Gallo. Chairman Brow had asked Chief Gallo about the events of that arrest and if he believed the arrest met the criteria expected. The Chief responded that indeed everything that the officers fell into compliance. I guess that wasn’t enough for Chairman Brown because at the May 25, 2010 East Haven Board of Police Commissioners meeting Commissioner Krebs made a motion “to request that the Chief States Attorney’s Office conduct an investigation into the arrest of Fr. James Manship.” (May 25, 2010 Board Meeting Minutes)  All of the Commissioners voted in favor. Then on June 4, 2010 Chairman Brow wrote a letter to Kevin Kane from the Chief States Attorney’s Office requesting a challenge of Chief Gallo review of the incident. In his letter Chairman Brow was upset that the East Haven Board of Police Commissioners was not privy to any written reports or communications from the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office. Chairman Brow was seeking answers to the following questions.

1)      Did the arrest have sufficient probable cause?

2)      Were the police officers lawfully on the premise?

3)      Were the officers reports accurate and truthful?

Brow indicated that it was essential to have this reviewed because the arrest of Fr. Manship was dismissed in court.

Here is the letter written to Kevin Kane, Chief State's Attorney's Office

I guess though that was not enough for Chairman Brow. Because on June 28, 2010 Chairman Brow, WITHOUT East Haven Police Commission Board approval wrote a letter to Mr. Luis Saucedo from the United State Department of Justice enclosing the letter Mr. Brow wrote to the Chief States Attorney’s Office and enclosed editorials from the New Haven Register.  Since Mr. Brow is such a conformist about process and procedure maybe he can answer the question of why he took it upon himself to write to the Department of Justice and thus possibly exposing the Town of East Haven’s liability further? Where was the Town Attorney in this decision?

Here is the letter written to the Department of Justice authored by Mr. Fred Brow

Where was the advice to the Board from the Town Attorney because on June 30, 2010 Mr. Kane responded to Mr. Brow and stated in his letter. “Following the arrest of the Reverend Manship the Office of The State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Haven thoroughly reviewed all pertinent circumstances. That office determined that no prosecutable criminal conduct had occurred during the investigation or arrest.

Here is the response letter from Mr. Kane that came 2 days after Mr. Brow took it upon himself to write to the United States Department of Justice.

Still not getting his way the tenacious Mr. Brow kept pushing the issue now looking for the State's Prosecutor, Michael Dearington in New Haven to intervene. Mr. Brow wrote this letter on July 19, 2011.



Sometime the same day Mr. Brow must have been happier than a clam because he finally received acknowledgement for his efforts. The United States Department of Justice returned a letter to Mr, Brow thanking him for his materials he provided in his June 28, 2011 letter.



At that point the Chairman had no right, in his position, to go before anyone else without the permission of the Board or the Town Attorney. Fred Brow’s sneaky one handed communication with the United States Department of Justice says two things. First, he is most certainly after Chief Gallo and that he had every intention to put his interests over the people of East Haven. His actions could have severe financial implications to every taxpayer in the Town of East Haven and also continued the battle between the Administration and the East Haven Police Department. Instead of trying to work within the East Haven Police Department Mr. Brow took the approach that I am the Chairman, you are the subordinate, you do what I say when I say and if you don't well we will see what happens. Thanks Mr. Brow for placing the Town of East Haven in the limelight.

On July 23, 2011 Mr. Brow was in receipt of a letter that came from New Haven's Prosecutor, States Attorney Michael Dearington stating the the case against Fr. Manship was dismissed and that there will be no further action taken. Basically he was told by Mr. Dearington we see nothing wrong here and we are not going forward with your request.

Then at the next Board of Police Commission Meeting, August 31, 2010 Detective Thomas Russell read a statement aloud that at the time were unknown to the general public. That the East Haven Board of Police Commissioners, The Mayor and her Administrators had called the Officers of the EHPD "troubled", made public comments about officers being arrested but was most revealing at the time is Tom said exactly what I am reporting. That this Commission stepped out of it's bounds. In addition, Officer David Cari, one of the targets in the Fr. Manship arrest plead his case to the Board looking for these letters clearing him of any wrong doing in the Manship arrest to be placed in his file. The response from Mr. Brow...."The matter has been forwarded to the DOJ and he could not   comment on the content." (August 2010 Board of Police Commissioners Minutes). Gee Mr. Brow, I wonder why? Could it be that now you are a witness in the case since you were sending information to the DOJ?

