Connecticut State Police Troopers Cleared of Federal Investigation, Still Face Internal Discipline
Governor Ned Lamont announced on Thursday that federal investigators have closed their criminal investigation into allegations that Connecticut State Police troopers falsified data for thousands of traffic tickets. However, seven officers may still face internal discipline as a result of the scandal that has plagued the state’s largest law enforcement agency for nearly two years.
Lamont stated that the majority of troopers involved made mistakes unknowingly, but there may be a few “bad apples” who will be held accountable. The internal review of six troopers and one constable is in its final stages, and disciplinary action may be taken in the coming weeks. While it is unclear if criminal charges will be filed against the seven officers, the U.S. Attorney’s office has confirmed that they will not be moving forward with a criminal investigation.
The scandal, which began in 2022, involved troopers creating fictitious tickets to gain favor with their supervisors. An audit in 2023 found tens of thousands of potentially fraudulent or inaccurate ticket records within the state police system. The findings led to the resignation of top officials overseeing state police, and a federal grand jury was convened to investigate possible criminal charges.
Despite the closure of the federal investigation, Commissioner Ronnell Higgins acknowledged that the department still has work to do to address the serious deficiencies uncovered in the handling of ticket data. He emphasized the commitment to implementing reforms to prevent such failures from occurring again in the future.
The state police ticket scandal has been a challenging time for the agency, but Governor Lamont praised the thorough investigation and maintained that it speaks to the integrity of the state police. The Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project director echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for accountability and reforms to ensure the system functions properly moving forward.
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