Morning! The number of Connecticut police officers facing decertification for misconduct is rising. Since the 2020 accountability reforms, almost 50 officers have faced license revoking. That’s a significant increase from previous years — only three officers were decertified between 2018 and 2020.
The Police Officer Safety and Training Council oversees the decertification process. They have around 30 cases pending and said they need more staff to speed up the process.
Here's a bite-sized look at what else we're hearing:
A Long Island funeral home owner has been charged for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Peter Maloney, 58, was on the West Plaza during the initial breach of the Capitol building. He was wearing protective eyewear and a helmet. Maloney brought a can of wasp spray, which he used on officers during the attack. Prosecutors say he also punched and shoved a reporter from the Associated Press. He faces eight charges and will be prosecuted in Washington D.C.
New York will likely create a commission to look into reparations for slavery and racial discrimination. The Legislature is expected to approve the plan soon. New York would be the second state to create such a commission, behind California, which created a task force in 2020. Any recommendations the commission makes would need legislative approval.
Suffolk County is using AI to collect hotel-motel taxes from Airbnb hosts. According to an analysis from the county, many hosts are evading the 5.5% per-night tax that they are supposed to pay. The AI software, from a company called Granicus, finds hosts and notifies them of the tax.
Bridgeport will benefit from a windfall from Connecticut’s new budget. The budget, which passed this week, includes $17 million in extra state aid for the city. The budget also includes an increase for schools, the Sikorsky Memorial Airport and an anticipated $15 million for Total Mortgage Arena.
Connecticut has passed a wide-range bill to support children and families. Senate Bill 2 passed both chambers of the Legislature unanimously. It works to offer expanded mental health support, supports libraries and requires schools to offer play-based learning for young children.
Federal authorities are investigating former Suffolk County district attorneys Thomas Spota and Timothy Sini. The district attorney’s office said they are looking into the use of forfeiture funds in an undercover money laundering scheme as recent as 2020. In a statement, Sini said he had complied with a subpoena but dismissed the allegations. Spota is currently serving a five-year federal prison sentence for conspiracy.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont will deliver the commencement address for incarcerated college graduates. MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield is hosting their first college graduation for seven inmates who were able to get degrees thanks to a partnership established in 2021 by the University of New Haven and the Yale Prison Education Initiative.
