Board of Selectmen Meeting November 13, 2019
On October 16, 2019 the Police Commission had a regular meeting where the agenda reflected all agenda items except Executive Session, which was approved to add to the agenda. The minutes of the meeting does not reflect who was present at the session and the reason for Executive Session. This is in violation of the Freedom of Information Act.
Commissioners Mike Long, Ed Cosgrove and Jim Fleming have served the public in Government positions.
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According to the CAA (Connecticut Airport Authority) Mike Long is a Board member. Mike Long served on the Board of Selectmen and is on the Democratic Town Committee. Mike Long has served in many political capacities. Mike Long is an Attorney and should be versed in the Freedom of Information Act
Jim Fleming was a Simsbury State Senator for decades and is now serving as President of CAR (Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association), a political position. He too should be versed in the Freedom of Information Act.
Find out what's happening in Simsburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It appears that the Police Commissioners decided to oviscape the reason for going into Executive Session, since after much questioning, Mike Long stated that it was about a “letter from Sgt. Jason Trombly” who was about to be terminated from the Police Department. This is a lie since there was no letter presented. It appears that Mike Long had already written the motion for terminating Sgt. Trombly and distributed it to the Commissioners in 3 minutes in Executive Session.
Since these Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the Board of Selectmen, they should be asked to resign since truthfulness is most important in public service and according to Chief Boulter lying is reason for termination.
On November 6, 2019 the Police Commission had a Special Meeting with an Agenda listing “Possible Action on disciplinary hearing regarding Sgt. Jason Trombly.
In a meeting of less than 3 minutes a Motion was read to terminate Sgt. Jason Trombly and a vote was taken without any discussion.
All the members of the audience supporting Sgt. Trombly were there to support him.
They all departed from the room and remained in the hall adjacent to the Dispatch area. A few moments later a 911 call came into the Dispatch that pedestrians were hit by a car in front of the Post Office and broadcasted in the building. Many of Sgt. Trombly’s friends were Police Officers and immediately left the building to help the victims. Sgt, Trombly was the first responder on the scene moments after the call and moments after he was terminated from the Police Deapartment.
Both Life Star and an Ambulance were called to the scene where the accident victims lay on Hopmeadow Street in very serious condition.
During this time both Chief Boulter and Town Manager Maria Capriola were in Chief Boulter’s Office and never appeared at the accident scene. When Chief Boulter was apprised of the accident, the first thing he said was,” is it someone we know?” Does it matter? Shame on Chief Boulter!
After the ambulance and Life Star left Chief Boulter went to his car in the Town Hall parking lot and left the area through the back of the building.
Hopmeadow Street was considered a crime scene and was closed to traffic after the accident victims were taken to the hospital, to continue with the investigation.
On October 8, 2019 Patty Snediker filed a Citizen Complaint against Officer Gray and Sgt. Thibault describing the shoddy investigation of her 911 call that took 6 hours to find her deceased sister that was just a few feet away from the Officer in the Master Bedroom Bathroom with music playing and lights on.
On October 23, Chief Boulter responded to her letter by characterizing the oversight as a “momentary lapse in thoroughness.”
Chief Boulter’s thorough investigation did not include any tests to determine his visual deficiencies or whether his hearing was impaired.
A “momentary lapse” can get you “Out of Jail Free.”
On October 29, Patty Snediker filed a complaint to the Police Commission for a hearing on her concerns since she was not satisfied with Chief Boulter’s explanation. She has not heard from the Police Commission for a hearing date.
I would like to inform the Board of Selectmen that as a result of my Freedom of Information request for the audio tapes of Chief Boulter questioning Police Officers as part of the Police Internal Affairs Investigation, I have received 3 tapes that I have posted on Simsbury Patch, Twitter@JoanCoe and News Feed on facebook for everyone to review.
Since Chief Boulter was appointed Chief, he has been consumed with investigating Officers in the Police Department. The termination of Sgt. Jason Trombly instills the fear of intimidation and punitive actions by Chief Boulter that has led to poor moral within the Police Department.