FBI arrests 4 Conn. cops in discrimination probe

U.S. Attorney David B. Fein, left, speaks about an indictment charging four East Haven police officers with federal civil rights offenses during a press conference in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. / Ned Gerard,AP Photo/The Connecticut Post

EAST HAVEN, Conn. - Four police officers, including the president of the local police union, were arrested Tuesday by the FBI on charges that they assaulted illegal immigrants and created false reports to cover up abuses in a New Haven suburb where a federal investigation found life was made miserable for Hispanics.

The East Haven officers assaulted individuals while they were handcuffed, unlawfully searched Latino businesses, and harassed and intimidated individuals, including advocates, witnesses and other officers who tried to investigate or report misconduct or abuse the officers committed, according to the federal indictment.

Federal authorities began investigating police in 2009 in East Haven, where the federal probe last month documented a pattern of abuse. Latino business owners said rough treatment by police drove many newcomers from Mexico and Ecuador to leave the blue-collar city.

The arrests were welcomed by Hispanic business owners in East Haven, including Luis Rodriguez, an immigrant from Ecuador who had complained of harassment by police at his Los Amigos Grocery store.

"They should have to pay, not with many years, but enough to make an example of them. They should not abuse their power," Rodriguez said. "All I ever wanted was to be left in peace."

Officers Dennis Spaulding, David Cari and Jason Zullo and Sgt. John Miller, president of the police union, are charged with conspiracy, deprivation of rights and obstruction of justice.

Federal officials say the officers denied Latino residents and their advocates the right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to not be arrested and detained without probable cause and the right to not be arrested on false and misleading evidence.

Zullo allegedly described taking joy in singling out Latinos, telling Spaulding in a 2008 exchange quoted by the indictment that he liked harassing drivers and referred to "persons who have drifted to this country on rafts made of chicken wings and are now residing" in East Haven.

Miller repeatedly slapped a man handcuffed in his car, while Spaulding threw a man to the ground and repeatedly kicked him while he was handcuffed, according to the indictment. Mayor Joseph Maturo said the four men were arrested around 6 a.m. Tuesday at their homes and at the police department.

Donald Cretella, Miller's lawyer, said his client has been honored with awards and risked his life in shootouts.

"John Miller is a hero in East Haven," he said. "He's decorated. He's a wonderful family man. Hopefully, we'll clear his name."

Frank Riccio Jr., Spaulding's attorney, said his client is an exemplary police officer.

"At this early stage it's our position Mr. Spaulding is not guilty of the charges. He's been nothing but an exemplary police officer. That's why this is shocking."

It wasn't immediately clear who was representing Cari and Zullo.

The indictment says Miller reported to a police department leader described as a co-conspirator who blocked efforts by the police commission to investigate Miller's misconduct. That is a reference to Chief Leonard Gallo, according to a person with direct knowledge who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is continuing. A message was left for Gallo.

The indictment also accuses unnamed union leaders of intimidation and interference to protect the officers, including a depiction of a rat posted on a bulletin board and a cartoon saying "You know what we do with snitches?" in a police locker room.

The U.S. attorney for Connecticut, David Fein, said the investigation is still looking into other incidents and individuals. Officials said no more arrests were expected Tuesday.

Maturo, a Republican who took office Nov. 19, recently reinstated Gallo as police chief. Gallo had been on paid administrative leave since federal authorities began investigating in 2010. Maturo said he backs the police.

"I stand behind the police department," he said. "We have a great police department."

The U.S. Department of Justice, which has pledged to reach out to the police department to work on reforms, said last month that the department engaged in a pattern of discrimination against Latino residents. Investigators said their probe was complicated by efforts to interfere with witnesses and by police silence.

Nearly half or a third of the drivers pulled over by certain officers were Latino, and the number of Latinos pulled over by certain squads was "extraordinarily high," said Roy Austin Jr., deputy assistant attorney general for the civil rights division. Latinos who were stopped for minor violations were subjected to harsher punishments, such as arrest or vehicle towing, than were non-Latinos.

The East Haven Police Department of some 50 officers has come under scrutiny previously for civil rights issues. A federal jury ruled in 2003 that a white officer used excessive force and violated the rights of a black man he fatally shot after a chase.

Some officers involved in that case kept their jobs and were promoted, and there was no evidence that anyone received training to prevent similar confrontations in the future, Austin said.

[frankiefile]

The firmly entrenched racism in this country is astounding and saddening. I almost prefer a previous era when the racism was out in the open. You knew where you stood. Now, it hides quietly in the hearts of American men and women, only coming out when in the company of like-minded individuals or cowardly under the cover of anonymous comments such as the one's above. I challenge all the racist commentors above to enter their real names and home towns. Lets see how their opinions soften.

[[e-mail]]

Oh yea I'm sure the police were under huge pressure to punch suspects while handcuffed. Im sure law abiding citizens were just insisting that the police lie, threaten and intimidate and break hundreds of civil laws. What possibly more could the police do that would get a white wash from you as well? Are you familiar with the term blaming the victim?

[ici2i]

I hope we see more of this type of crackdown on racism with a badge. Hope they put them in the prison general population; a racist's cops worst nightmare come true.

[lloydbest1]

The disturbing thing about this and other incidents where cops unfairly target someone or some group is ANYONE can be in the crosshairs.

