The value of our artwork is inits uniqueness, creativity, and thought provoking nature. Those elements represent just a small peripheral portion of the coins we design. Hundreds of Connecticut state troopers voted that they have no confidence in the leadership of Gov. The Caravan and its passengers, meanwhile, were launched into a full 360-degree rotation and came to rest 155 feet away. 20% OFFUse code BackTheBadge at checkout. Ive got 14 months I cant (expletive) wait to be done, Spina said. Mind your own business and be on your way. This is an example of free speech in America. It appears that being a state government employee is a great gig. Use the 'Report' link on This article is absolutely an opinion piece and should be taken as such. He spends far too much time thinking about the Boston Celtics. These symbols are crucuial and needed to convey our story. It shall cease and desist only when: 1) our elected officials have the courage to change current statutory language on our retirement system, 2) we elect a governor with the political will to change the culture of bureaucracy, and 3) the public is educated on how our unions have hijacked the state Capitol. Jordan, sitting in the rearmost seat, was thrown forward at impact, along with his seat. UConn women open Big East tournament play against Georgetown, Girls basketball roundup: Coventry tops East Windsor in Class S tournament second round, Woman gets 7 years in fathers stabbing death in Windsor Locks, Biker in Glastonbury crash that killed 2 had 4 times legal alcohol level, Bolton hearing on marijuana regulations Wednesday. Spina was initially taken off the road shortly after the video of the traffic stop was posted, but records of a grievance filed with the state police show that he was later suspended. When arraigned less than a month later, on Jan. 16, 2020, a deal had already been worked out. I love how EVERY comment is edited by staff. The bigger issue here is whether, now that state government's finances have been devastated by the virus epidemic as well as by pension obligations, and many state residents have been ruined financially, Connecticut can afford a pension system that allows its beneficiaries to use it not just for secure retirement but for a life of luxury. Spina was placed on an administrative assignment which does not allow him to interact with the public, state police said. Choose wisely! Eckersley oversees the departments field operations. Schmidt said dispositions can take into account a defendant's criminal history, and in this case Barker had no criminal past and was contributing to society as a trooper, he said. Many times, our artwork runs a close parallel to journalism, political cartoons, parody and satirical mediums as well. THEY REPRESENT INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS BY A VETERAN FIRST RESPONDER ARTIST. 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. LET US SAVE YOU MONEY.Coins do not have to be complicated and expensive. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Breaking news alerts - delivered to your inbox - the minute we put it online. We have also recently launched a resiliency program to help all our employees dealing with this pandemic, Mellekas said. The Connecticut State Police Union did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. 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. The man allegedly showed. The creation and profits do not benefit the Connecticut State Police.. Police say that no law enforcement action was taken against Jette during the stop. A Connecticut state trooper has been put on leave after he was captured on camera profanely berating a motorist during a traffic stop. Rovellas office and Eckersley also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 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. The trooper hit the brakes at 81 mph, but it was too late. that is degrading to another person. FREE SHIPPING when you spend $20. His views are not necessarily the newspaper's. Ned Lamont, according to a letter from the state police unions leadership. Spina tells the motorist that police officers are permitted by law to disregard traffic laws during the performance of their duties. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Spina let the motorist go without issuing a ticket. Warning, the video on YouTube, as seen here, will be disturbing to some readers. Pension racket may explain state trooper's crazed rage. and 10 In that case he probably would have to keep working another 15 or 20 years in a different job. The vote produced similar results of no confidence in Commissioner James C. Rovella of the Department of Emergency Services, the state agency that oversees the force, and Lt. Col. John Eckersley. You also certify that the reproduction of any images you submit does not infringe upon any intellectual property rights. Dept of Emrg Svc & Public Prot. For example: Trucker Thomas M. Wallace was watching pornography on a laptop in December 2009 when he hit a car driven by 33-year-old Julie I. Stratton, a mother of two, on the Thruway near Pembroke. While not an excuse, we are sensitive to this and also referred the trooper to our employee assistance program. reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq, (FCRA). In this Aug. 7, 2020, file photo, Connecticut Gov. We'd love to hear eyewitness The video starts with the driver asking Spina why he was speeding and riding close to another vehicle. Don't Threaten. We have even directly contributed funds that allowed many children of fallen police officers to be taken on Christmas shopping sprees. In the video Spina expresses contempt for the public he polices, and he rejoices that he has only 14 months to go until retirement. 