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First, racial profiling is real, and happens all the time.
I'm usually on the side of the cops, but not this time. They exercised poor judgement and went out of their way to make things hard for this woman. Once she identified who she was and the registration came back as belonging to the state, there are further steps that need to be taken. Instead, the officers wiped their hands clean, towed the vehicle and didn't even offer her a ride anywhere (which is standard practice if the individual isn't being put under arrest). Hearing that she was left on the side of the road is appalling and embarrassing to other police officers who do what they can to ensure safety and security.
Regarding swearing at the cops; it's not illegal, it just complicates things. She wasn't arrested for it, so it's now a moot point.
First, racial profiling is real, and happens all the time.
I'm usually on the side of the cops, but not this time. They exercised poor judgement and went out of their way to make things hard for this woman. Once she identified who she was and the registration came back as belonging to the state, there are further steps that need to be taken. Instead, the officers wiped their hands clean, towed the vehicle and didn't even offer her a ride anywhere (which is standard practice if the individual isn't being put under arrest). Hearing that she was left on the side of the road is appalling and embarrassing to other police officers who do what they can to ensure safety and security.
Regarding swearing at the cops; it's not illegal, it just complicates things. She wasn't arrested for it, so it's now a moot point.
Exactly the way I feel. She grew up on the north end of Hartford, so why shouldn't she be there? I'm sure she was pissed off, i would be too. Whats worse IMO, is that she walked home from there 3 miles. Can you imagine if something happened to her on the walk home? Mugging, assault, who knows...Hartford police have a hard job, but they have some idiots there too, and this woman cop has a reputation as a knucklehead. In the end, Nappier did absolutely nothing wrong, kind of scary when you think about the power the cops have over you...even when you're 100% in the right, it didn't matter. Even for the treasurer of the state.
I've been following it loosely but from my understanding she was outside the home of a friend she just dropped off. Why couldn't she just walk up and use the phone?
As we say in Waterbury - "it don't add up". There is more to the story, I'm not sure the police are the bad guys here.
Where was her $100,000 per year driver in all this?
Edit: Wait...she had no valid registration in the car, the DMV came back "unregistered" (Granted a mistake on the state's part but it is what it is.). You or me would have our car towed. Why shouldn't she? I'm glad to see things done in a consistent manner. "You know who I am". Yes, someone with an unregistered motor vehicle. Sorry.
"Ms. Nappier said she told the officers that she was the state treasurer and was driving a state car. Though she was using a six-digit license plate, she said she had the official single-digit "4" plate in the trunk."
Really? Oh damn, that's right I have my other plate in my trunk, sorry let me swap it out right quick.
It's also not clear why she chose to walk home instead of calling someone for a ride or using her friend's phone if her cellphone battery was failing. Did the police offer her a ride home? Did they consider her safety in letting her walk home alone at night?
One lesson to be gleaned at this point is that the state treasurer, along with a host of other city and state workers, doesn't need a take-home state car. She and they ought to drive their own cars and be reimbursed for mileage when on state business. Most state cars are a luxury we can no longer afford.
Bingo.
Back in February, her car was ticketed in West Hartford when her driver parked in a handicapped spot. That mistake caused her to change her single-digit license plate from the number 4 to a six-numbered plate, to be less conspicuous. Hartford police are looking into the recent mix-up. Meanwhile, we wonder whether state officials even need state cars.
...she didn't see where her driver, $90,000-a-year executive assistant Wayne Hypolite, had parked the state car with its official Connecticut license plate "4," Shaw had said Thursday...Shaw said Hypolite had told her that he went to the West Hartford town parking division on Wednesday and got the $107 ticket excused. "He went to West Hartford and asked them to waive it," Shaw said, adding that he "conveyed to them" that he was "in the area on official business, and that was the reason he asked that the ticket be vacated."
I've been following it loosely but from my understanding she was outside the home of a friend she just dropped off. Why couldn't she just walk up and use the phone?
As we say in Waterbury - "it don't add up". There is more to the story, I'm not sure the police are the bad guys here.
Where was her $100,000 per year driver in all this?
Edit: Wait...she had no valid registration in the car, the DMV came back "unregistered" (Granted a mistake on the state's part but it is what it is.). You or me would have our car towed. Why shouldn't she? I'm glad to see things done in a consistent manner. "You know who I am". Yes, someone with an unregistered motor vehicle. Sorry.
