.
Feedback

State Cops from Middletown, East Haddam, Meriden Keep Their Jobs

Officer retirements will allow the state police to rescind layoff notices to dozens of newly hired troopers.

Layoff notices for 56 Connecticut State Troopers who were laid off beginning on Aug. 24 have been rescinded, according to Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Reuben Bradford and Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes.

Since the state employee unions ratified the second SEBAC agreement, 40 sworn personnel of various ranks have chosen to retire. The 40 sworn personnel who have chosen to retire on either Sept. 1 or Oct. 1 had salaries totaling $2,254,460. The 56 State Troopers who will see their layoff notices rescinded have salaries totaling $1,888,830.

The decision to rescind the layoffs of the 56 State Troopers is a revenue neutral decision, and was made at the recommendation of Commissioner Bradford. All 56 State Troopers will be stationed on the road and will be notified today of their return to state service. 

To maintain equal seniority for these State Troopers, they will return to the state payroll in the order they were laid off, with the majority returning on either Oct. 7 or 21.  

“As a former State Trooper myself, it pained me to send layoff notices to the 56 men and women who were a part of our State Police force,” said Commissioner Bradford. “But there was a fiscal reality that we were facing, and we couldn’t keep people on staff if we didn’t have the money to pay them.

"With the retirements of some of the longest-serving members of the State Police, we were able to rescind the layoffs of these 56 State Troopers. I’m looking forward to having them back on the road.”

“Although 40 sworn personnel have chosen to retire, their combined salaries have allowed us to rescind the layoff notices for all 56 State Troopers who were laid off beginning in August,” said Secretary Barnes.

“When Gov. Malloy made the decision to move forward with the layoffs, he was clear that if fiscal circumstances allowed, he’d like to see them back on the force at some point in the future. I’m pleased to say that we are now able to do that. It should be noted, however, that this does not reverse the process already started by Commissioner Bradford to streamline the department and see more sworn personnel performing hazardous duty functions around the state, and more civilians doing jobs that are currently being done by sworn personnel.”


Keep the river front for all of us October 3, 2011 at 05:22 pm
Weren't the 56 troopers who got pink slips, recent graduates of the police acadamy? So now we have 40 EXPERIENCED personnell being replaced by 56 "rookies"? I hope I misunderstood this transaction...........I REALLY do--otherwise I am VERY concerned for my and my familie's safety.
Barbara October 4, 2011 at 08:53 pm
40 retire and take another state job drawing a salary from that job just like all the rest of them do. So where is the savings???
Cathy Branch Stebbins October 4, 2011 at 11:15 pm
The troopers being rehired are the cream of the crop of over 6,000 applicants. They have had the best training in law enforcement and field experience in the State of Connecticut. And they are all going back on the roads. So yes, we are "safer" with them than without them.
Also, the retirees are going to retire no matter what. You are misunderstanding the transaction...it's not a "trade", it's cost savings.
Walt Curran October 5, 2011 at 04:50 pm
Another shell game! no mention of the cost of those retirement costs.
The governments have become starfishes, cut off one piece and another grows somewqhere else. Obama is crying about Bank of America charging a $5 fee/month for debit cards use..and yet his administyration made Bank of America absorbe a troubnled Wall Street Investent Babk with all it's losses. Now BoA is scrasp[piong the barrelk to stay alive!m n It' sthe same BS over and over on the State and Federal level

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from Middletown Patch? Find your Local Patch »

Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something