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After a police officer's sexual harassment complaint, city residents raise concerns about a 'toxic climate' within the department

Hartford Courant - 2/26/2019

Feb. 26-- Feb. 26--A female Hartford police officer's sexual harassment complaint is indicative of a "toxic culture" within the department that has left women, people of color and the LGBTQ community feeling vulnerable, city residents told Mayor Luke Bronin Monday.

"Black trans women under 30 in Hartford are scared and are paying a lot of attention to this," said Kamora Herrington, who chairs a city commission charged with representing the interests of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents. "Queer people in Hartford feel much less safe than we felt before."

More than a dozen people attended a meeting of the LGBTQ Commission Monday afternoon to voice concern about Officer Kelly Baerga's sexual harassment complaint and discuss the broader issue of police-community relations. Baerga, who is assigned as the police department's LGBTQ liaison, filed the complaint against a fellow officer about nine months ago, but she has said her concerns have been largely ignored due to a perceived "good ol' boys" mentality within the department. She did not attend Monday's meeting.

"We hear so many different stories of people's interactions with the Hartford police department," city council member Claudine Fox said at a press conference before the LGBTQ Commission convened. "I have so many stories I can recite of my process of engaging with the Hartford police department and what it felt like to submit complaints and be sent on a runaround and be intimidated in the process of getting the information I deserve."

Leslie Hammond said the city must take bold steps to address the lack of confidence felt by some residents. "I'm really concerned about the toxic environment," she said. Sexual harassment training "is not going to cut it ... this is so much bigger than Officer Baega."

Bronin said the city has hired a labor relations firm to speed up an investigation into Baerga's allegations and other pending complaints. The city is also changing its policy to include the mayor's chief of staff in the review process.

Pressed by residents, Bronin said he became angry when he read Baerga's nine-page complaint, which includes details about inappropriate sexual comments made by a fellow officer at work events the two attended.

"We do not tolerate harassment of any one by anyone at any time under any circumstance," the mayor told the LGBTQ Commission Monday. "I feel a sense of personal responsibility to make sure that all of our departments have a culture that's consistent with our values."

Some activists faulted the city for mishandling the matter. "She's getting tormented in her job every single day ... and you guys are talking about 'Well, the third time she complains we're going to talk about it every month and we're going to send her an email update.' What are you doing to change the culture?" asked Gannon Long, a Hartford resident.

Long said Hartford police have not been transparent in addressing the concerns of residents and she noted that Chief David Rosado was not at the meeting. "Why is the chief not here?" Long asked. "Why is he not engaging with this commission, having community conversations?"

Rosado was not available for comment. But in a statement, he said he feels a personal responsibility to create a "culture of inclusivity" within the department.

"[T]hat work is ongoing," Rosado said. "Part of that is recruiting a department that reflects our community, which we have made a priority, and it also means cultivating an environment where all of our officers feel welcomed and respected every day. Any time a member of our team indicates they feel otherwise, we have to both meaningfully address their concerns and take stock of what we are doing as a department, because no one should have that experience."

Bronin notes that roughly a quarter of the Hartford Police Department's hires over the past three years have been women. "One might say that should be higher but it is far above the national average for police departments and I'm proud of that," he said.

But the citizens who attended the meeting at Hartford City Hall said more needs to be done. "This is appalling," resident Evelyn Richardson said of Baerga's complaint. "We don't tolerate this type of stuff. We are going to make sure people are held accountable."

Another member of the audience, Janice Flemming-Butler, said respect is the key to better police-community relations. "It's very hard to feel that you're being heard when you're at odds with someone who is an authority figure," she said. "There needs to be a broader conversation about how police officers interact and engage on and off the job."

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