"Ms. Nappier said she told the officers that she was the state treasurer and was driving a state car. Though she was using a six-digit license plate, she said she had the official single-digit "4" plate in the trunk."
Really? Oh damn, that's right I have my other plate in my trunk, sorry let me swap it out right quick.
It's also not clear why she chose to walk home instead of calling someone for a ride or using her friend's phone if her cellphone battery was failing. Did the police offer her a ride home? Did they consider her safety in letting her walk home alone at night?
One lesson to be gleaned at this point is that the state treasurer, along with a host of other city and state workers, doesn't need a take-home state car. She and they ought to drive their own cars and be reimbursed for mileage when on state business. Most state cars are a luxury we can no longer afford.
Bingo.
Back in February, her car was ticketed in West Hartford when her driver parked in a handicapped spot. That mistake caused her to change her single-digit license plate from the number 4 to a six-numbered plate, to be less conspicuous. Hartford police are looking into the recent mix-up. Meanwhile, we wonder whether state officials even need state cars.
...she didn't see where her driver, $90,000-a-year executive assistant Wayne Hypolite, had parked the state car with its official Connecticut license plate "4," Shaw had said Thursday...Shaw said Hypolite had told her that he went to the West Hartford town parking division on Wednesday and got the $107 ticket excused. "He went to West Hartford and asked them to waive it," Shaw said, adding that he "conveyed to them" that he was "in the area on official business, and that was the reason he asked that the ticket be vacated."
A habitual "you know who I am" offender it seems.
I think a little flexibility and smarts on the po-po's part would have been in order. They should have been able to figure out that she's an elected official and although no special treatment was in order, the police should have realized that there was a mistake in the system and never should have issued tickets and towed her vehicle. As far as her walking home, I think she had a hissy fit and was inconsolable at that point. I think this is really a non-issue. I dont believe Denise Nappier is a out of control bureaucrat, just got in the crosshairs that night!
I think a little flexibility and smarts on the po-po's part would have been in order. They should have been able to figure out that she's an elected official and although no special treatment was in order, the police should have realized that there was a mistake in the system and never should have issued tickets and towed her vehicle. As far as her walking home, I think she had a hissy fit and was inconsolable at that point. I think this is really a non-issue. I dont believe Denise Nappier is a out of control bureaucrat, just got in the crosshairs that night!
Yea I hear you, perhaps the police could have said "park the car until this gets sorted out". But at the same time, if they did that and the car was damaged and protocol is to tow, they are putting their ass on the line. If they let an unregistered car continue on, they put their ass on the line.
I don't fault the police for doing their job. I don't think they should do something for her they would not do for me or you. If I was the cop I would probably do the same thing. She was probably not used to having to tow the line, threw a fit and walked home. That's on her.
She is a public servant (who makes a boatload of cash), not a queen. Her attitude should have been a little more humble. I know if I was in those shoes, and was 3 miles from home, knowing I would not incur any tow fees (State's responsibility) I would get a lift and fix it in the morning. If the cops were out of line, that would get sorted out too.
But saying this is racially charged is disgusting and that's the issue I have here.
I've been following it loosely but from my understanding she was outside the home of a friend she just dropped off. Why couldn't she just walk up and use the phone?
Where was her $100,000 per year driver in all this?
Both of these points are neither here nor there. They towed her car and offered zero assistance in terms of getting her to where she needed to be. The fact that her car shouldn't have been towed in the first place reinforces the fact that there should have been more willingness to help her.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JViello
Edit: Wait...she had no valid registration in the car, the DMV came back "unregistered" (Granted a mistake on the state's part but it is what it is.). You or me would have our car towed. Why shouldn't she? I'm glad to see things done in a consistent manner. "You know who I am". Yes, someone with an unregistered motor vehicle. Sorry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JViello
I don't fault the police for doing their job. I don't think they should do something for her they would not do for me or you. If I was the cop I would probably do the same thing. She was probably not used to having to tow the line, threw a fit and walked home. That's on her.
There is standard procedure when dealing with people who are driving vehicles registered by a third party (rental vehicles, state vehicles, etc). When she was properly identified (i.e. gave them her valid license), and had the VALID PLATE in her car, the procedure is to then issue an infraction for failure to display correct plate. If she didn't have that four digit plate, given her situation, there are other routes they can take to check the validity. Worst case, they tow it and drive her home, but that's the lazy way out, as there are massive amounts of databases police have access to - but they take time, and perhaps these officers didn't want to spend much time researching it. The "L" word comes to mind.
