Chief Defers To City Hall On Rowdy Rookie

Asked about the rehiring of a rookie cop who was arrested in a downtown bar incident and continues to get in trouble with the law, Chief Frank Limon said only that he has to ​“stand by the decision that was made.”

The rookie in question is 24-year-old Jason Bandy. Police say he called in sick to work last October, then got drunk, urinated on the bathroom floor at the Center Street Lounge on Orange Street, refused to leave, and then was arrested for breach of peace and interfering with an officer. He was later fired from his job as a police officer.

On Friday, he got his job back, according to a Tuesday article in the New Haven Register. Bill Kaempffer wrote that the city and the police union came to an agreement that will allow Bandy to return to the force on Jan. 1 2011.

Bandy’s reinstatement comes despite two pending court cases against him. One stems from the incident at Center Street Lounge in October. The other is the result of a February arrest in East Haven, in which police are charging Bandy with disorderly conduct.

According to Kaempffer’s article, police responded to a domestic call at Bandy’s mother’s house in East Haven. They sent Bandy to the hospital for evaluation after he threatened to kill himself. His mother reportedly said he has an anger problem that requires medication.

Court records show that Bandy also has a pending case in Meriden for driving while using a mobile phone on Feb. 11.

On Tuesday afternoon, Chief Limon, who took office a month ago, was asked for his opinion about the re-hiring of Bandy.

Before he could answer, mayoral spokesperson Jessica Mayorga interrupted twice to say the decision was made based on the facts available and was in the best interests of the city.

Limon eventually said it was an agreement made between the city and the union. ​“I have to stand by the decision that was made,” he said.

Limon’s answer stands in contrast with remarks of his predecessor, Chief James Lewis, who recommended that Bandy be fired. At the time Lewis, who pushed for termination of several officers during his tenure here, called Bandy’s offense ​“very severe … When you call in sick and you’re not, there’s a question of honesty.”

Another Rookie Cop

Limon was also asked about another Tuesday Register article, which reported that a different rookie cop is being investigated in connection with a motorcycle hit-and-run in April. The chief would not confirm that a police officer is a suspect in that case. He said only that it is ​“an ongoing investigation” and ​“just like any hit and run investigation.”

New Alert System Unveiled

Normally, citizens report crimes to the police. Starting Wednesday, the opposite will also be true, thanks to a new high-tech service.

With the help of a two-year-old internet company called Nixle, the police department will begin sending out electronic alerts about crime activity in the city. New Haveners can sign up to receive email bulletins to be notified of crime activity like a rash of car break-ins or a missing child. Neighbors can also choose to have the information text-messaged right to their phones.

The service is completely free for the police department and participating residents.

Police Chief Frank Limon and department spokesman Officer Joe Avery (at left in photo) unveiled the new system Tuesday at an afternoon press conference at police headquarters on Union Avenue.

Avery explained how the system will work. Residents who want to receive the daily updates can sign up at Nixle.com, where they’ll be asked for their email address and cell phone number.

At least once a day, Avery will be sending out bulletins via Nixle, which will be sent to those who sign up as either an email or a text message alert.

Avery said he plans to send out all department press releases via Nixle, and there will be a daily roundup of crime activity. Nixle allows the department to choose to send out some information only to users in certain blocks. But for now, all alerts will be sent out city-wide, Avery said.

Nixle will replace an outdated email alert system, Avery said.

The system will be ​“more timely, effective, and trusted,” than the old email system, Limon said. ​“Our intention is to communicate with the community.”

Nixle is being used by other police departments across the country, including in Chicago, Limon said.

The partnership with Nixle comes at no cost. The company is offering the service to cities freely, as a way of promoting their business, said city spokeswoman Jessica Mayorga.