It is also very evident that this East Haven Police Commission has willfully deceived the public by making statements that it was not involved in the bring the Department of Justice to the Town. From Mr. Brow’s letter dated on June 28, 2010 it is very evident that Mr. Brow’s intention was to draw more attention to the Town of East Haven thus inviting more attention to a bad situation already. Did he and this Board actually call the Department of Justice? I really don’t know and we may never know what truly happened prior to June 4, 2010 but one thing is for sure that Fred Brow and this Police Commission are a wrecking crew geared to get Chief Gallo. In Fred Brow’s own words from the DOJ findings. “We need a change at the top and now his efforts to hold Gallo to a 1973 rule book to make him be an elector in the Town of East Haven is just plain retaliation.

Who does Fred Brow think he’s fooling? Who does James Krebs think he's fooling? At the December 27, 2011 Board of Police Commissioners meeting you hear me make a statement that I hope that none of the Board was involved. My exchange with both Mr. Brow and Mr. Krebs tells it all. From frame 7:10 to 8:53 you hear me ask for an apology from the Board for Officer Mike Sorbo and Sgt. Ed Lennon for their treatment by the DOJ, The Mayor, The Administration and especially the Board. Their response? Paraphrasing,  "Apology for what?" Mr. Krebs said, "We didn' initiate anything. Since we didn't initiate anything we shouldn't apologize. My response, "I hope what you said was a true statement, that it wasn't started by anyone on this Board." Mr. Krebs, "It's a true statement as far as I'm concerned." You watch the video and you decide if this Board if lying. I know they are because the proof is right above. (EHBOPC Meeting) Courtesy of East Haven Politics, Ed Foley.

Thanks for hanging in there and following this story. For my friends at the East Haven Police Department I wish you and your families a Safe and Healthy New Year. You are our heroes because everyday you go to work not knowing what will be. The truth will come out and I hope this is the start of many victories to come.

God Bless..   



Where is the PUBLIC Apology from Capone, Hongo and the Board of Police Commissioners?

Three days after the United States Department of Justice held a press conference followed by FORMER Mayor April Capone and FORMER Deputy Director Paul Hongo we all are waiting for a PUBLIC apology from the FORMER Mayor and her sidekick Paul Hongo. Why? Well as we discovered one of the Plantiff's in the case Mr. Yadanny Garcia, attempted to withdraw his charges on Officer Michael Sorbo and Sgt. Lennon because he lied about what happened to him on August 8, 2009. It is was reported by Mr. Garcia that the officers used excessive force, beat and tased him that was never true.!

As quoted by FORMER Mayor April Capone, in the East Haven Patch, "Capone: DOJ's Findings 'No Surprise'

Capone — who lost last month's re-election attempt by a handful of votes to returning and current Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. — said she was aware of the nature and certain aspects of the Justice Department's investigation, but was not allowed to comment on the case while it was ongoing.

Because of this, she said, others attempted to fill that information gap with "rumors" and false information suggesting that the Justice Department's investigation was not as serious at it was.

"This is very serious... to hear anyone deny this is a problem or an issue with the police department is frightening," Capone said of officers engaging in racial discrimination against Latino residents.

So if FORMER Mayor Capone is so concerned about justice for all where is her compassion for the two officers who were falsely accused of committing a crime against Mr. Garcia. Why is she not leading the charge to question the Federal Government's investigation that now has falsely accused two of her officers? Why isn't she? Because plain and simple April Capone is full of crap.

April Capone could care less about East Haven or any of the people of East Haven and that also goes for Paul Hongo. You see the day after April Capone Almon lost the election her home went up for sale. Look here.....http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/279-Barberry-Rd-East-Haven-CT-06512/2122979873_zpid/

Her sidekick Paul Hongo also never lived in East Haven and as far as I and many of us here in East Haven could care less about your taxes or you as residents of the Town of East Haven.

So if these two really cared about East Haven why is the FORMER Mayor moving out of town? Could it be she knew this was coming down and she wanted to get out of Dodge? Then of course we couldn't forget this famous quote after FORMER Mayor April was handed her defeat.

“We really didn’t think this would turn out this way,” Capone told WTNH-TV News 8, “but at the end of the day, the voters choose the person whose values and work ethic closely resembles theirs, and, you know, that’s their choice, and I respect that, and that’s what makes it a democracy.”

I usually let the readers decide but readers.....April Capone is lying right through her teeth when she gets on the news and says she's sad for the Taxpayers of East Haven. She could give a damn about you or anyone else. FORMER Mayor April's machine was hell bent on destroying the very fabric of this Town and to remake it in her own vision that is still unknown. But one thing is for sure everything FORMER Mayor April did and said was based on vendetta. Just look at who is the Chairman of the Police Commission, Fred Brow and the four casts of characters.