Did she have to walk home? Probably not. Was she mad, and "cursing"? Probably. But again, moot point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JViello
A habitual "you know who I am" offender it seems.
Nah. That would be the case if she were driving 95 mph, had gotten pulled over after a couple of glasses of wine and became belliegerent while claiming her job title. In this case, who she is is ENTIRELY appropriate as she was in a state vehicle and was trying to prove her rights to drive it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JViello
But saying this is racially charged is disgusting and that's the issue I have here.
I'm not saying that's the case here, but racial profiling is not uncommon. In fact, it's pretty damned common. I wonder if the outcome would be different if this were a white woman from Avon. Sadly, I think it might've.
Both of these points are neither here nor there. They towed her car and offered zero assistance in terms of getting her to where she needed to be. The fact that her car shouldn't have been towed in the first place reinforces the fact that there should have been more willingness to help her.
I can assure you, when they tow your car, they leave you on the side of the road and are not obligated to drive you anywhere. I can assure you, I know this for a fact, and experienced it myself in my own life both as a punk kid and as a business owner with dealer plates that had a "technical problem".
Her claiming to have had to walk home and not walking up the stairs to her friends house to use the phone is surely relevant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kidyankee764
There is standard procedure when dealing with people who are driving vehicles registered by a third party (rental vehicles, state vehicles, etc). When she was properly identified (i.e. gave them her valid license), and had the VALID PLATE in her car, the procedure is to then issue an infraction for failure to display correct plate. If she didn't have that four digit plate, given her situation, there are other routes they can take to check the validity. Worst case, they tow it and drive her home, but that's the lazy way out, as there are massive amounts of databases police have access to - but they take time, and perhaps these officers didn't want to spend much time researching it. The "L" word comes to mind.
You are getting the facts wrong. The car came up unregistered. Period. It doesn't matter that she had the plate in the trunk. Both were biffed at the DMV. The car should not have been allowed to continue on. That's how it works.
I know how third party works, I had dealer plates. The 3rd party driver would be left standing on the side of the road and not charged personally for the infraction. That's how it works.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kidyankee764
I'm not saying that's the case here, but racial profiling is not uncommon. In fact, it's pretty damned common. I wonder if the outcome would be different if this were a white woman from Avon. Sadly, I think it might've.
I doubt it, but if a white woman from Avon was parked in the projects, I would expect them to do the same, and in fact maybe be a little MORE suspicious, The cops knew who she was, they are not stupid. She signed their paychecks before moving on to state office. I can pretty much guarantee you this was a self entitled state employee who let her position get a little to her head and is now claiming "racism".
I can assure you, when they tow your car, they leave you on the side of the road and are not obligated to drive you anywhere. I can assure you, I know this for a fact, and experienced it myself in my own life both as a punk kid and as a business owner with dealer plates that had a "technical problem".
That's why I said "willingness". Nine times out of ten, the officer will drive the individual to at least a gas station. It's unfortunate that given her circumstances, they couldn't go out of their way to offer ANY assistance to her whatsoever. They could've - they just didn't want to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JViello
You are getting the facts wrong. The car came up unregistered. Period. It doesn't matter that she had the plate in the trunk. Both were biffed at the DMV. The car should not have been allowed to continue on. That's how it works.
I just re-read the story. I was under the impression she just didn't have the correct plate. She had the right player attached but when it was run through COLLECT (the DMV system) it came back as unregistered. There IS another database they can check that lists the VINs of all state vehicles. Only certain officers have access to it but I would see that it was checked before her car was towed - that would be the deciding factor, especially given her position. Yes, it sounds like favoritism, but there is something to be said for giving people breaks when you know the particular issue is beyond their control. Those officers knew damn well that the vehicle was registered and it was likely a mixup on the DMV's part. They just went out of their way to make it difficult for her. By the book? Yes. Morally? Could have been handeled differently.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JViello
I doubt it, but if a white woman from Avon was parked in the projects, I would expect them to do the same, and in fact maybe be a little MORE suspicious, The cops knew who she was, they are not stupid. She signed their paychecks before moving on to state office. I can pretty much guarantee you this was a self entitled state employee who let her position get a little to her head and is now claiming "racism".
I disagree. Announcing her position to the officers was not entitlement, it was simply letting them know how/why she has rights to drive the vehicle. That's the first question an officer asks when finding out a vehicle is unregistered - why are you driving it and who gave you permission?
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Oh damn, that's right I have my other plate in my trunk, sorry let me swap it out right quick. 
