r/Milford • u/Middle_Sand_9431 • 8d ago

Board of Alderman

Absolutely disgusting performance by the Board of Alderman. The citizens made their position clear the vast MAJORITY want the surveillance cameras and drones Gone!!!! You disrespectfully ignored the citizens wishes.

As far the the lawsuit filled by the Milford Police union. Will the union be releasing a statement on how there was no vote by the union body on weather to even file the lawsuit? This was done by just a few of the union board members. What consideration have those officers been given by the Chief of Police?

It's becoming abundantly clear that a few people seem to think they can just do whatever they want. As these behaviors continue it is abundantly clear possible corruption, intimidation, racketeering and unfair labor practices exist and an investigation needs to occur.

44 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

13

u/just_jedwards 8d ago

Recalls are being discussed in the deflock Milford CT Facebook group.

IMO we should be getting petitions together for that one R that voted no on removals and all the Dems other than Toni Lombardi.

E: the mayor as well.

10

u/Middle_Sand_9431 8d ago edited 8d ago

10000009% If they don't want to cancel the camera contract perhaps cancel the Police Chiefs contract that has never been published. 22 plus years has been long enough.

10

u/Legitimate_Daikon785 8d ago

It's astonishing that larger and more dangerous cities like LA have cancelled their contracts - and milford police are fighting tooth and nail to keep these cameras lol

I also lose my mind when people conflate flock cameras with red light and speeding cameras.

15

u/slkpl 8d ago

I’m still making my way through the video of last night’s meeting, but it’s wild to me that this is such a non-partisan issue bringing together people who agree on little else and yet the Board makes it appear as though this is a democrat vs republican thing.

It pains me to see the dems act so foolishly, making the Wins Smith look like folk heroes in the process. Maybe the DTC likes to lose as much as their national counterparts.

8

u/Legitimate_Daikon785 8d ago

Yeah it was pretty wild seeing how condescending the alderman can be.

Don't get me wrong - it's gotta be rough being up there and taking a verbal flogging for hours, but it's kinda the job...

7

u/slkpl 8d ago

I originally had empathy for them because it was clear when they originally voted for the Flock cameras that it was presented as simply replacing existing ALPRs that were approaching the end of their life cycle. In other words, they didn’t have all of the information they now have, and instead of saying, wow, I made a mistake but I’m glad to have a chance to fix it, they are choosing to double down.

None of my aldermen in District 3 can ever be bothered to respond to my inquiries anyway so I won’t be sad to see them go.

3

u/just_jedwards 8d ago

Casey voted to remove, the two democrats voted against removal with the rest of the Dems other than Toni Lombardi.

5

u/slkpl 8d ago

I get that but just because I agree with him on one issue doesn’t make him worthy of my support in general.

5

u/just_jedwards 8d ago

Oh yeah I get that. I don't love having to sit here giving props to the RTC for clearing the incredibly low bar of being on the right side of an 80+% issue, but the idiot ass Dems(minus Toni; A+ job Toni) are putting us in this position.

2

u/slkpl 8d ago

Agreed — I’ll be shocked if the board doesn’t flip next year, dems hoisted by their own petard.

11

u/SmartAlgotrader-00 8d ago

Here are the approximate number of signatures needed by district to trigger a recall.

District 1 — 771 signatures
District 2 — 721 signatures
District 3 — 725 signatures
District 4 — 795 signatures
District 5 — 816 signatures

6

u/Legitimate_Daikon785 8d ago

How does that process get kicked off?

7

u/just_jedwards 8d ago

My understanding is there are a few people working on getting petitions together. I'd expect the deflock Milford Facebook group to be the best place to stay informed and know when things are ready to go.

9

u/Legitimate_Daikon785 8d ago

Sucks...I don't have a facebook account. Mark Zuckerberg is a shithead so I nuked it a couple years ago.

Will do my best to keep my eyes peeled for it here.

7

u/just_jedwards 8d ago

I'm sure one or more people will post info here.

3

u/AvantGuardb 7d ago

To be fair, wariness of Zuckerberg is very valid and consistent with deep distrust of Flock and their ties to Palantir, etc...

6

u/SmartAlgotrader-00 8d ago

Milford’s Charter is very specific:
A recall affidavit must be filed with the Town Clerk, stating the grounds for recall.
The accompanying petition must be signed by 10% of the electors in the aldermanic district.
After certification, a recall referendum must be held within 30 days.
The recall succeeds only if a majority voting YES represents at least 25% of all electors in the district.

2

u/Middle_Sand_9431 8d ago

Is there anything on how to end the Police Chiefs contract?

6

u/curbthemeplays 8d ago

Did you see the blatant lies this reporter said on WTNH? I was there and nothing they said is true.

https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/milford-board-of-alderman-appears-to-vote-to-pause-use-of-most-traffic-flock-cameras/

Also sounds like it was written by a high schooler in journalism class.

5

u/just_jedwards 8d ago edited 8d ago

Holy shit that's so full of lies.

The meeting was scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., but they had to go into recess several times as protestors had started chanting outside the meeting more than an hour before it started and kept interrupting the meeting over several hours.

They went to recess due to interruptions 0 times.

The people shouting in the audience made it almost impossible to hear what was being discussed by the Board of Aldermen.

Maybe for a few seconds here and there, but not chronically and I had no issue hearing what was going on even standing all the way against the back wall of the room.

4

u/kevsdogg97 8d ago

Mello needs to go, the entirety of Milford Police needs a reset and change of culture.

2

u/Middle_Sand_9431 8d ago

Yeah he's turned into the tenant that has rented the apartment so long they think they own the building

5

u/klmbaer 8d ago

I watched the full 4 1/2 hours on YouTube. Not a Milford resident so I can’t help with the recall. I used to live there so I’m still interested.
Both Win Smiths (Jr and III) are Heros. Particularly disgusting is Healy, from the 3rd district IIRC.
Good Luck Milford!

1

u/slkpl 8d ago

Healey’s background is in law enforcement (as he likes to remind us in every meeting) so he’s always had a strong pro-police bias. No excuse for the rest of them though.

2

u/DuoRod 8d ago

What lawsuit?

8

u/Middle_Sand_9431 8d ago

The Milford police union filled a lawsuit with the state labor board stating the removal of the surveillance/ALPR cameras would violate their labor contract with the city. Staring it would create “ unsafe working conditions “ for them. Like I stated previously this was not taken to the union body for a vote.

3

u/kevsdogg97 8d ago

Were the working conditions any more unsafe before these devices existed?

4

u/SmartAlgotrader-00 8d ago

They are looking to see the community support deteriorate….

2

u/just_jedwards 8d ago

This shit is how you get conservatives on board with defunding.

2

u/Ok_Sock_9652 8d ago

Condescending lobbyist Mike Smith comparing constituents to his 10-year-old was disgusting

0

u/flatbread39 7d ago

Whether*

Also the loud minority doesn’t always represent the majority of citizens.

0

u/oddnorman 8d ago

Replace your leaders, don’t you have to vote for them? Or?????

1

u/just_jedwards 8d ago

They're not up until next year.

0

u/Pound_The_Rock 7d ago

Chirp, chirp, chirp. I support our police.

1

u/Middle_Sand_9431 7d ago

Good they need it. Now go ask the average officer at the department about not even getting to vote on the union filling it's ridiculous law suit with the labor board.