Latinos seem to be the flavor of the month but this could equally apply to any group deemed undesirable including white Christians, middle class liberals and tea-bagging reactionaries.

No one should have to suffer unfair and negatively discriminatory attention from the authorities and profiling based on ANY superficial characteristic is morally wrong. No one ethnic, no one color and no one nationality has the monopoly on virtue (or vice) and broadbrush tarring based on the actions of a few should in no way reflect upon the group.

[samXXkiley]

coucou,
the American is racist it is a reality,
also, in some states the law allows such behavior by police,
in a country as vast as the United States, such incidents must count in thousands,
"au revoir"

[ici2i]

I have one word for your generalization, exagerations; WRONG! State laws allow this type of behavior? Absurd!! You aren't from around here are you so I presume you'll let yourself out.

[Allen_Wentz]

Anyone can watch local law enforcement selectively enforcing against minorities and the less economically well off every day. That is, basically, what cops _do_.

Then when some cops get caught at it the bigots come out of their slime and blame the DOJ, Obama, etc. and rant about immigration.

[sweetcakesmaria]

Amen!

[lloydbest1]

From credibility2 January 24, 2012 12:46 PM EST

"I find it hard to accept that the cops would just decide to go after anyone unless there was suspicion."

This was a federal probe comissioned by a branch of our government known for a conservative approach and conducted by an agency with a long history of blatantly racist behavior itself. As such, I think there is very good probable cause to suspect they did, in fact, do exactly what credibility2 finds so hard to believe.

The article doesn't go into a whole lot of detail but if any of us were privy to the full investigation we could find the truth would make those four officers look a lot worse than they do now. Because the DOJ is so conservitive (read "careful" in this instance) and the FBI takes a very timid approach toward investigating race based crimes; there very likely was a lot of stuff that didn't get included in the indictment that a real gunslingin' attorney with a bent for making a name for him(her)self and no more ethics than Bernie Madoff would trot out in a heartbeat.

If it turns out this "gang of four" are indeed guilty (and we can't know that yet); they are probably guilty of far more and possibly far worse...

[ReckonedTruth]

Don't have enough information with regard to the officers involved about what really happened as of yet..

As far as the race-based comments about mexicans wanting their land back, etc., is garbage... Mexico have resigned to the fact -- what the mexican-american war was about.. Mexico LOST the war and resigned to that fact..and I don't believe there's any open hostility in Mexico today as to the outcome of the war. Any conspiracy..that mexicans want their land back..and why they are crossing the mexican- american border intentionally.

If you want to look at the real problem with immigration reform lacking as such.. look at the small business owners in the southwest who are hiring illegal immigrants..paying them next to nothing under the table..sticking (10) people in a horrendus trailor not fit for humans as housing..and working them sun up to sun down.. and so these small business owner are CHEATING the state out of STATE TAXES(basically theivery)..as result of NOT reporting their employees or paying some sort of benefits to the employees..so what these small business owners are doing is doubling their profits..as result is just short of SLAVERY(sounds familar?)..yet stealing from the state not paying taxes to the state..let's talk about that!!

Anyway..

DOJ, is doing their job if this indeed is the DOJ- whose behind what is happening in CONN.,

Dirty Cops think they can get away with anything..simply because they are cops..its time for police to PROTECT AND SERVE..not harass and beat people up so they(dirty cops) can trump up a charge against targeted people "simply because" the dirty cops can..(CONN., has a large Puerto Rican/latino community)..

See what these NOT SO BRIGHT dirty cops don't GET is this..The DOJ will plant informers .. to be apart of the "force" in the target precinct(s) and found the evidence(a betrayed of trust among the Conn., police personel/precinct(s)involved) to go after these alleged dirty cops..I betcha that's how this went down..

So be it done..

[credibility2]

Conspicuously missing from this article is a full disclosure of what these four were suspected of doing, which would have precipitated the cops going after them. Did these guys resist arrest? Were they mouthy and combative towards the cops? I find it hard to accept that the cops would just decide to go after anyone unless there was suspicion. Sounds like another attempt to discredit the cops for doing their job. And, another case of the poor Latinos being picked on and singled out.

[democracy8]

You obviously have never been to East Haven.

[HolyVoice]

The article states: the department engaged in a pattern of discrimination against Latino residents. Investigators said their probe was complicated by efforts to interfere with witnesses and by police silence. Nearly half or a third of the drivers pulled over by certain officers were Latino, and the number of Latinos pulled over by certain squads was "extraordinarily high," said Roy Austin Jr., deputy assistant attorney general for the civil rights division. Latinos who were stopped for minor violations were subjected to harsher punishments, such as arrest or vehicle towing, than were non-Latinos.

But I see your point, blame the victims because they must be guilty--they are Hispanic.

[wattermelann]

The officers are innocent. Latinos have been conniving to "get their land bank for over a century". Most Mexicans haven't read the Hildago Treaty and the ones that have don't care they want more-they want their debts paid by Americans and and they want their land too. Sounds a bit Cortes? Yeah, he and his army were a greedy bunch of murderers-even Spain don't want to have anything to do with 'em-any of them and none of their offspring. You want to live here? You stand in line like everybody else and you follow the laws like everybody else. America is done giving Mexicans a free ride.

[democracy8]

You have absolutely no evidence to back up your assertion that these officers are innocent.

[HolyVoice]

You had to go back to the 16th century for that argument?

If only Mexicans would work for free, then you'd be gratified.