“ Professionalism through an elite and diverse team of trained men and women.
Respect for ourselves and others through our words and actions.
Integrity through adherence to standards and values that merit public trust.
Dedication to our colleagues, our values, and to the service of others.
Equality through fair and unprejudiced application of the law.”
Agency overview
Formed
May 29, 1903; 120 years ago (1903-05-29)
Employees
940 Troopers and 533 Civilian Employees (as of 2020)
The Connecticut State Police was created under House Bill #247 on May 29, 1903. Initially, five men, paid three dollars a day, were hired to enforce state liquor and vice laws, making it one of the oldest State Police forces in the nation.[3] It was originally composed of five troopers primarily responsible for interdicting the production of moonshine. Early troopers traveled the state by railroad until automobile and motorcycle patrols were instituted, and troopers would often spend five to six days working, eating, and sleeping in the barracks constructed around the state. By 1924, seven such barracks had been built. The organization was heavily militaristic, and its internal culture was similar in this regard to other state police agencies in New England.[4]
Modern history
In 1968 Louise Smith graduated from the State Police Academy becoming the first black woman to join a state police force in the United States.[5]
In 1984 a federal judge found that the State Police systematically discriminated against minorities and ordered the State Police to increase the number of minorities in specialist positions as well as increase minority promotion rates.[6]
In 1987 the Connecticut State Police were sued by the Connecticut chapter of Men and Women for Justice for discriminating against Black and Hispanic officers and officer candidates as well as other Civil Rights Act violations. The State Police chose to settle the case and made an agreement that the State Police would hire at least 10% Black and Hispanic officers, an accurate reflection of the State’s demographics in the early 1980s. In 2018 the hiring practices of the State Police remained the minimum allowed under their legally binding agreement with 5% of officers being Black and 5% being Hispanic despite Black and Hispanic Americans constituting over 25% of Connecticut's citizens in 2018.[6]
In 1997 the Connecticut State Police was at the center of Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland’s Geargate scandal[7] Surplus military equipment intended for the State Police was diverted by Rowland and close associates for their personal use. Equipment and apparel including sleeping bags, camouflage jackets, helmets, and a bayonet made their way into the hands of Rowland’s children, his staff, his security detail, and the husband of then Lt. Gov. Jodi Rell. The diversion was organized by State Trooper Eugene D’Angelo and was uncovered through a joint State Police and Department of Defense investigation.[8]
In 2015 State Police Troop H and Troop C were among six Connecticut police departments singled out in a state report on racial bias in policing for having the most "significant disparities in their traffic stops data,” in particular traffic stop rates for Black and Hispanic drivers were much higher during the day when officers can easily visually establish the ethnicity of a driver before a stop than at night. The report was the most comprehensive report of its kind ever compiled by a state at the time of its release.[9]
On December 31, 2018 Stavros Mellekas took over as the commander of the Connecticut State Police, replacing George F. Battle.[10]
Fake ticketing scandal
In June 2023, following a news report revealed that four state troopers had fabricated hundreds of traffic stop tickets, an audit released by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Northeastern University found that nearly 26,000 reports made to the state's racial profiling database could not be corroborated, and that possibly over 58,000 falsified records were created.[11] The audit found that the State Police overreported traffic infractions that were said to involve White non-Hispanic drivers, and underreported incidents which were said to involve Black or Hispanic drivers.[11] State Police Colonel Stavros Mellekas said that the number of falsified records declined after 2018, and noted that no state resident received a fake ticket, but rather that state troopers made up fake traffic stops to skew information in the agency's racial profiling system.[11]
Upon its release, the report attracted concern from members of the Connecticut General Assembly and civil rights groups such as the ACLU, whose Connecticut chapter released a statement saying the ticket falsifications showed "breathtaking disrespect" for the state's ban on racial profiling, and efforts to reduce systemic racism in policing.[11]
By August 4th, the United States Department of Justice announced it was taking over the investigation into the scandal.[13] On August 10, the Connecticut State Police Union voted no confidence in the Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Projection, James Rovella, and the Colonel of the Connecticut State Police, Stavros Mellekas.[14] The President of the Connecticut State Police Union complained that the two officials "stood by idly, as you allowed others to publicly make false allegations, destroy the morale of our Troopers, and dismantle the reputation of the State Police".[14] By this time, speculation over a civil rights component within the ongoing federal investigation began, as some lawyers commented that the federal government could enter into a consent decree with the state government if it found that the falsification of traffic stops was widespread enough to skew demographic data collected.[14]
In June 2022, CSP began transitioning to the Glock 45 9mm fitted with a tactical light and night sights. Troopers also began carrying only two spare magazines as opposed to the three issued with the SIG 220R.[citation needed]
The CSP is divided into 11 troops, each of which has a lieutenant troop commander, a master sergeantexecutive officer, several patrol sergeants, a detective unit, and a full complement of personnel for patrol. The "resident troopers" in that troop area are also assigned to the troop. Additionally, each troop has its own dispatchers and clerical unit, and most have one or more mechanics to service the fleet.
Some troops, because of their location, are tasked primarily with highway patrol functions while other troops in more rural areas serve as rural police, i.e.: response to crimes, patrol of towns and neighborhoods, and providing police services to many Connecticut towns that do not have police departments of their own. (Connecticut has no County Sheriff Departments).
Uniquely, the CSP uses a fleet consisting almost entirely of unmarked police cars, most commonly in grey, with or without custom-marked detachable roof-mounted lightbars. The reason for their use of unmarked cars is derived from their origin as a volunteer force that allowed troopers to use their personal vehicles; in the present, most CSP cruisers are issued, but they are also allowed for personal use, making the lack of a livery suitable. The models used by the CSP are most commonly typical police vehicles such as the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, Ford Police Interceptor Sedan, Ford Police Interceptor Utility, Chevrolet Caprice, and Dodge Charger, but the CSP sometimes also uses vehicles not traditionally used by law enforcement, such as various assorted models from Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Buick, Toyota, and Mazda.[18]
Though most of the CSP's fleet is unmarked, there are still vehicles that do have markings. Each troop is issued one marked car featuring a livery consisting of white with CSP badging on the doors and blue-and-yellow pinstripes running along the length of the car; these are typically used for ceremonial purposes, parades, or community patrols. CSP police motorcycles are painted black with text identifying them as state trooper units on the sides and front windshield. CSP police helicopters use a livery of navy blue, black, maroon, and dark brown.
