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Murphy (left) and Blumenthal (right) with Mayor Toni Harp at Thrusday’s conversation.
Convened by Connecticut’s U.S. senators to discuss the militarization of law enforcement in the aftermath of police violence in Ferguson, local chiefs encouraged a focus on the quality of community relations over the specific tools used.
U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal held the meeting with state and local law enforcement officials in New Haven City Hall Thursday afternoon to discuss the proper use of military-grade equipment distributed through the federal 1033 program. The meeting reflected a national debate in the wake of reports that the Department of Defense supplied local police in Ferguson, Mo., with weapons then used against citizens protesting an officer’s killing of an unarmed black man.
Chiefs from New Haven, Trumbull, Fairfield, and Southern Connecticut State University shared their experiences using specific equipment and defended the need for certain items in cases of emergency. The senators asked them specific questions on assets and training protocol, to prepare for a debate in Washington on the federal program in September.
Blumenthal said the weapons and vehicles in Ferguson “should have been used defensively, not offensively,” and could save police lives, if accompanied by proper training and community policing.
The use of more powerful vehicles and offensive weapons on a local level can contribute to an “impression of distance” between the police and the public, Murphy said, especially when combined with a lack of communication.
Police chiefs said military-grade equipment is sometimes the cheapest option, although not directly suited to local enforcement needs. The Fairfield police department was not able to afford standard search and rescue vehicles, but received MRAPs, armored military vehicles, without cost through the federal program.
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Gary MacNamara (pictured), Fairfield’s chief, said the department used the MRAPs for rescue efforts during Hurricane Sandy. The vehicles seemed “intimidating” until they were needed to pull people from their houses during the floods, he argued.
“It’s an example of a military vehicle being used for 100 percent good,” he said. “Don’t judge us on our equipment.”
New Haven does not have MRAPs. The department did use money from the Department of Homeland Security to buy Lenco BearCats, smaller armored vehicles. Police use the vehicle for SWAT missions.
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Assistant Police Chief Luiz Casanova (pictured) said New Haven cops regularly display the vehicle during community events so that people feel “familiar” with it instead of frightened. They also ensure officers are properly trained on the use of any equipment. Only certain officers are allowed to handle the department’s semi-automatic AK-15s; they receive training four times per year.
“It’s not just about the equipment,” he said. “It’s about the people holding the equipment.”
New Haven has not received military equipment since Chief Dean Esserman returned to New Haven in 2011, Assistant Police Chief Archie Generoso said. The department is “satisfied” with its current assets.
As a member of the Senate’s Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, Blumenthal said, he plans to draft a memo asking for increased transparency and accountability in the federal program.