Stratford Cop Suspended, Called BLM 'Terrorist Organization'

STRATFORD, CT — A Stratford police sergeant was briefly suspended without pay after he published a Facebook post that called the Black Lives Matter movement “a terrorist organization.”

Sgt. Jamie Rivera came under public scrutiny in September when an image of the post circulated on social media. Mayor Laura Hoydick noted the disciplinary action taken against Rivera as part of her report at Monday’s Town Council meeting. There was no further discussion of the matter by the council.

“Sgt. Rivera was found to have violated the Police Department’s social media policy,” Mike Downes, chief of staff to the mayor, said in an email. “… Additionally, his speech could be perceived to malign, disparage or otherwise express bias on the basis of race or a protected class.”

The Facebook post led officials and residents alike to question Rivera’s judgment. In the post, Rivera said Black Lives Matter was “a terrorist organization” that “call for the killing of cops,” expressed his support for President Donald Trump, and referenced suicide among police officers.

The day after the post was published, Rivera attended a meeting with the police chief and officials from the Greater Bridgeport NAACP. At a council public forum in September, residents called for action to be taken against Rivera.

Rivera was suspended without pay Nov. 4 and Nov. 5, according to Downes. A third day of unpaid suspension will be held in abeyance for a year. Rivera was also suspended from his role as a public information officer and will be required to attend training on diversity, inclusion, sensitivity and implicit bias.

“The Greater Bridgeport NAACP has been waiting for this outcome and is glad to have learned that there is accountability for one's actions at the Stratford Police Department,” the Rev. D. Stanley Lord, president of the NAACP branch, said in an email. “We look forward to working with Chief (Joe) McNeil in the future.”

Tammy Langston, chair of Citizens Addressing Racial Equity, said the three-day suspension and required training were “not the outcome we were looking for.” A statement from CARE in September had called for Rivera to receive personal counseling and to be placed on suspension until an investigation was completed, as well as for all police employees to get implicit bias and cultural sensitivity training.

“I do hope that Sgt Rivera will learn from the information he receives from the implicit bias training and truly reflect on how his words and actions impact the diverse community that he serves,” Langston said in an email.

Rivera was investigated by both the police department and an attorney for the town, according to Downes. Stratford’s police union has filed a grievance about the disciplinary measures taken, and a written report on the investigation won’t become public until the grievance is resolved.

Neither Rivera nor Local 407 President Lt. Antonio Santos responded Wednesday to requests for comment.

Rivera had no prior disciplinary record, according to Downes.