HARTFORD POLICE UNION

20-28 Sargeant Street Hartford, CT 06105

Tel. 860-548-1435 Cell 860-803-7085 JohnSzewczyk@hartfordpoliceunion.com
1968-2017 President Sergeant John Szewczyk
49 Years of Excellence Office of the President

The Hartford Courant was factually inaccurate this past Sunday in their anti-
police editorial (Moodys Right to Point to Hartfords Unions; 10/22/17). What the
editorial board failed to mention is that Mayor Bronin, not the Hartford Police
Union, has refused to bargain in good faith. They failed to include that millions of
dollars in concessions have been offered by the union, yet declined by Mayor
Bronin. Despite Hartford being one of the lowest paid departments in the state,
Mayor Bronin has publicly stated that Police Officers are paid too much. New
members of the police department earn $835.86/week and after deductions for
items such as healthcare and pension, the average new member of the Hartford
police department earns $517.84/week or $12.95/hour. This is a for a position
where there is an extremely high likelihood of being injured, one that requires
nine months of training, in a city that has had 25 murders this year. If you
compare this to a much safer municipality, such as West Hartford, the pay for
new Officers in Hartford is $18,000 less annually, a drastic difference.

Furthermore, the Bronin administration complicated negotiations by settling a

lawsuit brought against the city and forcing the officers to pay the judgement
themselves, even when the officers had been cleared of all wrongdoing. In fact,
just last month, United States Federal Judge William I. Garfinkel harshly criticized
Mayor Bronin in a decision by ruling The Citys position, in addition to being
unsupported by precedent, is bewildering. How can Hartford maintain a qualified
police force when it is willing to expose its officers to personal liability for
compensatory damages for civil rights judgements? What capable officer, in his
or her right mind, would want to work for such a city?

The mayor constantly points to high pension costs, yet refuses to mention that
the officers do not receive social security upon retirement and they fund their
own, well-managed pension fund, contributing over four times what most current
state employees contribute to their pension fund. The Mayor has purposely
blamed the financial difficulties of the XL Center on the Hartford Police
Department. Yet he refuses to mention that the city keeps approximately 65% of
the amount they bill the XL Center, whereas only paying the officer working the
event approximately 35% of the bill.

Connecticuts Largest Independent Municipal Police Union

Serving People, Who Serve People
 HARTFORD POLICE UNION
20-28 Sargeant Street Hartford, CT 06105
Tel. 860-548-1435 Cell 860-803-7085 JohnSzewczyk@hartfordpoliceunion.com

The truth is Mayor Bronin has attempted to use the Hartford Police Union as a
scapegoat. He has purposely not settled a contract even when he fully
understands the Police Department is extremely overworked and underpaid. He
would rather pay exorbitant legal fees to Fairfield County law firms and continue
to get scorned in federal court. He would rather blame past administrations
instead of promoting a plan to move our amazing city forward. In fact, over a
dozen businesses have stated they will not come to Hartford until Mayor Bronin
either implements a plan for Hartfords future or is no longer in office. Ironically,
every business considering Hartford has been nothing but impressed with the
Hartford Police Department and the amazing work the men and women do with
very limited resources.

The current police department is 150 officers below minimum staffing levels, yet
Mayor Bronin refuses to give his police a contract, which they have been without
since July 1st of 2016. Blaming police in todays environment may be an easy
thing to do, but it certainly isnt reality, fair, or appropriate. Unfortunately, the
Hartford Courant failed to complete their research and paint the full picture of
what is really going on. They flippantly state that the police should just give up
the pension for which they have been funding themselves and for which they
deserve. I suspect if they were told to do the same with their own defined benefit
or defined contribution savings, they would not feel the same.

Sgt. John Szewczyk

President, Hartford Police Union

Connecticuts Largest Independent Municipal Police Union

Serving People, Who Serve People