Hartford Police Officer Faces Discipline For 'Dead Pool'

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford police officer is facing disciplinary action due to accusations that he sent a text message to other officers and court officials proposing a bet about where the first homicide of 2021 would occur, according to a statement from Police Chief Jason Thody.

Thody said that while no wager took place, "this represents an appalling lack of judgment, an extreme insensitivity toward our community, and a clear violation of Department policy for which there will be serious disciplinary consequences."

The officer attempted to create a "Major Crime Dead Pool," according to The Hartford Courant. Participants would pay $20 to "pin" a location on a map of Hartford for where they would predict the first murder of the new year would occur.

The officer who sent the message was not named publicly.

"In a year when we have solved more homicides than any year in memory," Thody said in a statement, "it also does a disservice to the incredibly hard work that so many of our officers are doing on a daily basis to prevent and solve serious crimes."

He added that there is no ambiguity about the facts.

"I have reviewed the text message, and there is no ambiguity about the facts," he said in a statement. "I have immediately reassigned the detective out of Major Crimes, and he will be charged with violating the code of conduct this afternoon. We will render specific discipline in short order. Consistent with our policy and procedure, the officer will have the ability to appeal the discipline I impose. At a time when we are trying to build trust, I am as disappointed in this behavior as I am sure you all of you are."

Police have responded to more than 200 shootings in Hartford this year, according to The Courant. Gov. Ned Lamont assigned 15 additional state police detectives there following an uptick in violence in October.