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. Distracted driving is dangerous driving and comes with serious consequences, then-State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said during one publicity blitz heading into the summer of 2018. 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. In the years before the crash and since, the state police and traffic safety experts have urged people to concentrate on the road, not on their phones. Mellekas said that the department does recognize that all of us everywhere are under extreme stress during this pandemic.. While slowed by the impact, Barkers Charger continued for another 76 feet. Then, just 52 seconds before the impact at 1:04 p.m., Barker opened aFacebook page, according to McCuskers statement. This company is not affiliated with the U.S. Government. Dont you ever [expletive] with me again.. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Our creations are not approved, endorsed, sponsored, nor authorized by, or associated with any agency, department of government entity. He was acting like a loose cannon, Jette said. Still, the state trooper was busy on his cellphone one summer day as he sped toward traffic backed up on a straight and flat section of the Thruway. Instead, they are sold as original creations, designed by an artist; they have no impact on the market value of existing standalone elements sold by others, causing no harm. Matthew Spina in year 2018 was employed in Dept of Emrg Svc & Public Prot and I was respectful the entire time and never had hard feelings against the trooper. OUR THOUGHT-PROVOKING ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS ARE MEANT TO SPARK CONVERSATIONS AND GET YOUR WHEELS SPINNING! "I have a real problem with the resolution of this case," Jason Schmidt said after The Buffalo News asked him about it. CUSTOM COINS & PINSYes! CL-006 DOJ Department of Justice Retractable ID reel metal ID card holder Dept. The topic of distracted driving was never mentioned, nor were the injured parties or the collision. The coin does not represent the values and philosophies of Commissioner Rovella and Colonel Mellekas, Foley said. 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. This article is unfortunate, the kid was definitely doing something illegal, driving erratically. In the U.S. they're a vibrant part of American culture and history, and no matter how controversial or what medium that are shared on, they are protected as free speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.Let's discuss 17 U.S. Code 107 - Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use. Nicholas Rondinone can be reached at nrondinone@courant.com. St Polce Trpr Frst Class Veteran First Responder Owned Florida Company. The trooper was removed from working with the public and placed under investigation after a video of him berating a motorist in an expletive-laced rant on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven was posted on YouTube. It turns out that in at least the last five years Spina has been working so much that his overtime earnings have nearly equaled or exceeded his base annual salary of almost $100,000. Last year Spina made $99,000 in regular pay, $97,000 in overtime, and another $7,000 in miscellaneous pay, presumably private-duty pay, another sort of overtime, for a total of $203,000. $29.99 previous price $29.99 previous price $29.99. The following list is based on analytics calculated for JournalInquirer.com, specifically the number of times each story was viewed. In the week before Christmas in 2017, Trooper Joseph J. Gallagher, who hailed from Buffalo, pulled up behind a stopped car on a two-lane overpass to the Long Island Expressway. This byline is for a different person with the same name. had annual salary of $95,162. in at least the last five years Spina has been working so much that his overtime earnings have nearly equaled or exceeded his base annual salary of almost $100,000. 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. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. accounts, the history behind an article. He turned on his flashing lights and put down flares to close one lane before helping the motorist. The company, reached through Facebook, said they had designed the coin. It is extremely well made. The findings have never been publicized, until now. He suffered chest and shoulder injuries yet, by comparison, was lucky. $15.99. $28.49. "It certainly wouldn't have happened today.". Low 27F. Our coins, pins, and products are created in a transformative way.We will not be silenced. In the 2019 crash near the Thruway's Dunkirk exit, Trooper Barker had been texting throughout his shift, State Police Investigator John J. McCusker wrote in a court document. Barker, in other words, had sent or received a text every 83 seconds on average. The states Vehicle and Traffic law exempts the drivers of emergency vehicles from certain rules of the road, State paying $12M to settle first case stemming from trooper's distracted driving crash, Trooper had distracted driving accident months before second crash that paralyzed 2 people, The Editorial Board: Trooper lied about distracted driving, paralyzed two and paid no legal penalty, State trooper charged in collision that injured five, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza, Greece train crash: Public anger grows as death toll rises. Theres an (expletive) clue to the (expletive) public, what a bunch of (expletives) you are..