Middletown Police Union Speak Out Against Civilian Review Board

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Since 2020, Middletown’s Anti-Racism Task Force has been studying and discussing developing a civilian review board for Middletown’s Police Department.

According to Chairwoman Sacha Armstrong-Crockett, the topic had been on the Anti-Racism Task Force’s agenda nearly 20 times, but there were two or three work group meetings around the issue.

The Anti-Racism Task Force Committee voted to suggest a civilian review board at its April 24 meeting.

Crockett said the Task Force heard from local experts, including Police Chief Erik Costa. Crockett reported over 150 pages of civilian review board documents were collected, and the Police Accountability Act was studied.

“We heard from the community, studied the recommendation received by the City’s General Council, and we believe we have come close to what Middletown needs,” said Chairman Darnell Ford.

Ford said the civilian review board recommendation is being forwarded to the Mayor’s Office.

“There would still be a presentation to the Common Council if requested, and the recommendation will also go through the General Council Commission and Public Safety Commission for review,” he said.

In response to the approved vote to suggest a civilian review board, Middletown Police Union Local 1361 released a statement against creating the civilian review board.

“Politicians should not make an already hard job even harder by creating a Civilian Review Board comprised of members of the public who have no knowledge of police procedures but would be tasked with making potentially career-altering decisions about those very things,” Police union officials said. “Of all the people being consulted on this issue, our members know the most about public safety, and it is about time someone listened to us.”

Police union officials said the actions and behaviors of all Middletown Police officers are overseen internally by front-line supervisors, shift commanders, a professional standards' division, the deputy and chief of police as well as externally by the commission, the Middletown Common Council, the Mayor, the State’s Attorney, the Chief State’s Attorney, and the State of Connecticut Inspector General.