Fred Brow, like the vicious little chihuahua, just has to keep going until the very end but Fred we also know your game. You see if you can remember back to 1997 Fred Brow was a VERY BIG Joe Maturo supporter until Joe said no to him being put of the Board of Police Commissioners he held his breathe and as soon as April won he was put on the EH Police Commission. Who knew that Joe Maturo had such insight to the disposition of Mr. Brow. Joe I guess knew that the Napoleon syndrome ran in this mans veins and that he could be such a hazard. Good call Joe.

James Krebs who has the audacity to serve while owing the Town of East Haven hundreds of dollars in back taxes and drives around a vehicle registered out of Town. What kind of example does this man set for upholding the laws of the Town of East Haven. I've called for him to step down but he's going to keep on the mission.

James Civitello  the public servant with the scowl on his face. He's another one that has been seen driving around Town with a Maine license plate although it is a rare sighting. I wonder why we always see Mr. Civitello walking on foot around Town and not using his car? Inquring minds would like to know.

Frank Perigrossi just a follower and doesn't have the guts to stand up to the other commissioners when they are wrong. You see Frank knows that they are wrong because he wore the gun and badge for years maybe he's just waiting for Brow and Krebs to be kicked off the Board in February. We could only hope that this once respected former cop will start to do the right thing.

Carl Perez here's an interesting character. Nice when you talk face to face. Always looking for approval. Tells the men in the rank and file he's going to support them and at the very first opportunity he sticks it to them. Also uses his authority on the Police Commission to flex muscle on Taylor Avenue to place Emergency Orders for no parking signs during the St. Vincent de Paul Church carnival.  Oh I forgot he lives right across the street. Little self serving aren't we Carl? Then of course we can't forget the sign on the bridge during the election incident where The Commissioner didn't like the sign and made a big stink about it.

As I wrote earlier in the week every one of these men with the exception of Perigrossi is a member of the East Haven Democratic Town Committee serving under Gene Ruocco. Their mission is to keep at any cost Democratic Control of the Town and that even means embarrassing the Town just to get to Chief Len Gallo. You see what the general public doesn't know is this has been a political show since the very first meeting on what to do about Chief Len Gallo the actual target.

Back in 2007 the men who are held in confidence met with Mayor April and Town Attorney CoFrancesco to discuss what to do about the Chief. The two men said we need to be diplomatic, fair and retire the Chief but it was Patty who said she wanted a "pint" of his blood and there was the beginnings of the drama and the end result of a very politically charged and weak DOJ investigation. You see Patty and the Chief go back to New Haven where she was terminated as the City Attorney. It's all about the vendetta and where there is vendetta there is never room for an apology, how sad!

Racial Profiling or Political Profiling....What's the difference?

It's great to be back! Sorry for the obvious absence but I've been working very long hours and not able to write. So I've been following this story about the DOJ and the East Haven PD for the past few days and at first I was very alarmed by the story breaking but as I continued to watch the television newscasts I could not help but see some profiling myself. Yes I did see some political profiling. I saw all the former Democratic Administration and some of the current East Haven Board of Police Commissioners at the DOJ Press Conference but NOT ONE of the accused, any of the current Administration or any Republicans from East Haven at the DOJ Press Conference.

Could political profiling be as serious as racial profiling? Well I guess it's all in the eyes of the beholder. You see political profiling can be just as serious as racial profiling. Think about it. Is it really any different? In political profiling you hate so much. In racial profiling there is hatred too. In political profiling you target and defame your opponent. In racial profiling you target and defame your victim. In some cases, political profiling ends up in violence against your target as does racial profiling. So the question is will the DOJ look into the political profiling that FORMER Mayor April Capone, Paul Hongo, Fr. Manship, Frank Capone, James Krebs and Fred Brow are conducting? How is it that at this press conference NOT one of the current administration knew anything about the press conference but everyone of the Capone Administration did? Could the United States Department of Justice be favoring one side over the other? Could it be that the DOJ is collaborating in Political Profiling with the former Democratic Administration? Could it be that President Obama's attorney's have zeroed in on East Haven because it is a community of not intolerance of Latino's but a community that holds it's citizens and visitors ACCOUNTABLE for their actions? East Haven unlike New Haven is not a haven for lawlessness and a sanctuary for illegal immigrants and despite what the DOJ thinks or says pulling people over for driving illegally registered cars, having no insurance and no drivers license is JUST CAUSE. In addition why has the DOJ conveniently left off the conviction rates for those illegals? Could it be that they are close to 100%?

