Sep 16, 2021 Updated Jan 27, 2022. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. The man who recorded and uploaded the video that ultimately resulted in Spinas suspension has stated that he was driving on Interstate 95 when he noticed a car driving erratically and made an obscene gesture toward that cars driver in response. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. I cant (expletive) wait to be done.. In the video, posted on YouTube Monday, the trooper is seen cursing at a man who was allegedly speeding on the span also know as the Q bridge in New Haven. accounts, the history behind an article. Don't knowingly lie about anyone I love how EVERY comment is edited by staff. Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies and light rain after midnight. The unions missive alleges that Spinas punishment is politically motivated. While not an excuse, we are sensitive to this and also referred the trooper to our employee assistance program. We are troopers and we will fight back when treated with disrespect, he added. All Rights Reserved. The suit claims the laws mandates for the release of public records runs counter to the most recent state police collective bargaining agreement, which allows troopers to prevent their personnel records from being released to the public. Low 46F. For our troopers, they are dealing with the impact on their personal lives along with workplace stressors of being on the frontline, Mellekas said. After berating the driver for questioning his actions before the traffic stop, Spina says, Unbelievable. Ned Lamont addresses the media in Westport, Conn. Rovella received 681 votes of no confidence from troopers, Eckersley received 682. Trooper Matthew Spina from Connecticut State Police appears to have a mental breakdown 14 months from retirement. States have to go bankrupt in order to legally get rid of the Golden Pension Club. Use the 'Report' link on The media has really gone off the deep end. Error! Spina then says state police are understaffed. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. During a traffic stop on Interstate 95 in New Haven on Monday, Trooper Matthew Spina went on a foul-mouthed tirade, which was captured on cellphone video, during which the driver claims the cop. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and You had to be a (expletive) American.. I am willing to bet Mr. Powell wouldnt be able to cut it. Those who challenge government actions for the right reasons could be forever barred from political office unjustly by this law. The company, reached through Facebook, said they had designed the coin. This article is absolutely an opinion piece and should be taken as such. We won't share it with anyone else. We noticed you have an ad blocker on. Why might Spina drive himself crazy with overwork? Choose wisely! The following list is based on analytics calculated for JournalInquirer.com, specifically the number of times each story was viewed. Unfortunately, the coin could certainly erode public trust in police, it is emblematic of the challenges facing police leaders as they try to create change. Given the department's habit of concealing or minimizing misconduct by troopers, Spina may receive no serious discipline at all, or the department may delay any discipline until Spina completes the 14 months he needs for his 20-year qualification, thereby making discipline meaningless. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. He also complains that the state police are understaffed. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Hundreds of Connecticut state troopers voted that they have no confidence in the leadership of Gov. These remarks invite a review of his payroll records at state Comptroller Kevin Lembo's wonderful OpenCT internet site. As the incident continues to unfold, Spina yells that it just never ends in this job., Apparently nearing retirement, Spina yells: I got 14 months. Matthew Spina. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Send help right to the people and causes you care about. Chris Powell is a columnist for the Journal Inquirer. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. great work of the women and men of the Connecticut State Police and their In July, the Hartford Courant reported the unions plan to hold a vote of no confidence. It's probably so he can participate in the part of state government's pension system that has become a racket. Not today on I-95 as Connecticut State Trooper Matthew Spina goes on a frightening rant . Andrew Matthews, executive director of the Connecticut State Police Union, said the union does not comment on pending internal affairs investigations. Spina quickly asks: Why were you speeding?. Spina declined to comment Wednesday. Last week, the Hartford Courant reported that a challenge coin featuring Spinas likeness and select quotes from the video including Youre (expletive), how does that sound? and Its called shut the (expletive) up, has been circulating among state police personnel. Numismatists collected them. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. The system offers troopers pensions that are payable immediately upon 20 years of service, and it calculates pension payments by taking half the average of the salaries of a trooper's three highest-earning years. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Social media users roundly condemned Spinas behavior, and the state polices commanding officer, Col. Stavros Mellekas, labeled the episode disturbing in a statement announcing the start of the internal affairs probe. The video starts with the driver asking Spina why he was speeding and riding close to another vehicle. Trooper Spina, who also served 14 additional years with the National Guard and Army Corp of Engineers, had 11 months to go to receive his earned full retirement. Joseph DiVincenzo at Turtle Back Zoo, Flying Above Tornado-Damaged Virginia Beach, UK's diverse communities ambivalent about king's coronation. Jette can be heard telling the trooper that he has a license for medicinal marijuana. The first military challenge coins, one story goes, were handed out in 1969 by a US Army colonel to build camaraderie in his Special Forces unit. Theres a (expletive) clue to the public, what a bunch of (expletive) you are, Spina yells. Be Nice. An email seeking comment was sent to Spina on Tuesday. In a message sent to members on July 14, the organization, which represents around 1,040 troopers and sergeants, said it plans to mail out confidential ballots in the coming days so that rank-and-file personnel can register their displeasure with the agencys decision to place Trooper Matthew Spina on administrative leave pending the results of an internal affairs investigation into his conduct. Pension racket may explain state trooper's crazed rage. In the video Spina expresses contempt for the public he polices, and he rejoices that he has only 14 months to go until retirement. An internal affairs investigation has begun and Trooper Spina has been placed in an administrative capacity, which does not allow him to interact with the public. Share with Us. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Who the f--- do you think you are worrying about what Im doing? Spina can be heard saying. DL1-16 new Version 2 Dispensary Container CSP Challenge Coin inspired by Connecticut State Police CT Trooper Matthew Spina. The trooper becomes irate after Jette questions him about the stop. Spina notes he was following a truck and looking for violations because the governors office has gotten multiple complaints on traffic stops., It just never (expletive) ends in this (expletive) job. IE 11 is not supported. That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. A vote of no confidence would not remove any of the command staff from their positions, as they are appointed, not elected. It turned out to be Spina, who then pulled behind the man and initiated a traffic stop. Invalid password or account does not exist. Blame the labor negotiators who have enabled this, but the ones who can fix it are the supervisors who are now corruptly approving the overtime (expecting it themselves when they retire), and blame the top managers in the public service agencies, the comptroller, and the fovernor who do not stop it administratively and thereby are complicit in the loss of faith in government. We'd love to hear eyewitness dedication to protecting and serving during this pandemic, Mellekas said in the statement. It's us but for your ears. The union leadership no longer has confidence in the ability of leaders like LTC Eckersley to lead our membership and we no longer support them, their illogical policies, or their offensive behavior toward our membership, the organization wrote. The trooper, Matthew Spina, pulled over the driver, Kevin A. Jette, on Monday after Jette allegedly sped past him on Interstate 95 near New Haven as Spina was pursuing another car for speeding.. State police union blasts commanders, says it supports embattled Trooper Matthew Spina. We guarantee you a full refund for up to a year in the rare case that fraud occurs. Coppers Pennies: Official challenge coins tend to be shiny and inoffensive. But unofficial coins often celebrate cops behaving badly. There was an error processing your request. If subversive groups can raise $100,000 to post bail for a protester destroying public and private property, surely we can show our appreciation to Trooper Spina's years of service on there frontline dealing with people such as this. Coins have been struck to honor an officer who shot and killed four people and commemorate the harassment of a rat who blew the whistle on internal corruption. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Spina expressed displeasure at the motorists critique. pandemic. Dont you ever (expletive) with me again. The encounter ends with Spina walking back to his vehicle without citing the driver, and the driver asking him to be safe. Inexpensive, too! Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. DL6-08 Heroes of The Highway Version 3 Dispensary Container CSP Challenge Coin Inspired by Connecticut State Police CT Trooper Matthew Spina 23 $24.99 $ 24 . But his name tag, clearly seen in the video of the I-95 stop, identifies him as Trooper Matthew Spina. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. God help you if theres anything illegal in this car.. accounts, the history behind an article. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism For Spina seems to be only middle-aged, and achieving pension entitlement by middle age through government employment and not retiring but instead taking other employment for 15 years or so has become a hallowed and lucrative tradition in Connecticut. In that case he probably would have to keep working another 15 or 20 years in a different job. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In the video, posted on YouTube Monday, Trooper Matthew Spina is seen cursing at a man who allegedly was speeding on the span also known as the Q bridge in New Haven. Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies and light rain after midnight. You have permission to edit this article. The video shows Spina was not wearing a mask or gloves amid the coronavirus pandemic. I cant [expletive] wait to be done., The tirade ends with Spina yelling: Mind your business and be on your way. The trooper screamed at, bullied, and threatened the motorist, searched his backpack, handcuffed him, and stomped on his possessions before uncuffing him and letting him go without arresting or ticketing him for anything, since the motorist had done nothing illegal. His first role was as a combat engineer and later as Special Forces Engineer Sergeant. Spina continues to yell at the driver and then appears to start searching the car, according to the video. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A Connecticut state trooper has been reassigned temporarily after a video appeared online showing him berating a driver in an expletive-fueled outburst that derided the. The state police commander, Col. Stavros Mellekas, announced Tuesday that the trooper has been placed on paid administrative duty, with no contact with the public, pending an internal affairs investigation. In a message sent to members on July 14, the organization, which represents around 1,040 troopers and sergeants, said it plans to mail out confidential ballots in the coming days so that. As artists, creating collectibles, we leave the judgment to the public but hope our creations will bridge divided, conquer hatred and unite everybody, the company said in a message. nfbrand 324 subscribers Subscribe 3.2K 225K views 2 years ago Trooper 1st class Matthew Spina out of Troop F in Westbrook becomes irate with a. Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. Be Nice. The trooper lashes out at the driver for much of the video. Choose wisely! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. video posted on YouTube, according to officials. Don't Threaten. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. His views are not necessarily the newspaper's. Spina searches a bag inside the car before allowing Jette to leave. By the 1980s, the silver dollarsize medallions had taken off in the military and beyond. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, In a statement, Col. Stavros Mellekas, the deputy commissioner of the state police, called Spinas behavior disturbing and said an internal affairs investigation had begun. A state police news release said that Raury P. Duffy, 34, of Nathans Lane, was driving with a suspended or revoked license when Trooper Matthew Spina stopped him on an entrance to Interstate 95 . God Bless Our Troops At Home And Abroad . He was acting like a loose cannon, Jette said. A Connecticut state trooper has been placed on administrative leave after a video was released depicting the officer yelling at a man who was pulled over for allegedly speeding, state police. NEW HAVEN Connecticut State Police are investigating after a trooper was filmed berating a motorist during a profanity-laced traffic stop on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, with the trooper barred from interacting with the public, according to the agency. This is when the driver said Spina threatened to throw him off the bridge if he ever saw him again. Like it or not, Mitch called this one right. The driver says he was only going 60, and Spina explains the speed limit is 40. 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In 2019, ProPublica found a coin circulating among Customs and Border Protection officers that depicted a mass of people marching under a Honduran flag. DL1-16 New Version 2 Dispensary Container CSP Challenge Coin Inspired by Connecticut State Police CT Trooper Matthew Spina $24.99 In Stock. Weve been made aware of a profane challenge coin that has the image of Connecticut State Police badge, Brian Foley, an aide to Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James Rovella, said. 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No wonder state Trooper Matthew Spina hates his job, just as he told the motorist he abused with five minutes of crazed rage during a traffic stop in New Haven two weeks ago, a tirade famously captured on cellphone video, posted on the internet, and viewed internationally. Walt Snyder is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Matthew Spina. Threats of harming another When political appointees fail to make the safety of our members and the public their top priority, failed to preserve the history of the State Police, or make decisions based on preserving their own position, then we cannot in good conscience support them, union president John Castiline wrote in a letter Tuesday. ULMG-1559. I got pulled over for speeding when I was 21 home on leave from Iraq in 2003. Police say that no law enforcement action was taken against Jette during the stop. 2020 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.), Visit The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.) at www.courant.com. Mellekas said troopers, like everyone else, are under stress because of the pandemic. Rovellas office and Eckersley also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Colonel Stavros Mellekas said in a statement that Connecticut State Police were made aware of a video posted on social media involving TFC Matthew Spina. Ive got 14 months I cant (expletive) wait to be done, Spina said. That part was inaudible. As he searches the mans car for additional contraband, the trooper goes on to justify his tactics. Don't Threaten. Success! We have also recently launched a resiliency program to help all our He was previously a reporter for the Danbury News-Times and the Ridgefield Press. State police have launched an internal affairs person will not be tolerated. Who the [expletive] do you think you are worrying about what Im doing? he shouts. The letter singles out Lt. Col. John Eckersley, who heads the state polices office of field operations, accusing him of demeaning his subordinates and failing to publicly defend the rank-and-file troopers he oversees. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Once I realized it was a police officer, I pulled my hand back in. He spends far too much time thinking about the Boston Celtics. Own your actions and stop complaining. We're a nonprofit (so it's tax-deductible), and reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget. State payroll records show Spina has nearly doubled his salary in recent years with overtime pay. I was respectful the entire time and never had hard feelings against the trooper. Youre [expletive] speeding, which also was engraved on the back of the coin. Ned Lamont, according to a letter from the state police unions leadership. Mellekas also said that many troopers are under extreme stress because of the COVID-19 pandemic and that Spina, who has been with the state police since 2001, has been referred to the agencys employee assistance program. During a traffic stop in May 2020, Connecticut State Trooper Matthew Spina screamed obscenities and placed his hand on his gun while ordering a motorist to get out of the car. He never asked me for my license, my registration, my proof of insurance or to even see my medical marijuana card. Error! At one point during the incident, Spina says: Why am I speeding? - YouTube https://www.youtube.com Trooper 1st class Matthew Spina out of Troop F in Westbrook becomes irate with a motorist for flipping him the bird. During the rant he screamed that he had only 14 more months before he left the job and couldn't wait to get out. The coin, which includes a state police insignia on the front with words that include every [law enforcement officer]s hero, also includes an apparent engraving of a trooper along with lines from the tirade viewed widely on YouTube. Threats of harming another Join Facebook to connect with Matthew Spina and others you may know. The Woke Police now has their knives out for Matt, the organizer wrote in an appeal for donations. Trooper Matthew Spina, a 19-year veteran of the state police, was seen in video captured by the driver screaming profanities and commands as he orders the man out of the vehicle on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven in May. Corporations gave them out to employees. The state police union also sued the state over the police accountability law signed by the governor in the wake of protests over the killing of George Floyd. ACT trooper was barred from public interaction after this alleged profanity-filled traffic stop. Watch on Mellekas did not name the trooper, but the video shows his name tag, which identifies him as Matthew Spina. In the description of the video on YouTube, the man alleges that Spina threatened to throw him off the bridge if he were to come across him again. Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights. State paying $12M to settle first case stemming from trooper's distracted driving crash. Youre fucked, Spina yelled in a video captured by the driver. There was an error processing your request. You have permission to edit this article. 4. So how will the state police department handle the Spina case? No Quarter: With 36,000 cops, New York City is rolling in challenge coins. Keep it Clean. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June. The driver interfered with the Troopers pursuit of a motor vehicle and unknown to Trooper Spina, apparently baited him and subsequently filmed the contact. A recent one reportedly made by a former Louisville officer shows nightclub-wielding cops in front of the flaming skyline of the city where protesters took to the streets after Breonna Taylor was shot to death in a botched police raid. And as cops began equipping themselves and acting more like soldiers, they started minting their own. Invalid password or account does not exist. The governors office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Trooper Matthew Spina, a 19-year veteran of the state police, was seen in video captured by the driver screaming profanities and commands as he orders the man out of the vehicle on the Pearl. Add to cart Version 2. do recognize that all of us everywhere are under extreme stress during this Two months after a state trooper was captured on camera in a profanity-laced tirade during a traffic stop, a commemorative coin that honors him is circulating among his fellow troopers. You had to be an (epithet) American, said Spina. We won't share it with anyone else. The video has gone viral across social media the past 24 hours. But some Connecticut residents have defended the trooper, arguing that Spinas lengthy career in law enforcement should not be judged based on a six-minute-long video. Spina let the motorist go without issuing a ticket. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. Create a password that only you will remember. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Border Patrol, among other groups, though the coins are never sold as official or authorized.. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. This officer yelled and gave a tongue lashing to an individual who broke multiple laws. Connecticut State Police Union letter by Peter Yankowski on Scribd. Also you want the pension apply, do the time and you will get it. For our troopers, they are dealing with the impact on their personal Theres an (expletive) clue to the (expletive) public, what a bunch of (expletives) you are..
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