Connecticut lawmakers can expect a report by October on their inquiry into whether a scandal involving state troopers faking traffic stop tickets may have skewed racial profiling data.
“October 15 is the day we are going to give you for the 130 [troopers] or more if we find them that have or are suspected of falsification,” James Rovella, the commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, told lawmakers at a public information hearing on Wednesday.
“Then we have to move to the internal affairs investigation portion,” he said.
His agency is investigating about 130 troopers who might be involved in the scandal.
The preliminary findings show that five of the troopers being investigated didn’t intentionally write false traffic tickets between 2014 and 2021.
“I support those people. But I have to tell you I have no tolerance for those who abuse the system,” Rovella said.
Such troopers would be barred from future law enforcement work, he assured lawmakers.
“As it runs through the process there has to be a sustained finding to refer them to post for decertification,” Rovella added.
They might also face criminal prosecution.
In the meantime, Rovella said he’s received a subpoena from the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation seeking information on the scandal, and the Department of Justice might be next.
Gov. Ned Lamont has also started an independent review.