Now tonight we discover what I've suspected all along, that some of the plaintiff's in the case against the EHPD want out because they have committed perjury. This Garcia character is a real winner. He accuses Officer Michael Sorbo and Sgt. Ed Lennon of participating in assaulting him and if you know these two officers like I do you would never believe it.

In the 15 years I have known Mike Sorbo I have never once seen him ever lift a finger to anyone in a violent way. He is one of the most subdued people I have ever met. He has a soft heart and cares about human beings. He served as the DARE Officer for several years and every DARE graduation I attended the kids just loved him. He wears Badge #1 for a reason because he's a long serving officer who gets along with just about everyone.

Although I have not known Sgt. Eddie Lennon that long I do know the man and he is a very soft spoken person and non confrontational. Having him participate in what Garcia has said happened on August 8, 2009 is just not in Eddie's character and simply not believable!

Now we learn that from Sgt. Montagna's report that Garcia was going through a DUI Checkpoint, tried to evade it and became combative while he was being placed under arrest. Now that I can believe! Because the "CONSEQUENCES" of going through a DUI checkpoint under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not being licensed and or registered will trigger an citation up to and including arrest. In addition running from the Police after being detained will also trigger "CONSEQUENCES" and may result in physical restraint up to and including deadly physical force if the life of a Police Officer is placed at risk. So as we East Haven parents have learned from our DARE Officer that doing bad things leads to "CONSEQUENCES". Thanks Officer Mike, I understand. I don't drink and drive. I register my vehicles and make sure they are insured and best of all I maintain my citizenship so I can retain all of my Constitutional Rights afforded to me.

So now I have a question for the great United States Department of Justice. In the hundreds of interviews and reviews did not one of the agents know the character of this supposed victim of Latino profiling, Mr. Garcia? Did anyone of these Agents seriously look at the careers of these two officers and say I will afford them the benefit of doubt? Could it be that the Department of Justice Report could have some serious and erroneous flaws in it? Could it be that United States Department of Justice could be wrong and only listening to one side? I'm a Republican in the Town of East Haven and I've have never been questioned about the East Haven Police but it's amazing that there were 6 politically connected Democrats at the the DOJ's press conference.

Could it be that Officer Mike Sorbo could be the victim of political profiling? Wasn't Officer Sorbo the Policer Officer who filled out the arrest warrant that led to FORMER Mayor April Capone's arrest? Wasn't it a fact that in 2007 Officer Mike ran for Town Council in District 2 on the Republican ticket? Wasn't also the fact that FORMER Mayor April said in a recorded phone call to the EHPD that she was tired of Officer Sorbo playing "cute" down at the beach? Could it be that this was the incident that sparked the war between Mayor April and the East Haven Police Department? Could it be that the East Haven Police Department is the victim of political profiling?

The sad part about this whole thing is there are no crimes on the books for political profiling and there should be! It's just as dangerous and both sides play the game to the detriment to the victims who many times don't want anything to do with it. Do you see the similarities?

I know the FBI, DOJ, State Department and other Governmental Agencies are watching everything and reading everything in the Town, this blog included and I welcome it. Maybe they should look at the CONSEQUENCES of political profiling and maybe they could understand what many of us already know that FORMER Mayor Capone, Paul Hongo, Frank Capone,  Fr. Manship, James Krebs and Fred Brow play that game very well!

The Truth about East Haven’s Workplace Policies and Zero Tolerance under Paul Hongo

I had to take a deep breath after reading Paul Hongo’s latest article in the East Haven Patch and when I was done laughing I said to myself Paul Hongo is nothing but a blatant hypocrite. The nerve of Mr. Hongo to call Sargent John Miller a liar! It just seems to me that Mr. Paul Hongo, FORMER Deputy Director of Town Affairs is just venting, stomping his feet and in complete denial that he lost his job. Well I have news for you Mr. Hongo, if you worked for me you would have lost your job whether or not April Capone was Mayor. Your ability to “squash” situations that occurred under your watch at your discretion for political favor would have been just cause to terminate you.

I am speaking specifically about a case that occurred this past year when a subordinate of one of your departments was solicited via email to attend a trip with a manager. When the employee balked and refused to submit to the sexual advances in the email guess who she called Mr. Hongo? Yes, yours truly. You see Mr. Hongo, I have a Master’s Degree in Labor Relations and therefore I am a subject matter expert in these cases. My advice to your employee was two-fold, they could call the union and inform them of the situation or they could hire an attorney and sue the Town of East Haven for documented sexual harassment. Your employee made the right decision to call the union, although we thought at the time, not to hire an attorney but to work through the union and your office to get resolution to the situation. At first, things were moving along very appropriately. There were meetings between the union, you and the complainant and then there were direct conversations with the individual who committed the offense.  It looked like something was going to be done under the “Zero Tolerance” policy you quote, but guess what Mr. Hongo? Nothing happened. You squashed it, you didn’t bring that Manager up on charges, run his name through the press or bring them before their board now did you Mr. Hongo? <Paul is probably stuttering as he’s reading> It’s ok Paul, I know the whole story because I was behind the scenes guiding this entire process on behalf of your employee who did a fantastic job and was at times more concerned about not embarrassing the Town of East Haven unlike you do.

 It’s so sad Paul that you are willing to sell your soul for the demise of Sargent John Miller because he posted a blog up on the Police Officers Union bulletin board. The blog, by the way was not a blog that he authored and when he was made aware of the offensive blog it was removed. Technically Mr. Hongo you and your Board of Police Commissioners have no proof of the author of the blog and your target of Sgt. Miller is plain wrong and borders harassment. It was after the discovery of the blog posting the “offended” employee filed a grievance and a CHRO complaint. As the Human Resources guru of East Haven what did you do to try and protect the Town of East Haven from these charges? or was your advice to file the grievance and CHRO? It's funny because these two cases were happening simultaneously and both have very different outcomes. Mr. Hongo, what did you do in your investigation to determine if you may have had another case of inappropriate behavior of a Manager with their employee? In the blog at the Police Department, it references a sexual relationship between the two. What did you do or say to the Manager involved in the blog? Did you ask if what was written in the blog is true? I know the answer, no you didn't and nothing was done! As for the Police Commissioner, who really cares, he’s not an employee but an appointee of the Mayor. Really Mr. Hongo what have you done to protect anyone but your political buddies?

There is also another situation with the East Haven Police Department that Mr. Hongo became directly involved in. Mr. Hongo was caught “running his mouth” about a consensual relationship between a male and female police officer. One of the officers was legally separated and they began to date. Because Mr. Hongo had a problem with the male officer, he disparaged his name every time he had the chance to. It took the involvement of the East Haven Police Local 1662 and the Union Attorney to shut Mr. Hongo up.

 < Can you see the bobble head rocking back and forth in your mind? I can.>

How sad that it has to come to this. Mr. Hongo you are nothing more than a political hack and a sensationalist at that. Whose business is it to discuss a consensual adult relationship with anyone, especially the person who has the Human Resources knowledge and was the former Local 1298 CWA President?

Mr. Hongo if you had such a “zero tolerance” for work place violence why in fact did you stand for the Mayor’s decision to allow Ralph Mauro to continue to work while he was being brought up on felony gun charges? If you were so concerned about the well- being of the employees of the Town of East Haven why did you not place Mr. Mauro on administrative leave?  You after all according to your blog you're the subject matter expert on Human Resources, correct Mr. Hongo?

Now for the hard core truth Mr. Hongo, you are a phony and a hypocrite. You are disingenuous in writing stories about your version of the truth. The facts are the facts Mr. Hongo, an employee of the Town of East Haven who had a legitimate, documented sexual harassment case had no justice served because you thought it best to keep it out of the public eye, you kept it between the Union and the Town.  But when it came to Sgt. Miller you played politics and wrote your article blasting the Union President, Sgt. John Miller.  Face it Mr. Hongo this case only arose because the Union leveled a no-confidence vote against the administration. Sgt. Miller is a hero cop that saved the lives of fellow officers in the line of duty and he and the members of Local 1662 did not agree with the way you, the Mayor, the Board of Police Commissioners and Inspector Nappi was running the Police Department. Mr. Hongo I ask just who the hell do you think you are? 

Now that the truth and FULL DISCLOSURE has been granted to the people of East Haven, I now dare you to respond, but be prepared to have it all come out Mr. Hongo. Failure to provide equal treatment as the Chief Human Resources person makes you liable regardless of whether or not you are an employee of the Town of East Haven. You were the man in charge of all labor matters and you failed to provide equal treatment and zero tolerance Mr. Hongo. Maybe the Federal Government should investigate you and your Administration for not following a consistent and fair practices in governing these types of matters. 

These stories I write about here are true cases here in the Town of East Haven but I can assure you and the people involved that the East Haven Vine will protect the sources and the names of the people involved. It is not the intention of this blog to embarrass any employee but to only print the truth and to disqualify Mr. Hongo's statements and writings.

Lastly Mr. Hongo…..Just go away. You’ve been fired by the people of East Haven.  We don’t want to read your LIES anymore.